The Fighter

He was young when I first saw him, maybe 19 or so

And I knew he could go places, he'd never dreamed he'd go

There was a certain something, impossible to hide

Dynamite in both his hands, it swept 'm all aside

So they nicknamed him the Killer, and he lived up to that name

The guys that tried to fight him, never came out quite the same

And man, the crowd just loved him, in those up and coming days

Carried him on their shoulders, while they showered him with praise

Well, they loved him like a brother, 'cause he gave 'm all the thrill

Scarin' shit about no self defense, only going for the kill

He took a beating now and then, but stood there young and tough

Never thought of backing up, when the going got too rough

He came down like a shockwave, the title easily won

He just tore in there man, punching, taking two and landing one

But that avalanche of punches, eventually took it's toll

Like a constant drip of water, wears down the hardest stone

And we all saw it coming, the inevitable fall

The night he lost his title, and the title wasn't all

He just started slippin', down skids slicker than grease

His drawing power faded, and the hero-worship ceased

But he couldn't stop the fighting, custom-made for the trade

While he blew away the money, on friends success had made

I saw him fight again last night, I wish I had been spared

The sight of that poor old wreck, for whom nobody no longer cared

His eyes had lost their sparkle, his legs had lost their spring

And really, it was pathetic, the way he stumbled thru' the ring

While an upstart punched him dizzy, punched him silly bell to bell

The lust mad hungry wolf-pack, rode him to a far-ye-well

Here's the same punks, who once worshipped his shrine when he was king

Calling him a coward, as he was groping 'round the ring

But he didn't seem to notice, I thought he'll fight until he's dead

He'll stay in there and take it, and keep the wolf-pack fed

They gave 'm his youth and all his power, now they were tearing him apart

My eyes grew dim and misty, for that brave and gallant heart

Man, if only I could have my way, I'd know exactly what to do

I'd pitch 'm right in there with him, one by one and two by two

I'd see him bash their empty heads, egg-like broken shells

I'd jump up on my chair and yell for blood while down they fell

I'd see 'm beg for mercy, groaning in the night

What's wrong you guys, can't you take it

Come on you scum and fight