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The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel - Guitar Chords
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Song: The boxer
Artist: Simon and Garfunkel
Composer: Paul Simon
Album: Bridge over troubled water
Tabbed by DJ 1st Sept 2015
TUNING: The original album version is not quite in standard pitch.
Paul Simon is tuned down almost a semi tone to D# G# C# F# A# D#
(The song will now sound in the approx. key of B)
FINE TUNING: To add further fine tuning all the strings can be tuned
up approx.+20 cents above the dropped tuning, using a chromatic tuner
can make this easier. The backing tracks speed was likely adjusted
slightly which then altered the pitch, in the days before digital
technology could compensate for that.
Alternatively, to avoid any retuning at all, live versions are more
likely to be in standard tuning and standard pitch.
Here's a link to one live version:
--.-/watch?ds49ahiWLB3HJFwI
The above version is slightly slower in tempo, and also includes an
additional verse that was eventually not used on the 'Bridge over
troubled water' album, where an instrumental break was used instead.
The original album intro, played by Fred Carter Jnr., is in a double
dropped D tuning. Paul Simon would often not bother playing this part
when playing live, or would play a standard tuning variation of it.
I've included the missing verse at the bottom, along with a tab of the
intro in the open tuning.
NOTE: Please use the suggested typed shapes below, and ignore the
automatic pop-up chord boxes
Chords shapes are named as if in standard tuning:
C = x32010 G = 320003 F/C = x33211
C/G = 332010 G7/F = xx3003 Em = 022000
C/B = x2xxxx G6/E = xx2003 F = 133211
Am = x02210 G/D = xx0003 G7 = 320001
h = hammer-on / = slide up
p = pull-off \ = slide down ^ = emphasise the beat
For the alternating bass note on the C chord, just use the C/G shape
for both chords and emphasise the bass note on 5th string and then
the 6th string.
Please select a star rating for this tab, many thanks
======================================================================
[Intro- adapted for standard tuning]
e |---3-p0----0-----0-----0-----------------|
B |--------3----3-----3-----3----1------1---|
G |---------------3-----0-----0----h3-0-----|
D |-----------------------------------------|
A |-----------------------------------------|
E |-----------------------------------------|
[Verse 1]
C C/G C C/G
| / / / / | / / / / |
C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
I am just a poor boy, though my story’s sel - dom told,
G G7/F G6/E
I have squandered my resistance for a pocket full of mumbles,
G/D C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
Such are promi - ses, all lies and jest,
G F/C
Still, ...a man hears what he wants to hear,
F/C (C)
And disre - gards the rest! Mmm - mm...
e |----------------------------|
B |---1---/3---/5----\3---\1---|
G |----------------------------|
D |---2---/3---/5----\3---\2---|
A |----------------------------|
E |----------------------------|
G G7/F G6/E G/D C C/G C C/G C C/G
...Mmm, mm, mmm----! Mmm, mm, mmm-----, mm--------------!
[Verse 2]
C C/G C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
When I left my home and my fami - ly, I was no more than a boy,
G G7/F G6/E G/D
In the company of strangers, in the quiet of the railway station,
C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
Running scared, lay - ing low,
G F/C
Seeking out the poorer quarters, where the ragged...
(C)
...peop - le go, look - ing...
e |----------------------------|
B |--1---/3---/5----\3---\1----|
G |----------------------------|
D |--2---/3---/5----\3---\2----|
A |----------------------------|
E |----------------------------|
G F/C C C/G C
...for the places only they would know------!
[Chorus]
C C/B Am Em
Lie - la - lie----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
Am G G7
Lie - la - lie----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
C C/G C C/G C C/G
La -la, la lie -lie-----! | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 2]
C C/G C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
Asking only workman’s wages, I come looking for a job,
G
But I get no offers,
G7/F G6/E G/D C C/G C C/G
Just a come-on from the whores on 7th Ave - nue,
C C C/B Am G F/C
I do de - clare, there were times, when I was so lonesome,
(C) G
...I took some com - fort there! La, la... lie - lie -lie, la -lie!
e |-----------------------------|
B |---1----/3---/5----\3---\1---|
G |-----------------------------|
D |---2----/3---/5----\3---\2---|
A |-----------------------------|
E |-----------------------------|
G7/F G6/E G/D C C/G C C/G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
* [Break]
C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
G G7
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
G F/C C C C/B Am
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
G F C C/G C
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Chorus]
C C/B Am Em
Lie - la - lie-----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
Am G G7
Lie - la - lie-----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
C C/G C C/G C C/G
La -la, la lie -lie-------! | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 3]
C C/G C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
Then I’m laying out my winter clothes, and wishing I was gone,
G G7/F G6/E G/D C C/G
Going home ...where the New York City winters aren’t bleeding me,
C C/G Em Am G
| / / / / | Leading me--------, going home,
G7/F G6/E G/D C C/G C C/G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
[Verse 4]
C C/G C C/G
| / / / / | / / / / |
C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade,
G G7/F G6/E G/D
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down,
C C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
Or cut him 'til he cried out, in his anger and his shame,
^ ^
G F/C
'I am leaving, I am leaving!',
(C) G
But the fighter still re - mains! Mmm -mm... mm----!
e |-----------------------------|
B |---1----/3---/5----\3---\1---|
G |-----------------------------|
D |---2----/3---/5----\3---\2---|
A |-----------------------------|
E |-----------------------------|
F/C C C/G C
| / / / / | / / / / |
[Chorus]
C C/B Am Em
Lie - la - lie-----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
Am G G7
Lie - la - lie-----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
[Chorus- repeats]
Am Em
||: La -la, la -la, lie-----! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie!
Am G G7
Lie - la - lie! Lie - la, lie -lie -lie, la -lie! :|| [x8]
[Coda]
C C/G C C/G C C/B Am
...Lie---------------! | / / / / | / / / / |
G G7
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
C C/G C C/G C C/B Am
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
G F/C C C/B Am
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
G F C C/G C C/G C
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / ||
=========================================================================
* ADDITIONAL VERSE - a live performance alternative that was used instead
of the instrumental break that was eventually used on the original album.
C C/G C C/G C C/G C C/G
Now the years are rolling by me,
C C C/B Am
They are rocking e - ven - ly,
G G7/F G6/E
And I am older than I once was, and younger than I'll be,
G/D C C/G C C/G C C C/B Am
That's not un - usu - al, no, it is - n't strange,
G F/C
After changes upon changes,
(C) G
We are, more or less, the same, af - ter changes we are,
e |--------------------------|
B |---1---/3---/5---\3---\1--|
G |--------------------------|
D |---2---/3---/5---\3---\2--|
A |--------------------------|
E |--------------------------|
F/C C C/G
More or less, the same------
===========================================================================
[Intro- played by Fred Carter Jnr.]
OPEN TUNING: D-A-D-G-B-D (Double dropped D)
FINE TUNING: To add further fine tuning to match the original album version
all the strings can be tuned up approx.+20 cents above the open tuning,
using a chromatic tuner can make this much easier.
CAPO: 4th fret (Will then sound in the recorded [approx] key of B)
Fret positions are relative to the capo, the chord shape is (053200)
d |--0-------------------------------------|
B |----0----0------0------0----------------|
G |------2----2------2------2----0-----0---|
D |-------------3------------------3-------|
A |--------------------5------5------5-----|
D |--0-------------------------------------|
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