Now that she's older 
As the embers of romance fade to mortgages and leccy bills  [bad word] and that 
Nobody told her that she'd ever reach the stage 
Where her husband bored or her or she lied about her age 
 [bad word] 
At least he's got a job for life 
Get born, get school, get job, get car 
Pay tax and find a wife 
And on that note the end [bad word] too soon 
If you're not living on the edge you take up too much room 

I could've been a contender 
I could've been a someone 
Caught up in the rat race 
And feeling like a no one 
Could've been me in the papers 
With the money and the girls 
I could've been the heavyweight champion of the world 

At school he used to dream about being [bad word] Lee 
But the need for chops in the Manor Top 
Ain't all that great you see 
And so he gave up 
On his black belt and first Dan 
As near as he got to China 
Was a week in Camber sands 

I could've been a contender 
I could've been a someone 
Caught up in the rat race 
And feeling like a no one 
Could've been me in the papers 
With the money and the girls 
I could've been the heavyweight champion of the world 

I could've been a contender 
I could've been a someone 
Caught up in the rat race 
And feeling like a no one 
Could've been me in the papers 
With the money and the girls 
I could've been the heavyweight champion of the world 

It's boring, it's boring 
It might put you to sleep 
As the same old routine repeating week after week 
And you work hard, I work harder 
You're told that you must 
And you must earn a living 
You must earn a [bad word] 

And be like everybody else 
Be like everybody else 
Be like everybody else 
Just be like everybody else 
Be like everybody else 
Just be like everybody else 
Be like everybody else 
Just be like everybody else 

Be like everybody else 
Just be like everybody else 
Be like everybody else 
Just be like everybody else 

Be like everybody else 
Just be like everybody else 
Be like everybody else 
I'm not like everybody else 

I could've been a contender 
I could've been a someone 
Caught up in the rat race 
And feeling like a no one 
Could've been me in the papers 
With the money and the girls 
I could've been the heavyweight champion of the world 

I could've been a contender 
I could've been a someone 
Caught up in the rat race 
And feeling like a no one 
Could've been me in the papers 
With the money and the girls 
I could've been the heavyweight champion of the world