About The Song
 A song, the origins of which, go back to the late 1980’s at the time of the Fitzgerald Inquiry into prostitution, illegal gambling, and bribery and corruption in the Australian state of Queensland. It sums up my feelings about Australian life and politics at the time. I can’t remember the exact year I wrote the song, but I do recall it was written one year soon after Christmas, hence the passing references in the song to that time of the year.

 The tune has a lovely lilting brass accompaniment running through it which reminds me of my years in London during the early 1970's. I remember nights in London's Soho district; Salvation Army brass bands on damp street corners; strip clubs and red lights above doorways; and so much more.

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Lyrics

Who’s Gonna Win? 
© 1999, Jim Lesses. All Rights Reserved. 

There’s a schoolgirl standing on the corner, 
I guess she wants to pay her way. 
I suppose somebody ought to warn her, 
But she just found a trick and turned away.

There’s a plastic tree in every window, 
A man in a crazy hat who’s looking thin. 
A fat man stuffed with pillows says it’s Christmas, 
I'm taking bets. Who’s Gonna Win?

There’s a young man drinking like it’s Friday, 
There’s a young girl looking for some coke. 
I suppose if someone called out "Fire!", 
They’d only laugh; think it was a joke.

There’s a man eating chicken for his breakfast, 
An old lady going through his bin. 
A man with a pistol looking desperate, 
I'm taking bets. Who’s gonna win?

Bridge 
Who’s gonna win? It’s a rat race, it’s a jungle, it’s a war. 
As you struggle through another day, do you stop and ask, What For? 
When you get up in the morning and super glue your grin, 
Do you look into the mirror, and ask, Who’s Gonna Win?

Well, the plastic trees are shining in the windows, 
The crazy hat man shuffles with a grin. 
The fat man dressed in red has lost his pillows, 
And he now looks incredibly thin.

And the schoolgirl she is having an abortion, 
A lady with a cross said, "It’s a sin!" 
I’m still standing on the corner, 
Bets are off. Nobody wins. 
Bets are off. Nobody wins. 
Bets are off. Nobody wins.