he stood there taunting old Joltin Joe,
he's down in 5 he would say to the mouth
He was a big boy with an attitude so bad
when he had come from way down in the south

he took his time, as he climbed into that ring
I am the greatest, he said over again
he put Joe down witha thundering right hand
Cassius Clay he would never be called again


and that Ali could fight
and that Ali could hit,
he was good all the time
standin tall and so fit
this was rope a dope time
this was great this was it
the ring's greatest time
that greatness was his

he changed his name cause he felt that a change would do him good
Pledging to Allah to save his soul
he had been born with a face that had to say
I am so pretty, I am so

fight after fight, day after day, it went on and on
I always knew he would make history
watching him dance as he made fighters moan
float like a butterfly sting like a bee


and that Ali could fight
and that Ali could hit,
he was good all the time
standin tall and so fit
this was rope a dope time
this was great this was it
the ring's greatest time
that greatness was his

and that Ali could fight
and that Ali could hit,
he was good all the time
standin tall and so fit
this was rope a dope time
this was great this was it
the ring's greatest time
that greatness was his