In 1957 while still in high school, Tillotson was making records and performing on stage; as a student at the University of Florida, he had his own musical variety show on regional television. Following graduation in 1959 with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and Communications, he signed with Cadence Records and moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In 1960, he recorded his first hit, a composition entitled "Poetry in Motion" (written by Anthony/Kaufman), that went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #1 on the UK Singles Chart.
A "crossover" artist, several of Tillotson's songs were successful on both the country music charts and pop charts. He earned a Grammy Award nomination for another of his own compositions, "It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin," and also for the song "Heartaches by the Number," nominated for Best Vocal Performance of 1965. He also appeared in the 1963 film "Just for Fun" and sang the theme song for the 1965 Sally Field television comedy "Gidget".
In a career spanning more than 40 years, Tillotson has recorded 26 singles that made it onto Billboard's charts, and performed at venues across the United States and other places around the globe.
He was featured in the 1966 camp comedy The Fat Spy starring Jayne Mansfield, Jack E. Leonard, Phyllis Diller, Brian Donlevy and Jordan Christopher & the Wild Ones. This film was featured in the 2004 documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (#46).
The Race Is On
Johnny Tillotson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a stab of loneliness sharp and painful that I may never shake
Now you might say that I was taking it hard oh she 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 tryin' not to fall
My heart's out of the running true love scratched for another's sake
One day I ventured in love never once suspectin' what the final result would be
How I lived in fear of waking up each morning and findin' that you're gone from me
There's ache and pain in my heart for today was the one that I hated to face
Somebody new came up to win him and I came out in second place
Now the race is on and here comes...
The song "Race Is On" by Johnny Tillotson is a heart-wrenching ballad about heartbreak and the pain of losing love. The lyrics describe the feelings of deep loneliness and sorrow that arise in the aftermath of a breakup. The singer is clearly devastated by the end of the relationship and is struggling to come to terms with his emotions.
Tillotson uses the metaphor of a race to describe the competition for love between two people, portraying love as a game with a winner and a loser. In this case, the singer has lost the race and his heart is "out of the running" while "true love scratched for another's sake." He is left with nothing but heartache and tears, struggling to hold back his emotions as he faces the reality of his loss.
Despite the sadness of the lyrics, "Race Is On" is a powerful and emotional song that resonates with audiences. It speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and loss, and captures the pain and devastation that can come with the end of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I feel tears wellin' up cold and deep inside like my heart's sprung a big break
I am feeling a deep sense of sadness that is causing me to cry as if my heart has shattered
And a stab of loneliness sharp and painful that I may never shake
I am experiencing acute feelings of isolation that are causing me considerable emotional pain, and I am unsure if I will be able to overcome them
Now you might say that I was taking it hard oh she wrote me off with a call
While some people may think that I am overreacting to the situation, the fact remains that she ended our relationship with a simple phone call
But don't you wager that I'll hide the sorrow when I may break right down and bawl
Although I may attempt to conceal my anguish, it is entirely possible that I will be unable to hold back my tears and will break down and cry
Now the race is on and here comes pride up the backstretch heartaches
The competition to find a new partner has begun, and my pride is pushing me forward, even as I am beset by feelings of heartache
Are going to the inside my tears are holding back they're tryin' not to fall
Although I am trying to put on a brave face, I am struggling to contain my emotions and keep from crying
My heart's out of the running true love scratched for another's sake
I am no longer in the running for true love as my former partner has chosen someone else, and my heart is broken as a result
The race is on and it looks like heartaches and the winner loses all
The competition for love can be painful, and even if one emerges victorious, they may still lose everything in the process
One day I ventured in love never once suspectin' what the final result would be
I entered into this relationship with hope and optimism, but I never could have predicted how it would end
How I lived in fear of waking up each morning and findin' that you're gone from me
I was constantly worried that my partner would leave me, and this fear consumed me each day
There's ache and pain in my heart for today was the one that I hated to face
Today is a difficult day for me, as I must come to terms with the fact that my former partner has moved on without me
Somebody new came up to win him and I came out in second place
My former partner has found someone else that they love more than me, and I am left feeling like a runner-up in the competition for their affection
Contributed by Leah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.