You pack your bags
And you move to the city
There's somethin' missin' here at home
You fix your hair
And you look real pretty
It's time to gettin out on your own

You're always fightin'
With your mama and your papa
Your family life is one big pain!
When are you, you gonna move to the city?
To the city where it all began
You gonna move, You gonna move
Ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma
Child you gotta move

You stole your mama's car
And your daddy's plastic credit card
You're sixteen and you can't get a job
You're not goin' very far
You're always fightin'
With the teachers and the police
Your social life is too insane!
But you, you're gonna move to the city!
To the city where it all began
You gonna move, You gonna move
Ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma
Child you gotta move

To the city! with the real nitty gritty
Aw, child, ain't it a pity?
Sometimes it gets too shitty!
Come on and hit me!

You're on the streets
And it ain't so pretty
At least you get to do what you please
You do what you gotta do for the money
At times you end up on your knees!

You're always fightin'
With the local and the junkies
This city life is one big pain!
But you, you had to move to the city
To the city where it all began
You had to move, You had to move
Ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma, ma
Child you had to move

Into the city with the real nitty gritty
Aw, child, ain't it a pity?
Sometimes it gets too shitty!
Come on and hit me!