Ali Wouldn't Fight by Robert Priest

It is a slightly less graceful planet today.

 It was a privilege to have him here.

Ali was the champ
bam bam bam
the best boxer ever
and man could he dance
plus he was a joker
and he spouted poetry
he was born Cassius Clay
but became ali
muhammad ali
he laughed and he twirled
he was the bam bam bam
heavyweight champion of the world

now in those days
blam blam blam
there was a war
in vietnam
blam blam blam
it was a terrible war
a terrible war in viet nam

and when they called
ali to go
he refused --
he just said no
i think i'll stay here
where i am
i've got no quarrel
with vietnam
why would i kill
my fellow man

if you don't fight
blam blam blam
you'll go to jail
wham wham wham
if you don't fight
for uncle sam
we'll lock you up
in the slam slam slam

But he wouldn't fight
blam blam blam
He just said no
To uncle sam
i think i'll stay here
where i am
i've got no quarrel
with vietnam
i'm a recent convert
to Islam
why would i kill
my fellow man

Ali was charged
but he wouldn't budge
he was put on trial
before a judge
the gavel came down
wham wham wham
ali was free,
an innocent man
he didn't have to fight
in vietnam
he didn't have to fight
for uncle sam

but he still couldn't box
bam bam bam
they wouldn't let him box
and they picked a new champ
and still there was a war
blam blam blam
and many people died in vietnam

ali had to wait
this champ of the world
down by his sides
those big fists curled
not till the war
came at last to an end
would they let him fight
for the prize again

back in the ring
how good ali felt
when he beat george foreman
and took back his belt
he darted and he danced
spoke poetry and twirled
he was the king of not fighting
and the heavyweight champion of the world

yes, he was champ in the ring
and a champ times two
cause ali was the king
of not fighting too