Race for the Prize

The Flaming Lips

About Race for the Prize

"Race for the Prize" (subtitled "Sacrifice of the New Scientists"), is a song by The Flaming Lips, released as the first single taken from their 1999 album The Soft Bulletin, and reaching #39 in the UK Singles Chart as the highest charting single from the album. In 2010 Pitchfork Media included the song at number 30 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s. The song is also played live frequently, and is usually featured as a set opener for many of their concerts.


Year:
1999
4:09
260 
#1

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One, two, one!

Two scientists are racing
For the good of all mankind
Both of them side-by-side
So determined

Locked in heated battle
For the cure that is their prize
But it's so dangerous
But they're determined

Theirs is to win
If it kills them
They're just humans
With wives and children

Upwards to the vanguard
Where the pressure is too high
Under the microscope
Hope against hope

Forging for the future
But to sacrifice their lives
Both of them side-by-side
So determined

Theirs is to win
If it kills them
They're just humans
With wives and children

Theirs is to win
If it kills them
They're just human
With wives and children

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The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips are an American rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983. Instrumentally, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What Is the Light? (An Untested Hypothesis Suggesting That the Chemical [In Our Brains] by Which We Are Able to Experience the Sensation of Being in Love Is the Same Chemical That Caused the "Big Bang" That Was the Birth of the Accelerating Universe)". They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which feature costumes, balloons, puppets, video projections, complex stage light configurations, giant hands, large amounts of confetti, and frontman Wayne Coyne's signatur… more »

1 fan

Written by: MICHAEL IVINS, STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


8 facts about this song

Song Composition
"Race for the Prize" is the opening track of The Flaming Lips' 1999 album "The Soft Bulletin". - The song is notable for its lush, symphonic sound, achieved through a blend of traditional rock instrumentation and electronic production.
Song Theme and Lyrics
"Race for the Prize" is about two scientists racing to find a cure for a disease. - The lyrics present a humanistic view of scientific endeavor and reflect on the personal toll it can take.
Track Variations
There are two different mixes of the song on the album, one of which is a remix where the percussion is much louder and more explosive. - Both versions were released as singles in the UK in 1999.
Chart Performance
The song reached #39 in the UK Singles Chart. - The remix version of "Race for the Prize" also peaked at #65 in the UK Charts.
Band Success
The album "The Soft Bulletin", which features "Race for the Prize", is considered a breakthrough for The Flaming Lips and is often cited as their best work. - The fusion of experimental rock, psychedelic pop, and electronica on "Race for the Prize" established the band's signature sound and set the stage for their subsequent success.
Live Performances
"Race for the Prize" frequently serves as the opening or closing song during The Flaming Lips' vibrant and theatrical live performances. - During one memorable live performance, the band members entered the stage from a giant inflatable rainbow, illustrating the song's grandiose and positive sound.
Music Video
The music video for "Race for the Prize" features the band members running through a field, battering each other with oversized boxing gloves, reflecting the competitive themes of the song. - In the background of the video, particles resembling pollen are seen floating around, perhaps symbolizing the scientific elements of the song’s lyrics.
Critical Reception
Critics have praised "Race for the Prize" for its emotional depth, innovative sound, and thoughtful lyrics. - The song and its parent album helped establish The Flaming Lips as a critically respected and fan-beloved band in the indie rock scene.

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