The boxer

1. [C] I am just a poor boy
Though my story’s seldom [Am] told
I have [G] squandered my resistance
For a pocketful of mumbles
Such are [C] promises
All lies and [Am] jest
Still, a [G] man hears what he wants to [F] hear
And disregards the [C] rest
Mm-mm-mm-mm-mm-[G] mm
Mm-mm-mm-mm-[C] mm

When I [C] left my home and my family
I was no more than a [Am] boy
In the [G] company of strangers
In the quiet of the railway station
[C] Running scared
Laying [Am] low, seeking [G] out the poorer [F] quarters
Where the ragged people [C] go
Looking [G] for the places [F] only they would [C] know

Lie-la-[Am] lie
Lie-la-[Em] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie
Lie-la-[Am]lie
Lie-la-[G] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie, lie-lie-lie-lie-[C] lie

2. Asking [C] only workman’s wages
I come looking for a [Am] job
But I get no [G] offers
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh [C] Avenue
I do [Am] declare, there were [G] times when I was so [F] lonesome
I took some comfort [C] there
La-la-la-la-la-la-[G] la [C]

Now the [C] years are rolling by me
they are rockin’ [Am] evenly
I am [G] older than I once was
and younger than I’ll be and that’s not [C] unusual.
No it isn’t [Am] strange
after [G] changes upon [F] changes
we are more or less the [C] same
after [G] changes we are [F] more or less the [C] same

Lie-la-[Am] lie
Lie-la-[Em] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie
Lie-la-[Am]lie
Lie-la-[G] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie, lie-lie-lie-lie-[C] lie

3. Then I’m [C] laying out my winter clothes
And wishing I was [Am] gone
Going [G] home
Where the New York City winters aren’t [C] bleeding me
[Em] Leading [Am] me
Going [G] home [C]

In the [C] clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his [Am] trade
And he [G] carries the reminders
Of every glove that laid him down
Or [C] cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his [Am] shame
"I am [G] leaving, I am [F] leaving"
But the fighter still [C] remains [G] [F] [C]

Lie-la-[Am] lie
Lie-la-[Em] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie
Lie-la-[Am] lie
Lie-la-[G] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie, lie-lie-lie-lie-[Am] lie
Lie-la-[Em] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie
Lie-la-[Am]lie
Lie-la-[G] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie, lie-lie-lie-lie-[Am] lie
Lie-la-[Em] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie
Lie-la-[Am]lie
Lie-la-[G] lie-lie-lie-lie-lie, lie-lie-lie-lie-[C] lie