[Verse 1]
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, hmm
[Verse 2]
When I left my home and my family
I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers
In the quiet of the railway station
Runnin' scared, laying low
Seeking out the poorer quarters, where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know
[Chorus]
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
[Verse 3]
Asking only workman's wages
I come lookin' for a job but I get no offers
Just a come-on from the whores on 7th Avenue
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there, la la la la la la la
You might also like
the grudge
Olivia Rodrigo
Letter To An Old Poet
boygenius
O Holy Night
Christmas Songs
[Verse 4]
Now the years are rolling by me
They are rockin' evenly
I am older than I once was
And younger than I'll be; that's not unusual
Nor is it strange
After changes upon changes
We are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same
[Chorus]
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
[Verse 5]
And I'm laying out my winter clothes and wishing I was gone
Goin' home
Where the New York City winters aren't bleeding me
Leading me
Going home
[Verse 6]
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 till he cried out in his anger and his shame
"I am leaving, I am leaving", but the fighter still remains
[Chorus]
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie
Lie la lie, lie la lie la lie la lie, la la lie la lie
[Intro]
| C |
[Verse 1]
C C/B Am
I am just a poor boy, though my story's seldom told
G
I have squandered my resistance
G7 G6 C
For a pocketful of mumbles such are promises
C/B Am G F
All lies and jest still a man hears what he wants to hear
C G F G C
And disregards the rest
C C/B Am
When I left my home and family I was no more than a boy
G
In the company of strangers
G7 G6 C
In the quiet of a railway station running scared
C/B Am G F C
Laying low seeking out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go
G F G C
Looking for the places only they would know
[Refrain]
Am
Lie-la-lie
Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G C
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
[Verse 2]
C C/B Am
Asking only workmans wages I come looking for a job
G
But I get no offers
G7 G6 C
Just a come-on from the whores on Seventh Avenue
C/B Am G F C
I do declare there were times when I was so lonesome I took some comfort there
G C
La-la-la-la-la-la-la
[Interlude]
| C | C C/B Am | G7 | G7 |
| C | C C/B Am | G7 |
(2/4)
| F | C G7 | F | C |
(2/4)
*************************************************************************************
Extra verse in live versions
C C/B Am
Now the years are rolling by me, they are rocking evenly
G
And I am older than I once was
G7 G6 C
And younger than I'll be, that's not unusual
C/B Am G F C
No, it isn't strange, after changes upon changes we are more or less the same
G F C
After changes we are more or less the same
**************************************************************************************
[Refrain]
Am
Lie-la-lie
Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G C
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
[Verse 3]
C C/B Am
Then I'm laying out my winter clothes and wishing I was gone
G G7 G6 C
Going home where the New York City winters aren't bleeding me
Em Am
Leading me-e
G7 C
Going home
C C/B Am
In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade
G
And he carries the reminders
G7 G6 C
Of ev'ry glove that laid him down or cut him till he cried out
C/B Am
In his anger and his shame
G F C
"I am leaving, I am leaving." but the fighter still remains
G F G C
Hm, hm, hm
[Refrain]
Am
Lie-la-lie
Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ Am ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
Am Em
Lie-la-la-la-la lie-la-lie
Am
Lie la lie
G [ C ]
Lie-la la la la la lie la la la la lie
[Outro]
| C | C C/B Am | G | G |
| C | C C/B Am | G7 |
(2/4)
| F | C G7 | F | C C
(2/4)