Bbmaj7                        Gm7                 Cm7  Cm7  F7sus
In the streets around here there was nobody tougher than me,
F7       Cm7                    F7sus                F7
  I was quick with me fists and fast with me footwork
   Bbmaj7          Bb7/F    Bb6    Bbaug
as you can plainly see,
          Fm7                     Bb7
But while fighting was useful for getting your way,
          Ebmaj7                   Ebm6
Among the toughs of the town where you could hold sway,
      Gm                 Bb/F        Em7b5        C9
There had to be something   that was better than this,
          F7               Eb/G        Abdim7            F7/A
   I was fifteen years old     and I'd never been kissed.


[Verse 2]
        Bbmaj7                       Gm7
Well of course she'd ignore me, her friends would all sneer at me,
Cm7                         F7sus            F7
bloody nose dripping and me cauliflow’r ear,
         Cm7                   F7sus    F7
For it's hard to convince in a romantic pose,
       Bbmaj7          Bb7/F             Bb6   Bb+/F
With a lovely black eye     and a broken nose,
        Fm7                    Bb7
Where a girl is attracted  to skills more refined,
         Ebmaj7                Ebm6
Than the pugilist's art,   and so I inclined,
   Gm           Bb/F        Edim7     C9
To take meself serious as a modern romancer,
         F7       Eb/G         Abdim7      F7/A
  And I secretly learnt all the moves of a dancer.


[Chorus 1]
    Bbmaj7                  Gm7
You swing to the left, you swing to the right,
          Cm7                           F7sus            F7
Keep your eyes on your partner, more or less like a fight,
         Cm7                         F7sus           F7
You just follow the rhythm, and you keep to the beat,
      Bbmaj7         Bb7/F     Bb6          Bbaug
The important thing's never to look at your feet,
       Fm7                   Bb7/F             Bb7
Then a miracle happens, your mind's in a trance,
            Ebmaj7              Ebm6
Though the strategy's subtle, retreat and advance,
    Bbmaj7     Gm7       Cm7          F7
It’s all about attitude, all in your stance,
 Dm7          Gm7             Cm7         F7
Attention to detail, leaving nothing to chance,
         Dm7           Gm7      Cm7      F7            Bbmaj7  Bb7/F  Bb6  Bb/F
Which explains how the pugilist finally learned how to dance.


[Verse 3]
          Bbmaj7                      Gm7
Well, I'd waltz with a broomstick and if I was caught,
       Cm7                     F7sus           F7
I'd pretend I was sweeping or practicing sport,
      Cm7                      F7sus      F7
But I really had eyes for your mother ye see,
        Bbmaj7           Bb7/F         Bb6       Bb+/F
Wanting her to acknowledge    this new version of me,
        Fm7                    Bb7
But now everyone's watching, expecting I'll fail,
            Ebmaj7                      Ebm6
But there's fire in me belly,   there's wind in me sails,
   Gm          Bb/F              Edim7      C9
I knew it was risky    and I was taking a chance,
  F7          Eb/G          Abdim7    F7/A
I couldn't retreat now,   I had to advance.   


[Chorus 2]
     Bbmaj7                Gm7
So I swing to the left, I swing to the right,
          Cm7                      F7sus            F7
Keep me eyes on me partner, like I would in a fight,
       Cm7                     F7sus           F7
I just keep to the rhythm, and follow the beat,
      Bbmaj7          Bb7/F    Bb6          Bbaug
The important thing's never to look at your feet,
      Fm7                          Bb7/F             Bb7
But a miracle’s happened, and your mind's in a trance,
            Ebmaj7                    Ebm6
They’re all laughing and cheering and looking askance.
       Bbmaj7             Gm7    Cm7     Fsus        F7 Bmaj7  B7/F#  B6  Em/F#
on the night that the pugilist   finally learned how to dance.


[Verse 4]
         B9                          G#m7
It's a three-minute round and you’re back in your corner,
       C#m7                          F#sus             F#7
You're licking your wounds just like little Jack Horner,
      C#m7                        F#sus            F#7
Don't let your guard down   try a jab with your right,
          Bmaj7           B7/F#      B6              F#sus
Or you're losing on points    by the end of the night,
       F#m7                              B7/F#
Then a miracle happens, and everyone's screaming,
       Emaj7                     Em6
You're pinching yourself just in case you're still dreaming,
       G#m            Gaug           Fm7b5            Em
You've taken th’ initiative,  you've taken your chance,
         B/D#            G#m7     C#m7     F#7           Fm7b5   Em
It's the night when this pugilist finally learned how to dance.


[Outro]
       D#m7            G#m7          C#m7          F#7
  In a bout where the strategist’s   bridges were burned,
         D#m7            G#m7        C#m7      F#7
Where it seemed that his fortune had suddenly turned,
          D#m7            G#m7         C#m7       F#7
'Twas the night that this scrapper was suddenly dapper,
     Fm7b5          Em             B/D#           Ddim7
This poor fellow's heart was still going like the clappers,
     C#m7                           F#sus       F#7   Bmaj7  B7/F#  B6  Em/F#  Bmaj9
The night that the pugilist finally learned how to   dance.