About the song
Have you ever felt like the world is a bit of a boxing ring, and sometimes, you just can’t seem to win? That’s the raw, honest sentiment that country music legend Kris Kristofferson captures so beautifully in his song “The Winner”.
This track, a tribute to the late Shel Silverstein, is a masterclass in storytelling. Kristofferson paints vivid pictures with his words, taking us into a gritty barroom where a brawl has just broken out. But this isn’t your typical tale of violence and aggression. Instead, it’s a meditation on what it truly means to come out on top.
In a world that often measures success by external factors like wealth or fame, “The Winner” invites us to consider a different perspective. Through the eyes of a character who has emerged from a chaotic situation physically unscathed, Kristofferson suggests that true victory might lie in simply surviving, in maintaining one’s dignity, and in refusing to let life break one’s spirit.
The song’s lyrics are filled with powerful imagery and memorable lines. Kristofferson’s gravelly voice, combined with the song’s stripped-down instrumentation, creates a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the final note. It’s a song that resonates with anyone who has ever faced adversity and come out on the other side, carrying the scars of battle but also a newfound sense of strength.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Kris Kristofferson or you’re just discovering his music, “The Winner” is a song that deserves a place in your playlist. It’s a timeless piece of Americana that speaks to the human condition in a way that is both universal and deeply personal.
Video
Lyrics
Well the hulk of a man
With a beer in his hand
He looked like a drunk old fool
I knew if I hit him right
Well I could knock him off that stool
But everybody said watch out
Hey that’s Tigerman McCool
He’s had a whole lotta fights
And he’s always come out a winner
But I had myself about 5 too many
So I walked up tall and proud
And I faced his back faced the factThat he’d never stooped or bowed
I said Tigerman you’re a pussycat
And a hush fell on the crowd
I said let’s you and me go outside
And see who’s the winner
Well he gripped the bar
With one big hairy hand
Then he braced against the wall
He slowly looked up from his beer
My God that man was tall
He said boy I see you’re a scrapper
So just before you fall
I’m gonna tell you a little
About what it means to be a winner
He said you know these bright
White smiling teeth
You know they ain’t my own
Mine rolled away like chickletsDown a street in San Antone
But I left that person cursin
Nursin seven broken bones
And he only broke three of mine
So that makes me the winner
He said behind this grin
I got a steel pin that
Holds my jaw in place
A trophy of my most successful
Motorcycle race
And every morning when I wake
And touch this scar across my face
It reminds me of all I got
By being a winner
Now this broken back
Was a dying act of ole
Handsome Harry Clay
That sticky Cincinnati night