On the day before the day before the new year
The snow is falling on my prairie home
I'm so far away from where I started
But no closer to where I belong

How many trails have I gone down for no reason
Just to learn that I can't leave myself behind
And the only devil I've ever seen was in the mirror
And the only enemy I know is in my mind

Won't you tell me how long must I pay off these dues
Won't you tell me, is winning learning to lose
You said it, oh but say it's not true
Is winning really learning to lose

Everywhere that I turn the cards stack against me
And I wonder, was it bad luck or just design
[Willie Nelson Both:]
And all the things I've had to do without have been a blessing
But sometime a blessing is a curse in disguise

Won't you tell me how long must I pay off these dues
Won't you tell me, is winning learning to lose
You said it, oh but say that it's not true
Is winning really learning to lose

Is winning really learning to lose