I remember my first love affair
Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong
My mama had some great advice
So I thought I'd put it into words of this song
I can still hear her sayin' it

"Boy, oh, I see you're sitting' out there all alone
Cryin' your eyes out
Cause the woman that you love has gone
Oh, there's gonna be, there's gonna be
A whole lot of trouble in your life
Oh, so listen to me, get up off of your knees
Cause only the strong survive"

That's what she said:
"Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Oh, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
Don't go all around with your head hung down"

Well, I wouldn't let that little girl
No, I wouldn't let her know
That she made me feel like a clown
"There's a whole lot a girl
Lookin' for a good man like you
Oh, but you'll never meet them if you give up now
And say, your life is through"
And she said it
"Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Oh, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive"

[Bridge]
"Well, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Only the strong survive"

[Outro]
"Well, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Only the strong survive"