Story Behind The Song

When I watched the Ken Burns Muhammad Ali documentary I was struck by the realization that he was a hero to more people on this planet than anybody that ever lived, before or since. I felt impelled to write a song about him; a song that would capture what he meant to people around the world.

Lyrics

Ode To Ali

He'll always be young - alive in my mind
Forever - untouched by time
A breath of fresh air - playful rhymes
Defiant pride

Remember my name - it's Muhammad Ali
I don't have to be what you want me to be
I am America - the part you won't recognize.
My goals, my own - get used to me

I'm gonna float like a butterfly - sting like a bee
The hands can't hit what the eyes can't see
Float like a butterfly - sting like a bee
My goals - my own - get used to me

Muhammad Ali - a hero for the ages
A hero like no-one had seen before
He carried the dreams of all the world's downtrodden
The invisible - the forgotten (Ali Bomaye - chanted under the lyric)
Showed them - they didn't have to crawl
They could rise - they could win - they could stand up tall

A beautiful Adonis - a pacifist
He fought - with his wits and his fists
He wouldn't go to war wouldn't use a gun
Refused - to fight the Vietcong

He told them war was against his religion
They said - doesn't matter - you're going to prison
He fought them - he won - got back in the ring
And became heavyweight champion again

I'm gonna float like a butterfly - sting like a bee
I don't have to be what you want me to be
Float like a butterfly - sting like a bee
My goals - my own - get used to me
Float like a butterfly - sting like a bee
I don't have to be what you want me to be
Float like a butterfly - sting like a bee
My goals - my own - get used to me

© Marv Conan