"Race for the Prize" by the Flaming Lips

The theme of the song is that people will do whatever it takes to reach a goal or win something if the result is great enough. At the beginning of the song, it says, "Two scientists were racing for the good of all mankind... For the cure that is their prize. But it's so dangerous. But they're determined." This describes a competition between two scientists to find a cure, which could be  about finding a cure for cancer. He says that the race is dangerous, but they are determined to get the prize because it is so important. The song goes on to say, "Theirs is to win if it kills them." This stresses to what great lengths people will go to to reach a goal or win a prize. They will keep going until they win the race, even if it kills them.