- So, I've been writing songs since I was a little kid
and I was walking around with a whole handful of them
when I was 20 years old,
trying to get someone to listen to them.
And the idea was that one of the songs I'd written was
way not Pop enough.
It was a waltz about Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell.
But it was the one that I liked.
Fast forward to now,
I've had one song covered of mine in my whole career.
That was that song, it's called Boxing.
And it was covered by Bette Midler, Kennedy Center honoree.
And it really gave me,
it really gave me confidence
that the things that I liked,
even if they were off the beaten path,
might be the way to go.
And Bette wouldn't know
that she had given me that confidence,
but it always meant a lot to me.
We've never met, but congratulations Bette on your honor.
Here is the song.
(soft piano melody)
♪ 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 ♪
♪ Now my intention's become ♪
♪ Not to lose what I've won ♪
♪ The ambition has given way ♪
♪ To desperation and I ♪
♪ Lost the fight from my eyes ♪
♪ 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? ♪
(soft piano melody)
♪ So 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 you 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 someone will tell me how ♪
♪ Wrong I am ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ 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? ♪
(soft piano melody)
(upbeat piano music)