"Race For the Prize" by Flaming Lips

The theme of this song is that a goal can only be achieved through extreme dedication and sometimes might not be worth it. Through its instrumentals the song creates a sullen, gloomy tone that nearly conveys impossibility of achievement. However, the lyrics almost oppose the music with an inspirational, hard-working sense. Meanwhile, their message is very different. The early verses of the song are about achieving a goal even "if" it kills you; while the ladder half of the song's verses contain the phrase "when it kills you." In this way the lyrics demonstrate that the "prize" might not always be worth the dedication.