Heartbreak is usually slow. It’s a long, agonizing burn that sits in your chest for months. But in 1964, a songwriter named Don Rollins decided to take that feeling and strap a rocket to it. He didn't write a dirge; he wrote a literal horse race.
If you grew up listening to the radio, you've heard the opening fiddle or that frantic, galloping beat. Most people treat The Race Is On lyrics like a fun, up-tempo bar song to clap along to. They aren't wrong—it’s a banger—but if you actually look at what George Jones is screaming about, it’s a total wreck. It is a song about coming in second place in a two-person race for a woman's heart.
And man, second place in that scenario is just a polite way of saying you lost everything.
The Day George Jones Almost Walked Out
There is a great story about how this song even made it to the studio. It almost didn't happen. Back in the early 60s, George Jones was already a star, but he was picky. He was sitting in an office at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas with a guy named Dewey Groom.
Groom was playing him demo after demo. Jones was bored. Honestly, he was annoyed. He actually stood up to leave because nothing was hitting. Right as he reached for the door, Groom put on a tape by a singer named Jimmie Gray.
The first line hit: "I feel tears wellin' up cold and deep inside..."
Jones stopped mid-stride. He didn't even wait for the chorus. He just barked, "I’ll take it!" out of pure instinct. He recorded it in June 1963, but the label sat on it until September 1964. When they finally dropped it on the album I Get Lonely in a Hurry, it didn't just walk onto the charts. It sprinted.
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Breaking Down the Horse Racing Metaphors
Don Rollins was a genius for this. He took the high-stakes, sweaty, desperate energy of the track and mapped it onto a breakup. If you've ever been cheated on or left for "the other guy," you know it feels like a competition you didn't know you were in until you'd already lost.
Let's look at the "backstretch" of these lyrics.
The Starting Gate
The song starts with the physical "stab of loneliness." It’s sharp. It’s painful. Jones sings about how he lived in fear of waking up and finding her gone. That’s the "gate" phase—the anxiety before the race even starts. You're watching the person you love, waiting for the moment they bolt.
The "Pride" and "Heartache" Turn
The chorus is where the metaphor goes into overdrive.
- Pride is coming up the backstretch.
- Heartache is moving to the inside.
- Tears are "holding back," trying not to fall.
My favorite line, though? "My heart's out of the running, true love's scratched for another's sake." In racing, a "scratch" is when a horse is pulled from the race before it starts. He’s saying his chance at real love was cancelled because she decided to "run" with someone else. He’s not even on the track anymore. He’s just a spectator watching his own life fall apart.
The Big Reveal: Second Place
The gut punch comes in the second verse. He admits he never suspected the "final result." He was blindsided. Then the killer line: "Somebody new came up to win her, and I wound up second place."
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That is the most brutal way to describe being dumped. In a horse race, second place gets you a smaller purse. In a relationship, second place gets you a "Dear John" letter and a cold bed.
Why the Jack Jones Version Matters (And Why It’s Weird)
Most country fans swear by George Jones. His version is the gold standard. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles. But here is the weird part of music history: a guy named Jack Jones (no relation) released a version at the same time.
Jack Jones was a "crooner." Think Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett style. He took this frantic, hillbilly heartbreaker and turned it into a pop/easy listening hit. It actually hit #15 on the Hot 100.
If you listen to them side-by-side, it's a trip. George sounds like he’s having a nervous breakdown at 90 miles per hour. Jack sounds like he’s casually checking his watch while leaning against a Cadillac. It’s the same The Race Is On lyrics, but two completely different worlds.
Sawyer Brown and the 80s Revival
Fast forward to 1989. The song had become a "standard," but it was starting to feel like an "oldies" track. Then Sawyer Brown stepped in.
They were the "Beach Boys of Country," known for high energy and neon jackets. They didn't change the lyrics, but they cranked the tempo. They turned it into a high-octane anthem that peaked at #5. For a whole new generation, this wasn't a George Jones song anymore; it was a line-dancing staple.
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The Grateful Dead even used to cover it live. Think about that. From the "Possum" of country music to the kings of jam-band psych-rock. The song is indestructible because the metaphor is universal. Everyone has felt like they were "running" to keep a relationship alive, only to realize the other person already crossed the finish line with someone else.
The "Other" Don Rollins
There is a common mistake people make when looking up the songwriter. You’ll see the name Don Rollins and think, "Oh, the guy who wrote 'It's Five O'Clock Somewhere' for Alan Jackson?"
Nope. Different guy.
The Don Rollins who wrote "The Race Is On" was a Beaumont, Texas native. He was a saxophonist, a music teacher, and a guy who spent 17 years as a band director. He was a "real deal" musician who understood rhythm. That’s why the song has that specific "gallop." He wasn't just writing words; he was writing a cadence that mimicked hoofbeats. Sadly, the songwriting world lost him recently (February 2025), but his "Race" is still running.
Real-World Takeaways from the Lyrics
If you’re analyzing this for a cover, a karaoke night, or just because you’re a music nerd, here’s the "inside track" on what makes it work:
- Tempo is Tone: If you sing it too slow, it becomes a depressing song about a loser. If you sing it fast (like George), it becomes a song about the panic of losing. The speed represents the racing thoughts of a man whose world is ending.
- The "Winner Loses All" Paradox: The final line of the chorus is "The winner loses all." It’s a bit of a riddle. He’s suggesting that the guy who "won" her might have actually won a heart that isn't capable of staying. Or, perhaps, that in this "race" of love, there are no real winners when things are this messy.
- Vocal Phrasing: Notice how George Jones clips the words. Back-stretch. In-side. Run-ning. He’s mimicking the jolting movement of a jockey on a horse.
Next time you hear it, don't just tap your foot. Listen to the desperation. The next step for any fan is to compare the 1964 original with the 1989 Sawyer Brown cover. You'll see how a change in production can turn a "crying-in-your-beer" moment into a "dancing-on-the-table" moment without changing a single word of the story.