Lyrics to
Masterpiece

This version of Masterpiece was released by The Temptations in 1973.

Our About The Temptations page at Decade Lyrics includes the lyrics for Masterpiece from 1973 as well as all of the other lyrics from The Temptations that we have in our lyrics database.

Here's more interesting things in songs and lyrics tied to The Temptations or about the 1970s in general.

Where I was born ev`rything was dull and dingy
I lived in a place they called the inner city
Getting ahead huh was strictly a nono
Cause nobody cares what happens to the folks
That live in the ghetto
Thousands of lives wasting away
People living from day to day
It`s a challenge just staying alive
`Cause in the ghetto only the strong survive

Money I ain`t got none, job can`t find one
The streets raised me from a baby, ooh
Thousands of lives wasting away
People living from day to day
It`s a challenge just staying alive
`Cause in the ghetto only the strong survive

Broken down homes, kids strung out
They don`t even know what life`s all about
Stealin` cars, robbin` bars
Mugging drugs, rat infested
And no one`s interested

Kids dodging cars for recreation
Only adds to a mother`s frustration
Breakings, folks comin` home
And finding all their possessions gone
Oh it`s an ev`ry day thing – well well – in the ghetto
Oh it`s an ev`ry day thing in the ghetto

---

Want more lyrics and songs by The Temptations?

The Temptations has released many songs over the years besides Masterpiece. The Temptations released songs from 1964 to 1980 spanning across albums like Meet The Temptations, The Temptations Sing Smokey, The Temptin' Temptations, Gettin' Ready, The Temptations With A Lot O' Soul, The Temptations In A Mellow Mood, The Temptations Wish It Would Rain, Cloud Nine, Puzzle People, The Temptations Christmas Card, Psychedelic Shack, Sky's The Limit, All Directions, Solid Rock, Masterpiece, A Song For You, and Give Love At Christmas. Decade Lyrics has over lyrics & songs by The Temptations.

If you're a fan of popular 1970s songs looking for more songs from 1973 or the 1970s overall, you've come to the right place!

About Lyrics and Masterpiece by The Temptations

The lyrics to Masterpiece are the words, verses and chorus for the song released by The Temptations in 1973. Elements of the lyrics to Masterpiece are both direct in meaning and also metaphorical with the real meanings of the song only known by The Temptations and any collaborating writers working on the lyrics for Masterpiece back when it was created.

Some people have an interest in the etymology behind words and phrases. You can take apart the lyrics to Masterpiece by The Temptations in a number of ways. The word "lyric" itself derives from the Latin word lyricus, with the actual English word lyrics applied to the definition "words set to music" listed in Stainer and Barrett's 1876 Dictionary of Musical Terms. Continuing the chain, the Latin word lyricus derives from the Greek word λυρικός or lyrikós. This somewhat means "poetry accompanied by the lyre" or "words set to music." You can easily see that by looking at the background of the word lyric, that the "lyrics to Masterpiece" means the words set to the music of Masterpiece, or poetry accompanied by the lyre played by The Temptations. The singular form "lyric" is still used to mean the complete words to a song. However, the singular form lyric is also commonly used to refer to a specific line (or phrase) within a song's lyrics. Hence, by this analysis of word structure, you could say that the lyric to Masterpiece and the lyrics to Masterpiece are both one and the same thing. None of this talk about the word Lyrics is really relevant to fans of The Temptations who came here looking just for the lyrics to Masterpiece, but we feel it is still fun to learn what's behind commonly used words and lyrics in songs.

More Songs & Lyrics by The Temptations

Visit our The Temptations profile for more The Temptations songs, lyrics & info!

)