"The Boxer" Cover (Paul Simon)

[GreedylilPig]

Hey everyone, I just recorded a tune by Simon and Garfunkel titled "The Boxer." It's one of my favorites of theirs. Thanks for listening and responding.

Here is the link: The Boxer

Lyrics
I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told
I have squandered my resistance
For a pocketful of mumbles, such are promises
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest
Mmm, mmm
When I left my home and my family I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers
In the quiet of a railway station, runnin' scared
Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters
Where the ragged people go
Lookin' for the places, only they would know
Lie-la-lie...
Asking only workman's wages I come lookin' for a job
But I get no offers
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
I do declare there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there
La la la la la, mmm
Then I'm laying out my winter clothes and wishing I was gone
Going home, where the New York City winters aren't bleedin' me
Leadin' me, goin' home
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 'til he cried out in his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving"
But the fighter still remains
Lie-la-lie...

[kgoedman]

wow! that was one of the most best covers i've ever heard. your voice is pretty amazing. i don't really know what to say, just a really nice job.

what tab did you use?

[horsmar15]

excellent cover, good guitar and vocals. I like the song selection. The only thing I would say is that you still slur the vocals a little. Other than that awesome!

[i-am-me]

I LOVE THIS SONG! i went to their reunion concert and they played it in the encore. amazing. i can't listen now, but i'll come back. i promise!!

[2StepGranny]

Dude, this is my all-time favorite Simon and Garfunkel song. You kick ass! All I can say is well done! WELL DONE!

[isaac]

this is excellent. some trouble in the high notes, but overall very solid cover, and great voice to go along with the fingerpicking.

is that taylor in your avatar?

[oldman]

That was amazing! Easily the best cover i've heard on these boards! Great job and I'd love to hear more.....maybe some original stuff.

[matttherevelator41]

That was one hell of a cover man. That song kicks ass. WHere can i get good tabs for that?

[i-am-me]

Alright here's my critique. mainly this is just personal preferance, but i think you should have sped up the song some. it addds effect...but your voice is very good. there were only a couple places that sounded odd. but for the most part it was an amazing cover.

just a questiion....when you're oding the lai la lai...lai la lai lai lai la lai...what are you playing? i do Aminor then Eminor. yours sounded different though.....

[GreedylilPig]

wow! that was one of the most best covers i've ever heard. your voice is pretty amazing. i don't really know what to say, just a really nice job.

what tab did you use?

Thank you very much. I have a strange habit of writing out all of the songs I do. Don't really know why - I guess it makes me learn it better and it's more recognizable when playing live. Whatever the reason is, I scanned it and included the image (bottom of post).

excellent cover, good guitar and vocals. I like the song selection. The only thing I would say is that you still slur the vocals a little. Other than that awesome!

Thanks. I've been working on the slight slurring, doing some vocal exercises that someone on here actually gave me. It used to be worse, I'm still working on it. Thanks for the motivation to keep practicing.

this is excellent. some trouble in the high notes, but overall very solid cover, and great voice to go along with the fingerpicking.

is that taylor in your avatar?

Thanks, I agree with you - there was some trouble with the high notes, particularly during the chorus. I'm working on it. Yes, that's James Taylor in my avatar. He's one of my favorite musicians. He's just so flawless and just an all around great guy. I put another link up in this reply of a cover of one of his songs. Are you a Taylor fan?

That was amazing! Easily the best cover i've heard on these boards! Great job and I'd love to hear more.....maybe some original stuff.

I don't know about that, but thanks a lot. Thanks for your interest to hear more. Here is another tune, a cover of James Taylor's "Wandering."
I always like to include the lyrics, so here they are:

Wandering
I’ve been wandering early and late
From New York City to the Golden Gate
And it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering
My father was an engineer
My brother drives a hack
My sister takes in laundry
While the baby balls a jack
And it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering
I’ve served in the army
I’ve worked on a farm
And all I’ve got to show is the muscle in my arm
And it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering
My mother passed away when I was young
My daddy took to stealing and he got hung
And it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering
Snakes in the grass and eels in the sea
I let a red-headed woman make a fool out of me
And it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering
I’ve been wandering early and late
From New York City to the Golden Gate
And it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering
No, it don’t look like
I’ll ever stop my wandering

Alright here's my critique. mainly this is just personal preferance, but i think you should have sped up the song some. it addds effect...but your voice is very good. there were only a couple places that sounded odd. but for the most part it was an amazing cover.

just a questiion....when you're oding the lai la lai...lai la lai lai lai la lai...what are you playing? i do Aminor then Eminor. yours sounded different though.....

Thanks for your critique. I just played it again to myself speeding it up a bit and I really liked it. Thanks for your suggestion. To answer your question, for the lie-la-lie parts, I go from Am to G, not Em, although I tried that and it seems to work fine too. Next time I watch the Simon and Garfunkel Live in Central Park DVD (which I highly recommend), I'll be sure to check.
***

[i-am-me]

Alright here's my critique. mainly this is just personal preferance, but i think you should have sped up the song some. it addds effect...but your voice is very good. there were only a couple places that sounded odd. but for the most part it was an amazing cover.

just a questiion....when you're oding the lai la lai...lai la lai lai lai la lai...what are you playing? i do Aminor then Eminor. yours sounded different though.....

Thanks for your critique. I just played it again to myself speeding it up a bit and I really liked it. Thanks for your suggestion. To answer your question, for the lie-la-lie parts, I go from Am to G, not Em, although I tried that and it seems to work fine too. Next time I watch the Simon and Garfunkel Live in Central Park DVD (which I highly recommend), I'll be sure to check.

so yea....i'm about 90% sure its an Eminor. i mean the G did sound good, but it caught my ear cause i'm so used to the Eminor. it gives it such an intense sound. in my opinon, the G just kinda makes it almost TOO happy. that lai la lai needs to be intense for me to enjoy it as much as i can.

[isaac]

the james taylor cover was excellent, as always.

one thing i'd recommend is getting a pop filter for your mic. it's sort of jarring hearing soft fingerpicking then POH...or something of that sort.

[DrFartbrain]

Alright here's my critique. mainly this is just personal preferance, but i think you should have sped up the song some. it addds effect...but your voice is very good. there were only a couple places that sounded odd. but for the most part it was an amazing cover.

just a questiion....when you're oding the lai la lai...lai la lai lai lai la lai...what are you playing? i do Aminor then Eminor. yours sounded different though.....

Thanks for your critique. I just played it again to myself speeding it up a bit and I really liked it. Thanks for your suggestion. To answer your question, for the lie-la-lie parts, I go from Am to G, not Em, although I tried that and it seems to work fine too. Next time I watch the Simon and Garfunkel Live in Central Park DVD (which I highly recommend), I'll be sure to check.

so yea....i'm about 90% sure its an Eminor. i mean the G did sound good, but it caught my ear cause i'm so used to the Eminor. it gives it such an intense sound. in my opinon, the G just kinda makes it almost TOO happy. that lai la lai needs to be intense for me to enjoy it as much as i can.

According to my dad's ancient Complete Paul Simon, it's G.

[juineaux]

the link wasnt working for me.

[i-am-me]

Alright here's my critique. mainly this is just personal preferance, but i think you should have sped up the song some. it addds effect...but your voice is very good. there were only a couple places that sounded odd. but for the most part it was an amazing cover.

just a questiion....when you're oding the lai la lai...lai la lai lai lai la lai...what are you playing? i do Aminor then Eminor. yours sounded different though.....

Thanks for your critique. I just played it again to myself speeding it up a bit and I really liked it. Thanks for your suggestion. To answer your question, for the lie-la-lie parts, I go from Am to G, not Em, although I tried that and it seems to work fine too. Next time I watch the Simon and Garfunkel Live in Central Park DVD (which I highly recommend), I'll be sure to check.

so yea....i'm about 90% sure its an Eminor. i mean the G did sound good, but it caught my ear cause i'm so used to the Eminor. it gives it such an intense sound. in my opinon, the G just kinda makes it almost TOO happy. that lai la lai needs to be intense for me to enjoy it as much as i can.

According to my dad's ancient Complete Paul Simon, it's G.

wait wait....are we talking about the right part? becuaes right when he starts the lai la lai thing....i'm pretty sure its Aminor then Eminor. but then it goes Aminor then G when he's going back in that C chord....or maybe i'm STILL wrong....