(C)I am just a poor boy.

Though my sto ry’s sel dom (Am)told, I have (G)squan dered my re sis tance for a pock et ful of (C)mum bles, such are prom is es.

All lies and (Am)jest, still a (G)man hears what he (F)wants to hear, and dis re gards the (C)rest.

When I left my home and my fam i ly, I was no more than a (Am)boy in the (G)com pa ny of stran gers in the (Dm7)qui et of a (C)rail way sta tion run ning scared,

lay ing (Am)low, seek ing (G)out the poor er (F)quar ters where the rag ged peo ple (C)go, look ing (G)for the plac es (F)on ly (Em)they (Dm)would (C)know.

Lie la (Am)lie,

lie la (G)lie la lie la lie lie la (Am)lie

(G)lie la lie la la la la lie la la la (G)la (C)lie.

Ask ing on ly work man’s wag es I come look ing for a (Am)job, but I get no of fers,

just a (Dm7)come on from the (C)whores on Sev enth Av e nue.

I do de (Am)clare, there were times when (G)I was (F)so lone some I took some com fort (C)there.

Ooo la la la la la la.

Then I’m lay ing out my win ter clothes (G7)and (C)wish ing I was gone, go ing (G)home

where the (Dm7)New York (G7)Cit y win ters are (G)n’t (C)bleed ing me,

lead ing (Em)me,

go ing (G)home.

In the clear ing stands a box er, and a fight er by his (Am)trade, and he (G)car ries the re mind ers of (G7)ev ’ry glove that (C)laid him down or (G7)cut him till he cried out in his an ger and his shame, “I am (G)leav ing, I am (F)leav ing.” But the fight er (C)still re mains.

Lie la (Am)lie,

lie la (G)lie la lie la lie, lie la (Am)lie

(G)lie la lie la la la la lie la la la la (C)lie.

Lie la (Am)lie,

lie la (G)lie la lie la lie, lie la (Am)lie

(G)lie la lie la la la la lie la la la la (C)lie.

Lie la