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In his 1984 Playboy interview, Simon revealed that he wrote this song when critics were writing harsh things about his music - he was the boxer. Said Simon: "I think the song was about me: everybody's beating me up, and I'm telling you now I'm going to go away if you don't stop. By that time we had encountered our first criticism. For the first few years, it was just pure praise. It took two or three years for people to realize that we weren't strange creatures that emerged from England but just two guys from Queens who used to sing rock'n'roll. And maybe we weren't real folkies at all! Maybe we weren't even hippies!" (thanks, Tristan - L.A., CA)

This song took over 100 hours to record. Locations included Nashville, St. Paul's church in NYC, and Columbia studios. (thanks, chris - Hamilton, New Zealand)

Simon found inspiration for this song in The Bible, which he would sometimes read in hotels. The lines, "Workman's wages" and "Seeking out the poorer quarters" came from passages.

Sometimes what is put in as a placeholder lyric becomes a crucial part of the song. That was the case here, as Simon used "Lie la lie" in place of a proper chorus because he couldn't find the right words. Other examples of placeholders that worked include the "I know" chorus in "Ain't No Sunshine" and Otis Redding's whistling in "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay."
In a 1990 interview with SongTalk magazine, Simon said: "I thought that 'lie la lie was a failure of songwriting. I didn't have any words! Then people said it was 'lie' but I didn't really mean that. That it was a lie. But, it's not a failure of songwriting, because people like that and they put enough meaning into it, and the rest of the song has enough power and emotion, I guess, to make it go, so it's all right. But for me, every time I sing that part, I'm a little embarrassed."

Legendary session drummer Hal Blaine created the huge drum sound during the chorus by banging a heavy chain against the concrete floor of an empty storage closet. (thanks, John - Temecula, CA)

Bob Dylan recorded a version of this on his 1970 album Self Portrait.

Comments:

I love the line "I have squandered my resistance for a pocketful of mumbles,/ such are promises." It means nothing when taken literally. What is a pocketful of mumbles? How do you get one? And why would you want one? Obviously, we have to look deeper than the surface to understand. Put simply, the narrator gave up everything he had and got nothing in return. This supports the theory that the song is about an immigrant coming to America and finding life in a new country difficult. How many people came here after hearing promises that the "streets were lined with gold," only to find that opportunities were not always easy to find, and that, although there was plenty of gold to be had, it was not usually available to the immigrant. The narrator has not seen the promises of wealth and happiness come true. He wishes he could go home, but he cannot, and all his sacrifice was for nothing.
- Jay, Brooklyn, NY

You know I love to add knowledge when it includes synthesizers - debunking peoples' hatred for those "fake instruments". I heard Paul Beaver made an appearance in the studio and added his famous Moog at the end of the song. Listen closely folks! That's a Moog synthesizer. I don't know that it was Paul Beaver's, but it's a synth nonetheless. Big sounding. And that snare! I think it was just a big snare recorded in a "live room" and run through a tape echo and gated, it's what it sounds like to me - but who am I to judge?
- Jesse, Madison, WI

In the live free Central Park concert in 1981 there was an mistake made at the begining of "The Boxer". After singing the songs first line "I am just a poor boy though my story seldom told." Art sings "I have squandered... earlyer than they had planned to sing it for this concert." (You can hear it in the cheering). You can also here the looser sound when both Paul and Art sing the line together because they smiled over the error. Although this mistake is there, it does not take away from the impact they have.
- Phillip, Freehold, NJ

To me the story narrates the hard times most immigrants face when they come into America. They always hear about how it's the land of opportunity, but don't realize until they come here that opportunity doesn't always come knocking on the door. Sometimes you have to work hard for it. I picture the story taking place in the early 20th century, when there was a large Irish immigration due to a potato famine. Unfortunately they weren't welcomed with open arms. I remember seeing a documentary about how a lot of them faced hard times, couldn't get a job of any kind ("I get no offers..."), and were pretty much unwanted. In the documentary I remember seeing photos of signs at construction sites or factories, stating they were hiring, but "Irish need not apply." In this song, the narrator states how he's finding it very hard to make it in New York, let alone America, and when he's about ready to get on the next ship back to his homeland, he sees a boxer taking a beating, but instead of giving up, he stands and takes the blows. Even when all seems lost, the boxer and fighter still stands his ground, knowing that while he may lose this fight, he'll still live, and he might win the next fight. The immigrant takes this as a life lesson, that while today may be hard, and you may fail, tomorrow may be better.
- Patrick, Bremen, GA

What makes the sound like a ships horn, tubas?
- Bev, Dallas, TX

Matt in NY - When I first heard the song, I thought that was exactly what they were talking about.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

If some political campaign is on the ball, they will use the "Lie, Lie, Lie" chorus against the other party's candidate this fall....
- Steve, Binghamton, NY

"after changes upon changes we are more or less the same" - yep
- Susan, Westchestertonfieldville, VA

Here is a bit of a different take on this song. Being from New York, immigration is a major part of the city's history. Could it be this song can also represent an immigrant, with the phrase "I am just a poor boy," and, "seeking out the poorer quaters where the ragged people go." He could be referring to the tenemants on the lower east side. Also, there were fight clubs in the early 1900's, which is how many immigrants made there money. Maybe the boxer doesn't exist in a metaphorical sense, but he is acutally what Simon says he is - a boxer. Just a different take and something else to think about. thanks for reading.
- matt, New York, NY

The Boxer was named the 105th best song ever made in the rolling stones magazine "500 greatest songs" issue.
- Alex, Fort Collins, CO

Simon intended "The Boxer" to be the theme song for "Midnight Cowboy". But after they chose Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin at Me" for the movie instead, Simon tacked on that part about the boxer at the end. Which explains why there's no correlation between the first 75% of the song and the verse about the boxer.
- Russ, Newark, NJ

Thanks for the info Daniel,Staten Island,NY. I imagined that Simon added this verse later due to deeper insights gained through age, wisdom and the benefit of hindsight.
- marc, perth, Australia

The added verse has always been there, it wasent only used when Paul Simon went solo. The added verse was first performed by Simon and Garfunkel in 1969 at Miami University at Oxford Ohio. Later it was performed in 1975 when they reunited for one show on Saturday Night Live. Then in the concert in central park it was performed. Who ever said that it was added when Simon went solo was wrong. That verse was was always written, but Art enjoyed the Horn solo so they put that in the original instead of the verse.
- Daniel, Staten Island, NY

The Boxer..this a folk ballad written by Paul Simon in 1968. It was released as the follow up single to their number one hit Mrs. Robinson. The Boxer later appeared on their last studio album, Bridge over Troubled Water in 1969. I think it could easily have been used in a news cast after Robert Kennedy's death. I am currently listening to the version that was done live at their Concert in Central Park on my IPOD... so it is like I have my own personal concert!!!
- Jane, White River Jct, VT

Its really great.this is something which impresses me not only me but it also reflects the thinking pattern of modern individuals who have been opressed & rejected by the excisting capital based social establishment.It not just reflects the oppressed life under social inequality but gives us a sign that if we try yeah somthing can be done.Fight with tha inhuman reality lika the BOXER.BOXER is a symbol which reflects the spirit of a true revolutionery.-Ramindu el
- Ramindu, Kandy, China

the "years are rolling by me" part was addded when simon became a solo artist. he used them ever since, if i remember right...
- Sara MacKenzie, Middle of Nowhere, FL

Neil from London: I heard that verse at the Paul Simon tribute concert in Montreal. The performers placed it between the whores from 7th avenue verse and the Laying out my winter clothes verse.
- mampoop, Montreal, United States

And, what if it wasn't at all about just one specific person ? Not this boxer, or that singer, or anyone in particular but the one who ever felt that way ? What it if was a song for all who ever felt small and alone in the world ? Those who thought they'd be strong enough to leave their home, and find that, sometimes, they crave to go home ?
- Michel, Paris, France

I have come across an additional verse that S&G apparently performed live that goes: "And the years are rolling by me, they are rocking evenly, I am older than I once was, younger than I'll be, that's not unusual. It isn't strange, after changes upon changes we are more or less the same, after changes we are more or less the same. Lie la lie..." Does anyone know where this verse fits in the normal sequence of verses?
- Neil, London, England

The booming snare drum in this song is actually a loudspeaker playing the snare part at the bottom of an elevator shaft with mics at the top of it. Then they gated it to control the reverb time.
- Bobby, Basalt, CO

Hey Bill from Philadelphia: that's pretty funny that you should claim that this song is "about the life of Jack Dempsey", because it actually has nothing at all to do with Jack Dempsey. Where do you hear these ludicrous things? Come on!!!
- Ted, Glenview, IL

I love the drums on this one
- Yuya, Kyoto, Japan

Cameron from Mesquite, how could this song have been played in a news segment about Robert Kennedy's death, if the song was released in 1970 and Kennedy Died in 1968?
- Mike, Germantown, MD

This song gives me goosebumps every time i hear the "li li li" part at the end---with the strings and everything, just amazing musical architecture.
- Laura, Spencerport, NY

This song seemed to be about the book "The Power of One." I know that it's not, but it kinda seemed like it. So, if anybody comes across that book (which everybody should read, by the way), you should listen to the song.
- Jo Bob, McCleary, WA

This song was played during a television news segment for Robert Kennedy, after his death in 1968.
- cameron, mesquite, TX

The song is about the life of Jack Dempsey who was heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. The song talks about how he "left home as a boy." The references to New York, where Jack arrived at a young age and got taken advantage of. Also the referenes of the "railroad" stations and stranger depict his travels accross the country as many a poor person did at that time - riding the rods as a hobo.
- Bill, Philadelphia, PA

An amusing moment came during the Simon & Garfunkel reunion concert in Central Park. When they sing the line "just a come on from the whores on Seventh Avenue", you can hear a rousing cheer that sounds like it's coming from the back of the huge crowd!
- Jerry, Brooklyn, NY

I've heard an Irish performer claim this was about Bob Dylan and the way he tried to hide his comfortable upbringing and make out he was an underprivelidged child- hence "Lie lie..."
- C, no., England

didn't know about the chain... I always thought it was some serious crash symbol, but hey! whatever works
- corey, Indianapolis, IN

would have been a good theme for the new "Cinderella man" movie. "making only workman's wages", etc. The end reminds me of the end of "hey Jude" a bit....how haunting as the end recedes back into the acoustic coda......they were right up there with the beatles at this point....actually, Let it be and BOTW were quite similar.......
- Scott, chicago, IL

The song was performed in the pre-opening credits sequence of the first Saturday Night Live broadcast after 9/11.
- Martin, sydney, Australia

apparently they used the elevator snare for 'bridge over troubled water' i love this drum
- alvin, sioux center, IA

I've always heard the echoing drum was created by placing the drum at the bottom of an empty elevator shaft. It sure doesn't sound like a chain on a concrete floor to me!
- Steve, Hamilton, Other

A great song that can still bring tears to the hardest of hearts. I seem to recall a movie about a club fighter that used this song.
- John, Levittown, NY

Was this song based on the Ernest Hemingway short story "The Battler?"
- Kim, Salt Lake City, UT

Love this song, great Jewish singing with the Lai Lai Li Li
- Daniel, Perth, AK

Some of The Boxer was recorded at St Paul's Church in NYC. Fine. But where is St Paul's? There are a bunch of them in NYC. Journalists/authors are so lazy sometimes! Anyone know? Thanks. Email me, please, at davidcandler@hotmail.com
- David, New York, NY

The first single from the Grammy-winning final Simon & Garfunkel LP "Bridge Over Troubled Water". This single was released months before the LP.
- Charles, Charlotte, NC