Ben Folds - Boxing Lyrics
Howard, the strangest things
Have happened lately
When I take a good swing
And all my dreams
They pivot and slip
Laughing, Howard
My intention's become not to lose what I've won
Ambition has given way to desperation and I
Lost the fight from my eyes
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm old, you're growing old
The whole time we knew
In a couple of years I'd be through
Howard, I confess I'm scared and lonely and tired
They seem to think I'm made of clay
Another day, I'm not cut out for this
I just know what to say, I say
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm old, you're growing old
The whole time we knew
In a couple of years I'd be through
Has boxing been good to you?
Well sometimes I punch myself hard as I can
Yelling nobody cares hoping someone will tell me how
Wrong I am
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm old, you're growing old
The whole time we knew
In a couple of years I'd be through
Has boxing been good
Has boxing been good
Has boxing been good to you?
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Ben Folds - Kate
- Ben Folds - All U Can Eat
- Ben Folds - Long Tall Texan
- Ben Folds - Army
- Ben Folds - Battle Of Who Could Care Less
- Ben Folds - Kylie From Connecticut
- Ben Folds - Effington
- Ben Folds - Picture Window
- Ben Folds - Sentimental Guy
- Ben Folds - Not The Same
- Ben Folds - Unrelated
- Ben Folds - Best Imitation Of Myself
- Ben Folds - Rocky
- Ben Folds - Boxing
- Ben Folds - Julianne (1994 Version)
- Ben Folds - Evaporated
- Ben Folds - Careless Whisper
- Ben Folds - Fred Jones Pt. 2
Rand Lyrics
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Ben Folds Boxing Comments
Howard, the strangest things have happened lately
When I take a good swing at all my dreams, they pivot
And slip, I drop my fists and they're back laughing
Howard, my intention's become not to lose
What I've won, ambition has given way
To desperation and I lost the fight for my eyes
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, "You're growing old"
The whole time he knew, a couple of years
I'd be through, has boxing been good to you?
Howard, now I confess, I'm scared and lonely and tired
They seem to think I'm made of clay, another day
I'm not cut out for this, I just know what to say, I say
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, "You're growing old"
The whole time he knew, a couple of years
I'd be through, has boxing been good to you?
Well, sometimes I punch myself hard as I can
Yelling, "Nobody cares", hoping some one
Will tell me how wrong I am, Howard
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, "You're growing old"
The whole time he knew, a couple of years
I'd be through, has boxing been good?
Has boxing been good? Has boxing been good?
Classic.
Have any of you heard the arrangement by Bette Midler? The music is more spare, and her voice is quite haunting. Don't remember what album it is from, but it is one of my melancholy favorites. Check it out.
For some reason, this song reminds me of Pelham Parkway in the Bronx... for some reason?
Brilliant writing.
BEN FOLDS FIVE LYRICS
"Boxing"
Howard, the strangest things
Have happened lately when I
Take a good swing
At all my dreams
They pivot and slip
I drop my fists and they're back
Laughing, Howard
My intention's become not to lose what I've won
Ambition has given way to desperation and I
Lost the fight from my eyes
[Chorus:]
Boxing's been good to me, Howard
Now I'm told, you're growing old
The whole time you knew
A couple of years I'd be through
Has boxing been good to you?
Howard, now I confess
I'm scared and lonely and tired
They seem to think I'm made of clay
Oh, another day
I'm not cut out for this
I just know what to say
I say
[Chorus:]
Well sometimes I punch myself, hard as I can
Yelling "Nobody cares!"
Hoping someone will tell me how
Wrong I am
[Chorus:]
Has boxing been good
Has boxing been good to you?
Beautiful lyrics wasted on bad arrangement. Howard Cossell and Cassius Clay can time travel with a better score.
rosalind hine What about this arrangement is bad?
I can't see how you can claim that the person who wrote the song arranged it poorly. Writing and arranging occur in tandem. Ben Folds wrote this song to be arranged the way he arranged it. He arranged it to suit the way he wrote it.
RIP Ali. Not only one of the greatest athletes of modern times, but, a man of clear and constant conviction. Courage personified, class and character, wit and wisdom.
RIP Muhammad Ali
Fitting tribute, since Muhammad Ali died today.
R.I.P. Muhammad Ali
Too sweet for words.
This song should be called horse pulling carriage down brick road.
That's what it sounds like to me.
Doesn't it sound old.
It also reminds me of a wonderful novel entitled Laughlin of the Bad Heart, which is about a former boxer. I recommend it most highly.
This song is about more than boxing. It's about life.
to me, this song also works very well as describing a failing relationship that the singer doesn't want to end. I know it's actually Ali and Howard discussing boxing, but to me, you can draw a lot of links to relationships.
@ThisIsAReallyLongName BecauseImBetterThanYou Why are we fighting? This is BEN FOLDS FIVE. Possibly the greatest band ever. Maybe tied with Barenaked Ladies.
+ThisIsAReallyLongName BecauseImBetterThanYou Howard = Howard Cosell. The song is about Muhammad Ali's struggles as a boxer, celebrity, muslim, and late career erosion from subclinical Parkinson's and age...this is juxtaposed to the mortality, and the physical and mental limitations we all must face in life. "They seem to think I'm made of Clay," a sly reference to Ali's initial personna as Cassius Clay.
Nah it's about drugs
Ben only wrote 50% of this song. The other half is what you think it means. He understands this when he writes songs. So whatever you think it means is technically right. That's the beauty of music.
This song is so relate-able. This song applies to anyone questioning their future and health. Should you continue your career due to expectations people have of you even though it's hurting you? Howard knew that Muhammad Ali wouldn't last forever like all athletes. Was Boxing good to Muhammad? It is a double-edged sword... The fame vs. the pain. The same can be said for careers. The money and feeling of success... is it worth it?
That's what I was looking for. I had heard that before, but when you understand the story, the story is so much more profound. When you see Muhammad Ali now, you know that he paid for his success, ten fold. Boxing was good for him, but has it been good for you?
One of my favourite tracks from the first record
I'm astonished that this doesn't have more views. Nicki Minaj gets millions of views and she sucks ass, but someone as talented as Ben Folds often doesn't break 100,000. D:
Why is there no description, it's not that hard to explain...
It's supposed to be Muhammad Ali talking to Howard Cosell about his thoughts of retiring
And they're BACK!! Rolling Stone wrote a great cover story on the bands' return. Check it out and get psyched!
This reminds me of the movie Cinderella Man.
This gives me pure feeling of the 90's.
I always thought this song was about strange dreams in general. Sort of a "guess what happened in my dream" scenario. Still love it though, even if i'm wrong.
"No description available".
Yep.
i've just discovered ben. where the hell a have i been!
@rackhen Yeah, that definitely explains his perfect rhythm.....I'm gonna go see him live on July 21! I'm so excited.
@ThinkYoureDreaming I've heard about every one of his songs hahaha! Yeah I know how great he can be
Ben Folds is not an amazing pianist only because he can play an amazing rock song....but because he can play so many styles of music....with ease
so good it hurts
I love the Bette Midler version as well.
Ben played a show at the Bardot in Hollywood in September. He took requests for about an hour. We were all singing along, but when he played "Boxing" you could hear a pin drop. We all just stood there in reverence. It was magical :3
@Imperialguardftw what you weren't?
@ Spenco wtf you we're alive in the 1920's?
Total, utter, sheer genius. No other words to describe it.
RIP Howard
Wow.... This song is pretty much perfect.
So sad, but still beautiful
I love this song. It reminds me of like 1920's or something. Just great