In this installment on learning from the masters, we visit "The Boxer", written by Paul Simon, arguably one of the finest songs ever written. He has written so many great songs such as "The Sound of Silence" (recently covered with a great interpretation by Disturbed), "Homeward Bound", "America", and the incredible and much covered classic "Bridge Over Troubled Waters". That's a hard list to top; however in my opinion he did so with "The Boxer", his crowning glory. The story that is told is so poignant, invoking both empathy and hope, framed in excellent production by Roy Halee.
The story, basically one of a lonely soul, is so visually told that this song becomes a 4 minute movie playing in your head. You can picture the setting, the action, the character and the emotions that he conveys as his biography unfolds. Interwoven throughout the lyrics are universal truths and keen insights into human nature. One great example of this are the lines "...all lies and jest, still a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest". How many times have each had that feeling that whomever we're talking to isn't paying attention, and in fact could just care less about anything we're saying; and how infuriating and condescending that action is. Paul Simon conveyed that feeling beautifully in just two lines.
He masterfully eludes to the visuals of the seedier side of New York City, painting a haunting picture with the lines "..seeking out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go, looking for the places only they would know". And then reprises this theme a bit more directly in the following verse with the lyric " just a come on from the whores on seventh avenue". I visited NYC well after this song was written (1968), but before Mayor Giuliani was elected and aggressively and effectively cleaned up a lot of the sections of the city including seventh avenue, and I can tell you for a fact, that area was very scary. While there, the lyrics of "The Boxer" immediately came to mind. I could picture Paul Simon writing these lines.
The song has a hopeful element as well, accentuated by the lines " I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains". It brings home the point of no matter how tough it can get, you keep on trying, keep on fighting no matter what. In essence, you never give up hope.
The chorus in the song (only three words: lie la lie) works beautifully. conveying both the sense of empathy and hope. This is enhanced by the use of the drums, which, by the way, were recorded near an elevator shaft to get that killer reverb sound. Remember, this was well before digital pro tools and plug ins, it was all analog. There is a joke that is common about this subject. It basically goes like this: what in the world was there before pro tools? Answer: pros. Roy Halee was consummate pro. He was the only producer that Simon and Garfumkel ever used. It was the perfect marriage of producer and artist.
Written in the key of "C", this allowed a great combination of major and minor chords. The major chords: the I (C), IV (F), and V (G) alternate with the minor chords: the III (Em), and VI (Am) to highlight the emotional flow of the song. The seventh (VII) chord in this case was a G7, and is used as an effective transition or passing chord. Paul Simon's picking pattern of the chords provide a great intro as well as a continuity that weaves throughout the song.
This is one of those rare songs where all the components: lyrics. melody lines, chord structure, engineering, and production created a work where the sum was far greater than the sum of its individual parts. "The Boxer" absolutely belongs on anyone's list of greatest songs ever written. And it is a perfect example of a song to study and learn from, written by one of the true masters of songwriting, Paul Simon.
Below is a nice performance of this timeless classic by a reunited Simon and Garfunkel from "Old Friends: Live on Stage" in 2004.
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