The Boxer

| B | B G#m I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told F# I have squandered my resistance F#7 F#6 B For a pocketful of mumbles such are promises G#m F# E All lies and jest still a man hears what he wants to hear B F# E F# B And disregards the rest B G#m When I left my home and family I was no more than a boy F# In the company of strangers F#7 F#6 B In the quiet of a railway station running scared G#m F# E B Laying low seeking out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go F# E F# B Looking for the places only they would know G#m Lie-la-lie D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# B Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie B G#m Asking only workmans wages I come looking for a job F# But I get no offers F#7 F#6 B Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue G#m F# E B I do declare there were times when I was so lonesome I took some comfort there F# B La-la-la-la-la-la-la | B | B G#m | F#7 | F#7 | | B | B G#m | F#7 | (2/4) | E | B F#7 | E | B | (2/4) ************************************************************************************* Extra verse in live versions B G#m Now the years are rolling by me, they are rocking evenly F# And I am older than I once was F#7 F#6 B And younger than I'll be, that's not unusual G#m F# E B No, it isn't strange, after changes upon changes we are more or less the same F# E B After changes we are more or less the same ************************************************************************************** G#m Lie-la-lie D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# B Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie B G#m Then I'm laying out my winter clothes and wishing I was gone F# F#7 F#6 B Going home where the New York City winters aren't bleeding me D#m G#m Leading me-e F#7 B Going home B G#m In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade F# And he carries the reminders F#7 F#6 B Of ev'ry glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out G#m In his anger and his shame F# E B "I am leaving, I am leaving." but the fighter still remains F# E F# B Hm, hm, hm G#m Lie-la-lie D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# G#m Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie G#m D#m Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie G#m Lie la lie F# B Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie | B | B G#m | F# | F# | | B | B G#m | F#7 | (2/4) | E | B F#7 | E | B B (2/4)