The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel

Version 1 of 8
Tuning: Half-Step Down, Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb

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Tune down your guitar one semi-tone. The studio recording is tuned slightly sharp of a 
half step down. Try about +20 cents using an electronic tuner.

If you want to play in the original key in standard tuning, transpose this chord sheet 
and/or use a capo to match the recording:

Transpose  Capo       Play   Key
-3         2nd fret   A      B   (studio version)
-5         4th fret   G      B   (studio version)
+1         1st fret   C      C#  (Live: "Concert in Central Park")
-          -          C      C   (Live: "Live 1969", "Old Friends",
                                  "Paul Simon in Concert: Live Rhymin'")

[Intro]
|  |

[Verse 1]
             
I am just a po

              
or boy, though

            
 my story's se

    
ldom told
       
I have squande

red my resista

nce
            
For a pocketfu

            
l of mumbles s

        
uch are promis

es
          
All lies and j

            
est still a ma

              
n hears what h

  
e wants to hea

r
              
And disregards

                 
 the rest

             
When I left my

              
 home and fami

              
ly I was no mo

       
re than a boy
       
In the company

 of strangers
            
In the quiet o

            
f a railway st

      
ation running 

scared
         
Laying low see

             
king out the p

             
oorer quarters

              
 where the rag

           
ged people go
             
Looking for th

             
e places only 

          
they would kno

w


[Refrain]
       
Lie-la-lie
       
Lie-la-la-la-l

a lie-la-lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

       
 la la lie


[Verse 2]
             
Asking only wo

              
rkmans wages I

              
 come looking 

   
for a job
             
But I get no o

ffers
            
Just a come-on

            
 from the whor

              
es on Seventh 


Avenue
         
I do declare t

             
here were time

             
s when I was s

              
o lonesome I t

              
ook some comfo

   
rt there
             
La-la-la-la-la

        
-la-la


[Interlude]
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      (2/4)
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   (2/4)

*************************************************************************************

Extra verse in live versions

             
Now the years 

              
are rolling by

              
 me, they are 

         
rocking evenly
         
And I am older

 than I once w

as
            
And younger th

            
an I'll be, th

           
at's not unusu

al
          
No, it isn't s

             
trange, after 

            
changes upon c

              
hanges we are 

              
more or less t

    
he same
             
After changes 

             
we are more or

          
 less the same

**************************************************************************************

[Refrain]
       
Lie-la-lie
       
Lie-la-la-la-l

a lie-la-lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

       
 la la lie


[Verse 3]
             
Then I'm layin

              
g out my winte

              
r clothes and 

           
wishing I was 


gone
             
Going home whe

            
re the New Yor

            
k City winters

        
 aren't bleedi

ng me
          
 Leading me-e
            
Going home



             
In the clearin

              
g stands a box

              
er and a fight

       
er by his trad

e
       
And he carries

 the reminders
            
Of ev'ry glove

            
 that laid him

         
 down or cut h

im till he cri

ed out
             
In his anger a

/     
nd his shame
             
"I am leaving,

             
 I am leaving.

              
" but the figh

            
ter still rema

ins
             
Hm, hm, hm

    


[Refrain]
       
Lie-la-lie
       
Lie-la-la-la-l

a lie-la-lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie

          
     Lie-la-la

-la-la lie-la-

lie
       
Lie la lie
             
Lie-la la la l

              
a la lie la la

      [  ]
 la la lie


[Outro]
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      (2/4)
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   (2/4)