Lyrics It's Not Where You Start - Barbara Cook

It's not where you start, it's where you finish.
It's not how you go, it's how you land.
A hun-dred to one shot, they call him a klutz --
Can out-run the fav'rite, all he needs is the guts.
Your final return will not diminish
And you can be the cream of the crop;
It's not where you start, it's where you finish,
And you're gonna finish on top.

If you start at the top, you're certain to drop,
You've got to watch your timing;
Better begin by climbing up, up, up the ladder.
If you're go-ing to last you can't make it fast, man,
Nobody starts a winner, give me a slow beginner,
Easy does it, conserve your fine endurance;
Easy does it, for that's your life insurance.
While you are young, take it rung after rung after rung.

It's not where you start, it's where you finish.
It's not how you go, it's how you land.
A hun-dred to one shot, they call him a klutz --
Can out-run the fav'rite, all he needs is the guts.
Your final return will not diminish
And you can be the cream of the crop;
It's not where you start, it's where you finish,
And you're gonna finish on top.