# What is Paul Simon’s “The Boxer” about? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 27, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357 "2005-04-27T13:51:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/21 "2005-04-27T17:11:03Z")
The song is about me. In the clearing stands a boxer and a fighter by his trade and he carries the reminder 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 still remains ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/22 "2005-04-27T17:30:46Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > “a come-on from the horse on Seventh Avenue.” A pox on you! I’ve heard that song hundreds of times, and even used to perform it in a group, and I never thought to hear the line that way. Now I’ll never be able to hear it without thinking of a horse! I laughed so hard, I startled somebody in the next room. I love it! It’s like when I discovered where the edit in “Strawberry Fields Forever” is (the song consists of an edit of two different versions). Once you hear it, you can never not hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/23 "2005-05-07T13:37:03Z")
> [@fishbicycle](#): > > It’s like when I discovered where the edit in “Strawberry Fields Forever” is (the song consists of an edit of two different versions). Once you hear it, you can never not hear it. Where is it? ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/24 "2005-05-07T13:52:56Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Where is it? Almost exactly 1:00 in, on the word “down”, as in “let me take you…”, it switches from the mellotron and guitar version to the orchestral version. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/25 "2005-05-07T13:54:23Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/26 "2005-05-07T14:09:14Z")
You’re welcome. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! You’ll hear it every time now. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/27 "2005-05-07T15:28:15Z")
Oops, I was wrong on that edit, move it three words forward. Sorry, I haven’t listened to it in awhile! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/28 "2005-05-07T16:55:08Z")
What, like how I can’t hear anything in “Tiny Dancer” but “hold me closer, Tony Danza!” I’ve got a dear friend to thank for that one. I always took it to mean exactly the opposite - that he was stupid and boneheaded to stick around instead of leaving and finding happiness somewhere else - that sometimes you get so far down one road that you’re too stubborn or too damaged by it to have the sense to do something else. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357/29 "2005-05-07T18:00:42Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > What, like how I can’t hear anything in “Tiny Dancer” but “hold me closer, Tony Danza!” “Count the headlice on my heinie!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-paul-simon-s-the-boxer-about/301357.md?page=1)