The last verse tells the whole story. He's gone through adversity and even though he wanted to give up at times, in the end he, like the fighter, still stands
As I grew older, this became my favorite Simon and Garfunkel song. I'd already loved these guys as a teenager, but age and experience had more of these words bring deeper meaning to me. Sometimes it takes life events to put great lyrics into a better perspective.
This song will haunt you for the rest of your life, I know it has haunted me for 50 years. I think the Boxer is the strength one finds to personably make it through life. The first episode of Saturday Night Live TV show after 9/11 Paul, a New York City native, sang this song standing in front of NYC Police and fire fighters. The emotion when he sang "but the fighter still remains" was palatable and unforgettable.
Paul Simon singing at the anniversary of 9/11 (I think it was the 10th) ... makes me cry every time I watch it. I don't think he knows exactly what he did there, but maybe he does. The man is a genius.
Life ends when you stop fighting, metaphorically and literally, but Paul Simon has his Boxer (Artist?) crying out “I am leaving” (Death?) and then adds “but the Fighter (Brutality?) still remains”. Any ideas on what he’s trying to get across?
@@lathedauphinot6820 "the fighter still remains" always represented the will to endure, despite adverse circumstances, to me. Or , perhaps it's an inability to evolve towards a more peaceful mindset? There's many different angles to consider.
What messed you up trying to follow the lyrics was that there is a verse that was omitted in the studio recording of The Boxer in favor of an instrumental break. It's a pity, too, because I think it is one of the most poetic and relatable verses in the song. Now the years are rolling by me They are rockin' evenly I am older than I once was And younger than I'll be That's not unusual, nor is it strange After changes upon changes We are more or less the same After changes we are more or less the same. You can only hear this verse in some live recordings of The Boxer.
I always took "The Boxer" part of it to be a metaphor, that you can have all the coaching and encouragement from others in the world, but in the end, ONLY YOU can make yourself get up and get back into it when life knocks you down. Boxing as an analogy for life, the character keeps getting knocked down but never gives up.
Perhaps, but I don't particularly like boxing, so for me, it's not a positive metaphor for the struggles of life at all. "Knock others out before they have a chance to knock you down"? No, thanks. I'd much rather use my brains to avoid fighting altogether. Keep your enemies close. That sort of thing.
I see the song as a tragedy. A man, born into poverty, fleeing to poverty, lied to and shunned, yet, against all reason, still fighting on, scarred and bloody. He's speaking the story of the downtrodden, the ignored. Great choice, great reaction. I think S & G--and Paul Simon's solo work--is some of the most beautiful, meticulous, well-observed pop music ever made. Simon metamorphasizes through various genres, remaining constant in his wit, and masterful, subtle words, and melodies.
Fella… your ability to understand metaphor is outstanding… so many people review music videos and they completely miss the message …Big shout-out to you!
The percussive punctuation on the chorus makes me think of the punches landing that life has thrown at him. The Boxer is a metaphor I think for someone whose life has been a constant fight.
I trust that you listen to the songs without interuption after you do your reaction. This one should be heard all at once to get the impact of the story and appreciation for it's beauty. Paul Simon is a genius and one of the very best songwrters and lyricist of the past century. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" or Scarborough Fair" are both gorgeous. "Call Me Al" is fun to listen to. Lots of choices and a very deep rabbit hole.
The duo became popular quickly, when they were quite young. After a few years some prominent critics began stereotyping them as simple folk artists or flower children without any range. He felt this was unfair and resented it. This song is about his journey up to this point. He feels alone in the world, among crowds of strangers and in crowded places (like train stations). On this studio recording the 4th verse was dropped for an instrumental section (which Simon always includes in concerts). That verse, talks about the years having gone by and leads into the final verse about the boxer, making it clear that he is the boxer, a fighter who has been hurt and cut and threatens to leave (quit) but instead remains, due to his nature as a fighter. The "hook" works for what it is. Simon has said in the past that it was always going to be replaced by other lyrics but they became accustomed to singing it during rehearsals so kept it as part of the song. The arrangement includes lots of unusual instruments that are hard to place. This is a precursor to more sophisticated musical arrangements Simon will adopt later, especially in his solo career.
Great Reaction. To me the line stating he squandered his resistance for a pocketful of mumbles means that he caved in to someone for what turned out to be lies and not promises. The lines about the Boxer are metaphorical and perhaps self reflective, referring to the struggles we all experience but survive and carry on.
I love the last instrumental in this song -- it tells a story without words. The musical arrangement is full of feeling, struggle, and resolve; its beautiful.
I traveled around Ireland in 1985 and in the pubs in Dublin, Kilkenny, Galway, ….. there were many times that someone with an acoustic guitar was singing for the pub, and every singer knew this song.
To me, this is just one more beautiful song among very many by them. But I do know that for a lot of people, it is their favorite Simon and Garfunkel song. My problem is I just have so many. But this song is tremendous. It's triumphant and sad and angry and defeated and just point it all the way around. What an incredible ambiance. And seriously, if you hear this more than once like most of us, you will never be able to get this out of your head. It will always be there, that's how powerful it is.
I’m sure you noticed the fourth verse was in your lyrics but not in the recorded version you reacted to. That verse is left out on several recordings of the song and was never really played on the radio. They included the fourth verse many many times during their live performances. It’s actually a very impressive verse. I think they include the fourth verse in their life performance from Central Park.
Yes, the "fourth verse " is included at the Central Park Concert. This verse replaces the instrumental "bridge" in the song which is often not included in their concerts. This verse adds so much to the song in my opinion, it should have been on the original track.
Roy Halee was to Simon & Garfunkel what George Martin was to The Beatles, fabulously creative and sympathetic to the songs, neither artists would have had quite the impact and development they did without those guys enhancing production and arranging skills, they were symbiotic relationships at just the right time.
Key verse, which you may have not noticed, was that he cries out "I am leaving" but he still remains. He wants to throw in the towel, but doesn't, he keeps fighting. (I always took the boxer part as a metaphor, but either way makes sense of the text.)
In the line.... "In the clearing statnds a boxer and a fighter by his trade" That noise in your left ear is a bass harmonica! Great reaction to an unforgettable song.
This song always reminds me of my own father's journey. Leaving his home in Rhode Island to continue his boxing in Los Angeles in the early 1960s and the manifold experiences of a young man on his own abroad.
Nice to see this reaction. Actually, only Paul Simon writes. Art helps out with production/arrangements. To me this is indeed like an autobiography. I think you nailed it. Oddly the song sounds so beautiful but describes a really tough life. The very long instrumental section towards the end really is an obvious direct influence of the ending of Hey Jude which came out the previous year. A track you probably would enjoy diving into from Paul Simon's first solo album - "American Tune". If you do check it out take note of the year it was recorded - 1974.
The lie la lie part was only ever meant to be a placeholder until they came up with other lyrics, but decided to keep it as it worked in the song. The track has loads of layers of guitars (+ other instruments) - it took over 100 hours to record
If you like examining lyrics, you are going to love some Crosby, Stills & Nash (and sometimes Neil Young). If you want to squeeze in a short one sometime, check out "Helplessly Hoping" (and in case you don't know, refresh your memory of what alliteration is. That one is pretty heavy with it). "Guinevere" has a very olden feel to the poetic lyrics. No doubt once you hit any of their songs, "Wooden Ships" is going to be recommended to you by people, but I suggest maybe start with that two-pack, instead: Helplessly Hoping and Guinevere.
I second the CSN +Young comment. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was about Steven Stills relationship with Judy Collins. Speaking of Judy Collins, She performs an excellent cover of the Beatles "In My Life". In my opinion, the best.
This song is both lyrically sad and musically happy at the same time. Structurally and thematically it always reminds me of Arlington Guthrie’s “City Of New Orleans”.
Great reaction dude. I second the love below for Paul Simon's solo career - You Can Call Me Al, The Boy in the Bubble and Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard are all fantastic and very different to anything he did with Garfunkel. Hard to believe that the writer of The Boxer and Sound of Silence got super funky later in life, but super funky he did get. Out of the Simon & Garfunkel material I'd recommend America, Homeward Bound or The Only Living Boy in New York.
I see it as he's telling the story of a boxer's life, likely a metaphor for his own. Squandered his resistance means maybe let go of his integrity for a bunch of empty promises for reward or riches. Which turned out to be all lies or pulling his leg, jest, and the man hears what he wants to hear....
totally agree with the first comment about integrity. Right or wrong, artists from this era were big on integrity and hypocrisy. The Vietnam war was all part of that. And well its certainly true that the American gov lied to its citizens, the "lie" part may be just coincidental - are the lyrics shown the proper spelling, or is it just a listeners interpretation? The sixties were all about challenging bogus bull and trying to call it out. Also about achieving a higher consciousness. Many songs of the sixties focused on this theme and should be considered in this context.
Paul Simon said in a 1984 Playboy interview that in looking back to 1968, he was The Boxer. He had been taking the first real criticism of his writing talent, having had the first couple years of their careers being all praise. He was responding to critics by saying he would just stop and do something else. He pulled some references from the bible (workman's wages, seeking poorer quarters).
I often wonder whether the "pocket full of mumbles such are promises" line was partly inspired by Simon's time in England, where bank notes are literally "promises" ("I promise to pay the bearer on demand...") It's a great line though - we give away our freedoms for fake promises never intended to be kept. That fourth verse was a later addition sung in concert. The song is basically someone who left home to try to make it in the city, but found no jobs and ended up down at heel. The "boxer" is a metaphor for that person - hit by life from all sides but still surviving. The instrumentation at the end of the song is phenomenal - that crescendo then the quiet guitar part - it gets me every time.
When you hear the drum coming in during the part where they're singing "lie la lie" it almost sounds like a boxer hitting his fists against one of those bags that hang from the ceiling in a gym or somewhere.
Keep exploring S and G. Love your serious effort at understanding the lyrics and their music. (you might want to watch the movie 'The Graduate'.....guys, don't give away the storyline....please) Simon and Garfunkel's music plays a big part in the movie and you WILL find it fascinating. The acting alone is fantastic. A landmark cinematic treat.
Great reaction, I think you were spot on about it being unclear whether it was a tragedy or a hero's journey being described, probably a bit of both I would guess. Next S&G song you should react to: Mrs Robinson! Pretty different musically from the last two you've listened to, but still lyrically very interesting (and also one of their most famous songs)
‘Lie la lie’ was put in as a placeholder for words that Simon hadn’t yet written. In the end he couldn’t come up with anything he was happy with so he just left it in.
For next, I'd suggest to you "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which was sung solo by Art Garfunkel. It's just another level of beauty. The lyrics/meaning should be pretty clear, too. "America" would be another good choice, as would "Homeward Bound" or "Mrs. Robinson." That last one was featured in the 1967 film "The Graduate," which was Dustin Hoffman's first major role.
HOLY SHIT I JUST REALISED THAT THIS SONG IS PROBABLY ABOUT BOB DYLAN! you know with all the mumbles and lies/jokes (dylan is famous for his half truths and the press where equally famous for disregarding anything really meaningful that he said and just hearing what they wanted to hear) the whole part about leaving his family etc referrers to dylans many false stories about his origins and dylan is the boxer in folk music's corner at least until the mid to late sixties which a lines with simon writing the son in 68'. could it be that simon himself also is the boxer though fighting for equal standing with dylan but ultimately never quite reaching his level "i am leaving, but the fighter still remains" the fighter either being dylan beating simon in popularity amd as a writer but losing his status as folk music's boxer in the process or simon defeating dylan but dylan going on to become something more whilst simon remains. really cool song man
This story has literal parts and metaphorical parts. The trick is deciphering which parts describe the arc of the character's life, and which parts describe his thoughts and feelings. The story starts with innocence but immediately shifts to describing struggle, hardship, pain, loneliness, and guilt... but through it all, there is a resilience. It's probably not autobiographical as this seems to be the story of a homeless person, but I'm sure Paul Simon spoke to real people and listened to their stories before writing this song. I'm pretty sure there is no "boxer". That part seems like a metaphor for someone who has been beaten up by life repeatedly. Finally, it seems to me that the verse about laying out winter clothes is about considering death as an alternative to living through the cold of winter. However, the character is like a boxer who can't quit fighting to survive. This is a beautifully written song about a part of humanity that society often overlooks or judges harshly.
Some verses were not included in the recorded version, but were used in live versions of this song. People from New York appreciate the references to NYC. Simon and Garfunkel are Queens County’s gift to the music world. Your reactions are very good and enjoyable.
This song was my anthem when I was young, as it mirrored my situation. At 19 I withdrew my meager savings, left my home and my family, went to London, sought out the poorer quarters and went looking for the job, but got no offers. Although I eventually found success, the first years were tough. I’d often think “i am leaving, I am leaving”, but I remained. (I didn’t have the “pleasure” of taking comfort with any prostitutes, though).
The explosions were made by Hal Blaine the session drummer who sat the snare drum in front of an empty elevator shaft outside the Columbia recording studio.
"Pocketful of mumbles" is the condition a boxer finds himself in when it is all said and done...after having been lied to and hearing the promises of glory and not the punches...
Simon and Garfunkel are right up their with Dylan on lyrics and telling a story. Check out their song "I am a rock". Powerful song of loneliness and of someone that has been so hurt that they emotionally insulate themselves from the world. Great song!!!
I'm not trying to flatter your ego here but I've got to tell you you're off the cuff reaction to the 1st verse is spot on! I never before picked up on the told-gold point...I am even more in awe of Paul for these lyrical subtitles...
A GREAT GREAT CLASSIC ROCK TIMELESSSSS FOLK ROCK SONG SYED!!! 😊HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING, MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS, LOTS TO BE THANKFUL FOR RIGHT? 😊KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO ON HERE, ALLLLLL THE BEST!
I have been listening to this song since it first came out. 1: the Boxer is a metaphor which you caught - fighting his way in flitlfe 2: the Hook was spunds they used as a filler until they wrote the words of the chorus - then they decided to keep it that way. They never said, though, if the word was actually Lie, or was just meant as a sound
Always appreciate your take on these songs that I’ve loved most of my life. The first 45 record I ever bought was Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with “Cecelia” on the B side. My dad gave me a dollar and let me walk to the corner drug store in our neighborhood to buy it when I was 5 years old. Still my favorite song.❤
Yes. What you should hear next is "American Tune" from the legendary Concert in Central Park, with Garfunkle adding the most sublime harmonies for the only time as it was a Simon solo release. It is a song that has a fresh message today regarding both hopelessness and optimism. And try to get to the Simon song "Duncan" before you forget.
Paul was the writer and instrumentalist in the band with lots of help from studio musicians band. Art was only the singer hence their breakup when credit wasn't correctly attributed
Verse 4 wasn’t included in the album although I have heard it in a live concert - it doesn’t quite scan with the other verses … great song, I’m 68 and still listen to it consider their young ages when they wrote such inciteful song. Listen to this in a dark room with your eyes closed … you’ll never forget it.
Art Garfunkel is one of the finest singers, but when it comes to the writing that’s all Paul Simon. Certainly one of the great songwriters of popular music.
This is a character study. A young man has realized that the things he was told would make him successful and happy aren’t true. He heads to the city where he is surrounded by strangers, is looking for a cheap place to live while he looks for a job. He can’t get an offer for work and the only “comfort”/ sympathy he finds is with prostitutes. Finally, homesickness makes him admit defeat. He is leaving this fight, angry about the failures but still proud (the fighter remains).
Maybe you should be as open minded as he is… music isn’t finite, we can have it all (and politely ignore the stuff that doesn’t resonate with us, once we give it a fair shot)
Yes, semi-autobiographical. Simon is telling the story of his early career in music. "In the clearing stands a boxer And a fighter by his trade And he carries the reminders Of every glove that laid him down Or cut him till he cried out In his anger and his shame "I am leaving, I am leaving" But the fighter still remains" No matter what his critics and lukewarm fans may have said about him, he wasn't giving up. He was determined to make it. He's a fighter and has been his whole life is what he is saying in this song and especially with that final verse.
Hey, 7 months later, but on that first verse: To me, he's saying he's been worn down with false promises, but "still a man hears what he wants to hear." The lies appealed to him, and the worst ones often do, especially when they're flattering or telling you you're going to WIN! So he still "buys in" to the BS and may not be any wiser for knowing he's often being deceived. As to the boxer, I think he sees the boxer, and sees himself in him. Beaten, battered, abused, but still there.
For what it's worth, i don't remember ever HEARING the words "I love you" sung in this song, and certainly, they seem to be an incongruity in the context of the verse. I'm more of a mind to think that whoever has compiled the lyrics wished to sign off his labor with a positive outro of his own. The style of the print is different than that of the verse. 'Guess i'll have to go back and listen for those three little words, but i owned this album when it was newly released, and i don't recall ever hearing that from my speakers.
I have always seen this as autobiographical tale of the young artist drawn to the big city looking for fame and fortune finding poverty, loneliness and the lying tongues of all the people in show business that will take advantage of the young artist. It has made him like a boxer beaten and scarred but not able to abandon his dream anyway
With those two songs you certainly heard the social commentary side of the duo. They could be playful and more uplifting too. I suggest you check out "At the Zoo" or "Cecelia" for another take on Simon and Garfunkel
Part of the issue with the Word doc was that it included the 4th verse, which Simon typically includes with live performances, but it wasn't included with this studio cut.
To me, this boy left home hopeful and then he found out for himself what the world is really like. Life took it's toll on him, and he begins to look back but is afraid of admitting defeat.
There's a story that the 'lie la lie' part came from one of them forgetting their lines & inserted lie la lie instead. They liked it and kept it. No idea if this is true, but I like it.
The explosion you described in the Lie la lie chorus of the song was created with drums. To get the shattering reverberating sound, Roy Halee, S&G's co-producer, moved the drums to the elevator lobby of the recording studio building. I think it was either Capital or Columbia, not sure which. Halee had a great ear for percussive sounds, and sometimes went to great lengths to get the sound just right. He was also very involved with creating the rhythms in the song Cecelia.
@@bumperu No surprise that it was Blaine. I thought it was Columbia but wasn't certain (without looking it up). This was an example of what a good producer Halee was. For S&G anyway. They won a best album Grammy here.
Paul Simon writes lyrics that make you think. What does it mean? I think it means different things to different people. Maybe Paul doesn't know what it means? But his lyrics are so memorable, regardless. That sounds like a bass harmonica providing the "brassy" sound.
I think the lyrics file you found was from the live Central Park concert. They added a verse there. The version you listened to was the original from the Bridge Over Troubled Waters album.
The lie lie lie part was an accident...he was just signing sounds to fill space where he hadnt written lyrics left and when they heard it in playback they left it in.
Ok, I love your deeper dives! I believe the chorus "Lie li lie" is THE MACHINE that sells us (or markets) our dreams. But WE buy into the lies, and disregard the rest. Notice every chorus, the machine adds something to the melody (its getting stronger) till it defeats our hero and ends selling more "Lie li lies!"
The last verse tells the whole story. He's gone through adversity and even though he wanted to give up at times, in the end he, like the fighter, still stands
As I grew older, this became my favorite Simon and Garfunkel song. I'd already loved these guys as a teenager, but age and experience had more of these words bring deeper meaning to me. Sometimes it takes life events to put great lyrics into a better perspective.
America. One of the most devastatingly beautiful songs ever written, and not a single rhyme in it. Paul Simon is truly a sorcerer.
Paul Simon is a musical genius. One of the few that earned that title.
This song will haunt you for the rest of your life, I know it has haunted me for 50 years. I think the Boxer is the strength one finds to personably make it through life. The first episode of Saturday Night Live TV show after 9/11 Paul, a New York City native, sang this song standing in front of NYC Police and fire fighters. The emotion when he sang "but the fighter still remains" was palatable and unforgettable.
Paul Simon singing at the anniversary of 9/11 (I think it was the 10th) ... makes me cry every time I watch it. I don't think he knows exactly what he did there, but maybe he does. The man is a genius.
Think of those crashes during the chorus as the impacts of the blows endured in a boxing ring...
And the blows we experience in life in general.
@@surfrunnerd8457 exactly. I believe it's intended to be metaphorical...
Wow. I never thought about it that way. Great takes!
Life ends when you stop fighting, metaphorically and literally, but Paul Simon has his Boxer (Artist?) crying out “I am leaving” (Death?) and then adds “but the Fighter (Brutality?) still remains”. Any ideas on what he’s trying to get across?
@@lathedauphinot6820 "the fighter still remains" always represented the will to endure, despite adverse circumstances, to me.
Or , perhaps it's an inability to evolve towards a more peaceful mindset?
There's many different angles to consider.
What messed you up trying to follow the lyrics was that there is a verse that was omitted in the studio recording of The Boxer in favor of an instrumental break. It's a pity, too, because I think it is one of the most poetic and relatable verses in the song.
Now the years are rolling by me
They are rockin' evenly
I am older than I once was
And younger than I'll be
That's not unusual, nor is it strange
After changes upon changes
We are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same.
You can only hear this verse in some live recordings of The Boxer.
I always took "The Boxer" part of it to be a metaphor, that you can have all the coaching and encouragement from others in the world, but in the end, ONLY YOU can make yourself get up and get back into it when life knocks you down. Boxing as an analogy for life, the character keeps getting knocked down but never gives up.
Perhaps, but I don't particularly like boxing, so for me, it's not a positive metaphor for the struggles of life at all.
"Knock others out before they have a chance to knock you down"? No, thanks. I'd much rather use my brains to avoid fighting altogether.
Keep your enemies close. That sort of thing.
I see the song as a tragedy. A man, born into poverty, fleeing to poverty, lied to and shunned, yet, against all reason, still fighting on, scarred and bloody. He's speaking the story of the downtrodden, the ignored.
Great choice, great reaction. I think S & G--and Paul Simon's solo work--is some of the most beautiful, meticulous, well-observed pop music ever made. Simon metamorphasizes through various genres, remaining constant in his wit, and masterful, subtle words, and melodies.
Fella… your ability to understand metaphor is outstanding… so many people review music videos and they completely miss the message …Big shout-out to you!
Probably their best song lyrically. I felt that man's pain.
The percussive punctuation on the chorus makes me think of the punches landing that life has thrown at him. The Boxer is a metaphor I think for someone whose life has been a constant fight.
I trust that you listen to the songs without interuption after you do your reaction. This one should be heard all at once to get the impact of the story and appreciation for it's beauty. Paul Simon is a genius and one of the very best songwrters and lyricist of the past century. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" or Scarborough Fair" are both gorgeous. "Call Me Al" is fun to listen to. Lots of choices and a very deep rabbit hole.
The duo became popular quickly, when they were quite young. After a few years some prominent critics began stereotyping them as simple folk artists or flower children without any range. He felt this was unfair and resented it. This song is about his journey up to this point. He feels alone in the world, among crowds of strangers and in crowded places (like train stations). On this studio recording the 4th verse was dropped for an instrumental section (which Simon always includes in concerts). That verse, talks about the years having gone by and leads into the final verse about the boxer, making it clear that he is the boxer, a fighter who has been hurt and cut and threatens to leave (quit) but instead remains, due to his nature as a fighter.
The "hook" works for what it is. Simon has said in the past that it was always going to be replaced by other lyrics but they became accustomed to singing it during rehearsals so kept it as part of the song.
The arrangement includes lots of unusual instruments that are hard to place. This is a precursor to more sophisticated musical arrangements Simon will adopt later, especially in his solo career.
Special mention for the bass harmonica !
Great Reaction. To me the line stating he squandered his resistance for a pocketful of mumbles means that he caved in to someone for what turned out to be lies and not promises. The lines about the Boxer are metaphorical and perhaps self reflective, referring to the struggles we all experience but survive and carry on.
Yes. He's given up his integrity (resistance) for false promises -- a pocketful of mumbles (words) that are merely lies and jest (empty words).
Agreed -- more metaphorical than autobiographical but dealing with themes almost anyone can relate to.
I love the last instrumental in this song -- it tells a story without words. The musical arrangement is full of feeling, struggle, and resolve; its beautiful.
I traveled around Ireland in 1985 and in the pubs in Dublin, Kilkenny, Galway, ….. there were many times that someone with an acoustic guitar was singing for the pub, and every singer knew this song.
Amazing track. Their songs seem simple and then become so lush. Paul’s lyricism and their combined voices are magic.
If you like beautifully poetic lyrics, I think "Kathy's Song" by Simon & Garfunkel has some of the best lyrics I've ever heard.
To me, this is just one more beautiful song among very many by them. But I do know that for a lot of people, it is their favorite Simon and Garfunkel song. My problem is I just have so many. But this song is tremendous. It's triumphant and sad and angry and defeated and just point it all the way around. What an incredible ambiance. And seriously, if you hear this more than once like most of us, you will never be able to get this out of your head. It will always be there, that's how powerful it is.
I’m sure you noticed the fourth verse was in your lyrics but not in the recorded version you reacted to. That verse is left out on several recordings of the song and was never really played on the radio. They included the fourth verse many many times during their live performances. It’s actually a very impressive verse. I think they include the fourth verse in their life performance from Central Park.
Yes, the "fourth verse " is included at the Central Park Concert. This verse replaces the instrumental "bridge" in the song which is often not included in their concerts. This verse adds so much to the song in my opinion, it should have been on the original track.
A problem with record companies .
The producer Roy Halee was very innovative. He was able to get the explosive sound from the drums. He did a really great job on this whole album.
Roy Halee was to Simon & Garfunkel what George Martin was to The Beatles, fabulously creative and sympathetic to the songs, neither artists would have had quite the impact and development they did without those guys enhancing production and arranging skills, they were symbiotic relationships at just the right time.
Key verse, which you may have not noticed, was that he cries out "I am leaving" but he still remains. He wants to throw in the towel, but doesn't, he keeps fighting. (I always took the boxer part as a metaphor, but either way makes sense of the text.)
When the bass strings come in at the end is so epic and arm hair raising!🇨🇦🇨🇦❤️
In the line.... "In the clearing statnds a boxer and a fighter by his trade" That noise in your left ear is a bass harmonica! Great reaction to an unforgettable song.
This song always reminds me of my own father's journey. Leaving his home in Rhode Island to continue his boxing in Los Angeles in the early 1960s and the manifold experiences of a young man on his own abroad.
MUST HEAR Classics,, Simon & Garfunkel "Scarborough Fair/Canticle" & "Hazy Shade Of Winter"
Nice to see this reaction. Actually, only Paul Simon writes. Art helps out with production/arrangements. To me this is indeed like an autobiography. I think you nailed it. Oddly the song sounds so beautiful but describes a really tough life. The very long instrumental section towards the end really is an obvious direct influence of the ending of Hey Jude which came out the previous year.
A track you probably would enjoy diving into from Paul Simon's first solo album - "American Tune". If you do check it out take note of the year it was recorded - 1974.
American Tune, thank you, it is hauntingly heart breaking, so perfectly written, deep meanings,
Yes, +1 for American Tune.
The lie la lie part was only ever meant to be a placeholder until they came up with other lyrics, but decided to keep it as it worked in the song.
The track has loads of layers of guitars (+ other instruments) - it took over 100 hours to record
If you like examining lyrics, you are going to love some Crosby, Stills & Nash (and sometimes Neil Young).
If you want to squeeze in a short one sometime, check out "Helplessly Hoping" (and in case you don't know, refresh your memory of what alliteration is. That one is pretty heavy with it). "Guinevere" has a very olden feel to the poetic lyrics. No doubt once you hit any of their songs, "Wooden Ships" is going to be recommended to you by people, but I suggest maybe start with that two-pack, instead: Helplessly Hoping and Guinevere.
I second the CSN +Young comment. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was about Steven Stills relationship with Judy Collins.
Speaking of Judy Collins, She performs an excellent cover of the Beatles "In My Life". In my opinion, the best.
This song is both lyrically sad and musically happy at the same time. Structurally and thematically it always reminds me of Arlington Guthrie’s “City Of New Orleans”.
Thank you for reminding me of City of New Orleans! Great song as is The Boxer
Paul’s lyrics are so awesome in all his songs. They make you go back and think so much about the meanings.
Great reaction dude. I second the love below for Paul Simon's solo career - You Can Call Me Al, The Boy in the Bubble and Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard are all fantastic and very different to anything he did with Garfunkel. Hard to believe that the writer of The Boxer and Sound of Silence got super funky later in life, but super funky he did get.
Out of the Simon & Garfunkel material I'd recommend America, Homeward Bound or The Only Living Boy in New York.
Really enjoying listening to a young man's take on music that has formed the soundtrack to my life ... keep at it!
I see it as he's telling the story of a boxer's life, likely a metaphor for his own. Squandered his resistance means maybe let go of his integrity for a bunch of empty promises for reward or riches. Which turned out to be all lies or pulling his leg, jest, and the man hears what he wants to hear....
He's rueful over having given up his integrity, which he sees as squandered meaning he valued it and whatever he exchanged it for was not equitable
I think the Lila Li chorus is just phonetics
totally agree with the first comment about integrity. Right or wrong, artists from this era were big on integrity and hypocrisy. The Vietnam war was all part of that. And well its certainly true that the American gov lied to its citizens, the "lie" part may be just coincidental - are the lyrics shown the proper spelling, or is it just a listeners interpretation? The sixties were all about challenging bogus bull and trying to call it out. Also about achieving a higher consciousness. Many songs of the sixties focused on this theme and should be considered in this context.
THE banging in the chorus makes me think of a fighter taking a punch. (Boxer)
Paul Simon said in a 1984 Playboy interview that in looking back to 1968, he was The Boxer. He had been taking the first real criticism of his writing talent, having had the first couple years of their careers being all praise. He was responding to critics by saying he would just stop and do something else. He pulled some references from the bible (workman's wages, seeking poorer quarters).
I often wonder whether the "pocket full of mumbles such are promises" line was partly inspired by Simon's time in England, where bank notes are literally "promises" ("I promise to pay the bearer on demand...") It's a great line though - we give away our freedoms for fake promises never intended to be kept. That fourth verse was a later addition sung in concert. The song is basically someone who left home to try to make it in the city, but found no jobs and ended up down at heel. The "boxer" is a metaphor for that person - hit by life from all sides but still surviving. The instrumentation at the end of the song is phenomenal - that crescendo then the quiet guitar part - it gets me every time.
When you hear the drum coming in during the part where they're singing "lie la lie" it almost sounds like a boxer hitting his fists against one of those bags that hang from the ceiling in a gym or somewhere.
Keep exploring S and G. Love your serious effort at understanding the lyrics and their music. (you might want to watch the movie 'The Graduate'.....guys, don't give away the storyline....please)
Simon and Garfunkel's music plays a big part in the movie and you WILL find it fascinating. The acting alone is fantastic. A landmark cinematic treat.
Many groups would have 'faded' the 'lie, lie, lie's', I love it that they have a HARD ENDIND for this GREAT, GREAT song!!
Great reaction, I think you were spot on about it being unclear whether it was a tragedy or a hero's journey being described, probably a bit of both I would guess.
Next S&G song you should react to: Mrs Robinson! Pretty different musically from the last two you've listened to, but still lyrically very interesting (and also one of their most famous songs)
‘Lie la lie’ was put in as a placeholder for words that Simon hadn’t yet written. In the end he couldn’t come up with anything he was happy with so he just left it in.
For next, I'd suggest to you "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which was sung solo by Art Garfunkel. It's just another level of beauty. The lyrics/meaning should be pretty clear, too. "America" would be another good choice, as would "Homeward Bound" or "Mrs. Robinson." That last one was featured in the 1967 film "The Graduate," which was Dustin Hoffman's first major role.
Those explosion sounds you hear are every blow to the head that the boxer takes in his career as a fighter
HOLY SHIT I JUST REALISED THAT THIS SONG IS PROBABLY ABOUT BOB DYLAN! you know with all the mumbles and lies/jokes (dylan is famous for his half truths and the press where equally famous for disregarding anything really meaningful that he said and just hearing what they wanted to hear) the whole part about leaving his family etc referrers to dylans many false stories about his origins and dylan is the boxer in folk music's corner at least until the mid to late sixties which a lines with simon writing the son in 68'. could it be that simon himself also is the boxer though fighting for equal standing with dylan but ultimately never quite reaching his level "i am leaving, but the fighter still remains" the fighter either being dylan beating simon in popularity amd as a writer but losing his status as folk music's boxer in the process or simon defeating dylan but dylan going on to become something more whilst simon remains. really cool song man
would love to see you react to mr tambourine man by dylan its pure poetry
The two songs i love from this duo are "Hazy Shade of Winter" and "Mrs. Robinson". You can actually dance to these and both have nice guitarwork.
I was just about to recommend. So glad you hit this! Paul’s writing is epic & profound!
This album came out when I was in a very dark place in my life. I honestly am not sure I would still be here without this music........
This story has literal parts and metaphorical parts. The trick is deciphering which parts describe the arc of the character's life, and which parts describe his thoughts and feelings.
The story starts with innocence but immediately shifts to describing struggle, hardship, pain, loneliness, and guilt... but through it all, there is a resilience.
It's probably not autobiographical as this seems to be the story of a homeless person, but I'm sure Paul Simon spoke to real people and listened to their stories before writing this song.
I'm pretty sure there is no "boxer". That part seems like a metaphor for someone who has been beaten up by life repeatedly.
Finally, it seems to me that the verse about laying out winter clothes is about considering death as an alternative to living through the cold of winter. However, the character is like a boxer who can't quit fighting to survive.
This is a beautifully written song about a part of humanity that society often overlooks or judges harshly.
Some verses were not included in the recorded version, but were used in live versions of this song. People from New York appreciate the references to NYC. Simon and Garfunkel are Queens County’s gift to the music world. Your reactions are very good and enjoyable.
The bang you hear during the chorus is the sound of a metal filing cabinet being thrown down an empty lift shaft. The producer recorded it
Really, Dylan and Simon, in their own distinct ways, are the poet laureates of folk-pop music.
This song was my anthem when I was young, as it mirrored my situation. At 19 I withdrew my meager savings, left my home and my family, went to London, sought out the poorer quarters and went looking for the job, but got no offers. Although I eventually found success, the first years were tough. I’d often think “i am leaving, I am leaving”, but I remained. (I didn’t have the “pleasure” of taking comfort with any prostitutes, though).
Paul Simon wrote all of the songs.
The explosions were made by Hal Blaine the session drummer who sat the snare drum in front of an empty elevator shaft outside the Columbia recording studio.
"Pocketful of mumbles" is the condition a boxer finds himself in when it is all said and done...after having been lied to and hearing the promises of glory and not the punches...
A classic rock gem which will sparkle for enternity. ✨⭐️
Simon and Garfunkel are right up their with Dylan on lyrics and telling a story. Check out their song "I am a rock". Powerful song of loneliness and of someone that has been so hurt that they emotionally insulate themselves from the world. Great song!!!
I'm not trying to flatter your ego here but I've got to tell you you're off the cuff reaction to the 1st verse is spot on! I never before picked up on the told-gold point...I am even more in awe of Paul for these lyrical subtitles...
Background of my early years. Love Paul's profound storytelling and the melodies that are the sixties and early seventies.
A brilliant, very thoughtful reaction. thank you!
A GREAT GREAT CLASSIC ROCK TIMELESSSSS FOLK ROCK SONG SYED!!! 😊HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING, MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS, LOTS TO BE THANKFUL FOR RIGHT? 😊KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO ON HERE, ALLLLLL THE BEST!
Paul Simon wrote all the tunes and played guitar. Art Garfunkel was merely a singer. But their voices blended so wonderfully.
You need to listen carefully several times before you understand the full impact of this monumental legendary works!
Always fun to hear it played live and we all do the chorus with a loud 'ksh' in time with the cymbals
This song perfectly captures the brutality of life on the streets in 1980s NYC. Having ventured close to the edge there myself, it really rings true.
I have been listening to this song since it first came out.
1: the Boxer is a metaphor which you caught - fighting his way in flitlfe
2: the Hook was spunds they used as a filler until they wrote the words of the chorus - then they decided to keep it that way. They never said, though, if the word was actually Lie, or was just meant as a sound
Always appreciate your take on these songs that I’ve loved most of my life. The first 45 record I ever bought was Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with “Cecelia” on the B side. My dad gave me a dollar and let me walk to the corner drug store in our neighborhood to buy it when I was 5 years old. Still my favorite song.❤
Syed you r super smart! I'm almost 61 and have been listening to this song forever and I never caught all the nuances of it til now ty🤗
Yes. What you should hear next is "American Tune" from the legendary Concert in Central Park, with Garfunkle adding the most sublime harmonies for the only time as it was a Simon solo release. It is a song that has a fresh message today regarding both hopelessness and optimism.
And try to get to the Simon song "Duncan" before you forget.
Paul was the writer and instrumentalist in the band with lots of help from studio musicians band. Art was only the singer hence their breakup when credit wasn't correctly attributed
Verse 4 wasn’t included in the album although I have heard it in a live concert - it doesn’t quite scan with the other verses … great song, I’m 68 and still listen to it consider their young ages when they wrote such inciteful song.
Listen to this in a dark room with your eyes closed … you’ll never forget it.
I’ve heard that last verse every time I’ve listened to it over the years. I’ve bought every Simon and Garfunkel album.
@@fayesouthall6604 nope
The "Lie la lie" chorus also uses minor chords which only goes to further enhance the bittersweet duality of both the lyrics and the tune.
Art Garfunkel is one of the finest singers, but when it comes to the writing that’s all Paul Simon. Certainly one of the great songwriters of popular music.
They have so many interesting tracks that really make you sit and think bridge over troubled water and mrs robinson are two other well known ones.
This is a character study. A young man has realized that the things he was told would make him successful and happy aren’t true. He heads to the city where he is surrounded by strangers, is looking for a cheap place to live while he looks for a job. He can’t get an offer for work and the only “comfort”/ sympathy he finds is with prostitutes. Finally, homesickness makes him admit defeat. He is leaving this fight, angry about the failures but still proud (the fighter remains).
Don't understand how a hip hop fan would want to hear this...a real, beautiful, and inspiring piece of music
Maybe you should be as open minded as he is… music isn’t finite, we can have it all (and politely ignore the stuff that doesn’t resonate with us, once we give it a fair shot)
Yes, semi-autobiographical. Simon is telling the story of his early career in music.
"In the clearing stands a boxer
And a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of every glove that laid him down
Or cut him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
But the fighter still remains"
No matter what his critics and lukewarm fans may have said about him, he wasn't giving up. He was determined to make it. He's a fighter and has been his whole life is what he is saying in this song and especially with that final verse.
Hey, 7 months later, but on that first verse: To me, he's saying he's been worn down with false promises, but "still a man hears what he wants to hear." The lies appealed to him, and the worst ones often do, especially when they're flattering or telling you you're going to WIN! So he still "buys in" to the BS and may not be any wiser for knowing he's often being deceived. As to the boxer, I think he sees the boxer, and sees himself in him. Beaten, battered, abused, but still there.
Love the Boxer, enjoying your reaction videos, thank you!
For what it's worth, i don't remember ever HEARING the words "I love you" sung in this song, and certainly, they seem to be an incongruity in the context of the verse. I'm more of a mind to think that whoever has compiled the lyrics wished to sign off his labor with a positive outro of his own. The style of the print is different than that of the verse.
'Guess i'll have to go back and listen for those three little words, but i owned this album when it was newly released, and i don't recall ever hearing that from my speakers.
I have always seen this as autobiographical tale of the young artist drawn to the big city looking for fame and fortune finding poverty, loneliness and the lying tongues of all the people in show business that will take advantage of the young artist. It has made him like a boxer beaten and scarred but not able to abandon his dream anyway
With those two songs you certainly heard the social commentary side of the duo. They could be playful and more uplifting too. I suggest you check out "At the Zoo" or "Cecelia" for another take on Simon and Garfunkel
Part of the issue with the Word doc was that it included the 4th verse, which Simon typically includes with live performances, but it wasn't included with this studio cut.
Some brilliant songs on that album, one of the best ever.
Another classic, these guys were great together.
To me, this boy left home hopeful and then he found out for himself what the world is really like. Life took it's toll on him, and he begins to look back but is afraid of admitting defeat.
One of the greatest songs ever written.
There's a story that the 'lie la lie' part came from one of them forgetting their lines & inserted lie la lie instead. They liked it and kept it. No idea if this is true, but I like it.
The explosion you described in the Lie la lie chorus of the song was created with drums. To get the shattering reverberating sound, Roy Halee, S&G's co-producer, moved the drums to the elevator lobby of the recording studio building. I think it was either Capital or Columbia, not sure which. Halee had a great ear for percussive sounds, and sometimes went to great lengths to get the sound just right. He was also very involved with creating the rhythms in the song Cecelia.
Hal Blaine was the session drummer and it was Columbia studio.
@@bumperu No surprise that it was Blaine. I thought it was Columbia but wasn't certain (without looking it up). This was an example of what a good producer Halee was. For S&G anyway. They won a best album Grammy here.
The banging effect was created by a drum being beaten in an elevator shaft echoing up from the basement.
Paul Simon writes lyrics that make you think. What does it mean? I think it means different things to different people. Maybe Paul doesn't know what it means? But his lyrics are so memorable, regardless. That sounds like a bass harmonica providing the "brassy" sound.
I think the lyrics file you found was from the live Central Park concert. They added a verse there. The version you listened to was the original from the Bridge Over Troubled Waters album.
The lie lie lie part was an accident...he was just signing sounds to fill space where he hadnt written lyrics left and when they heard it in playback they left it in.
i love watching people try to figure these guys out.....
Ok, I love your deeper dives! I believe the chorus "Lie li lie" is THE MACHINE that sells us (or markets) our dreams. But WE buy into the lies, and disregard the rest. Notice every chorus, the machine adds something to the melody (its getting stronger) till it defeats our hero and ends selling more "Lie li lies!"
Paul Simon was the sole songwriter of Simon & Garfunkel's music.
Paul added lyrics years later for the concert in Central Park. Those were the ones you were reading.
Paul Simon has said this is one of the songs he's written that he is most proud of.
Love your vids and commentary. I find the background music under your comments at the end distracting though. Thanks, John