George Jones performs "The Race Is On"

"The Race Is On" is a song written by Don Rollins and made a hit on the country music charts by George Jones and on the pop and easy listening charts by the unrelated Jack Jones. George's version was the first single released from his 1965 album of the same name. Released as a single in September 1964, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1965. Jack's version topped Billboard's Easy Listening chart and reached number 15 on the Hot 100 the same year. The two recordings combined to reach number 12 on the Cashbox charts, which combined all covers of the same song in one listing and thus gave George Jones his only top-40 hit. The song uses thoroughbred horse racing as the metaphor for the singer's romantic relationships

George Jones The Race Is On Lyrics

I feel tears wellin' up cold and deep inside

Like my heart's sprung a big break

And the stab of loneliness, sharp and painful

That I may never shake

Now you might say that I was taking it hard

Since you wrote me off with a call

But don't you wager that I'll hide the sorrow

When I may break right down and bawl

Now the race is on and here comes pride up the backstretch

Heartaches are going to the inside

My tears are holding back

They're trying not to fall

My heart's out of the running

True love's scratched for another's sake

The race is on and it looks like heartaches

And the winner loses all

One day I had ventured in love, never once suspecting

What the final results would be

How I lived in fear of waking up each morning

And finding that you'd gone from me

There's aching and pain in my heart

For the day was the one that I hated to face

Somebody new came up to win her

And I came out in second place

Now the race is on and here comes pride up the backstretch

Heartaches are going to the inside

My tears are holding back

They're trying not to fall

My heart's out of the running

True love's scratched for another's sake

The race is on and it looks like heartaches

And the winner loses all