About the song
“Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” is a powerful and poignant song that has become an iconic representation of the struggles and hardships faced by the inhabitants of inner-city America. Released in 1971 as the third and final single from Marvin Gaye’s landmark album “What’s Going On”, this song is a masterclass in storytelling, painting a vivid picture of the bleak economic situations and ghettos that plagued urban America during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Written by Gaye and James Nyx Jr., the song’s lyrics are a scathing critique of the systemic injustices and inequalities that perpetuated poverty and despair in inner-city communities. The song’s title, “Inner City Blues”, is a reference to the struggles and hardships faced by those living in these areas, and the emotional toll that these experiences take on individuals.
The song’s composition is a testament to Gaye’s skill as a songwriter and musician. The song’s mellow funk style, featuring Gaye on piano and the Funk Brothers on instrumentation, creates a sense of urgency and desperation that perfectly complements the song’s lyrics. The song’s recording process was marked by a sense of collaboration and experimentation, with Gaye and Nyx Jr. drawing inspiration from their own experiences and observations of the world around them.
Released as a single on October 14, 1971, “Inner City Blues” was a commercial success, peaking at #9 on Billboard’s Pop Singles chart and staying at #1 on the R&B Singles chart for two weeks. The song’s success was a testament to Gaye’s ability to connect with audiences and to his commitment to using his music as a platform for social commentary and activism. Today, “Inner City Blues” remains a powerful and enduring song that continues to resonate with listeners around the world.
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Lyrics
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah-dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah-dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Fore we see it you take it
Oh, make me want to holler
The way they do my life (yeah)
Make me want to holler
The way they do my life
This ain’t livin’, this ain’t livin’
No, no baby, this ain’t livin’
No, no, no, no
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Oh, make me want to holler
The way they do my life (duh, duh, duh)
Yeah, make me want to holler
The way they do my life
Oh, baby
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Hang-ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
Oh honey that I can’t pay my taxes
Oh, make me want to holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it make me want to holler
And throw up both my hands
Oh (ow) crime is (woo) increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God knows where we’re heading
Oh, make me want to holler
They don’t understand
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we’re wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long