Original Jerry Butler version
(I remember) I remember my first love affair
(I remember) Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong
(I remember) Well my mama had some great advice so I thought I'd put it into words of this song
(I remember) I can still hear her saying
Boy (boy, boy), oh I see you sitting out there all alone
Crying your eyes out 'cause the woman that you love is gone
Oh there's gonna be, there's gonna be a whole lot of trouble in your life (whole lot of trouble)
Oh so listen to me, get up off your knees 'cause only the strong survive
That's what she said, said only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Yeah, you gotta be strong (strong), you better hold on (hold on)
Don't go (don't go) all around with your head hung down
Well I wouldn't let the little girl know, wouldn't let her know that she made me feel like a clown
There a whole lotta girls (whole lotta girls) looking for a good man like you
Oh but you'll never meet 'em if you give up now and say your life is through
Then she said only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Yeah, you gotta be a man (man), you gotta take a stand (stand), yeah
So I'm telling you right now only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Yeah, you gotta to be strong, you better hold on
Don't worry about it, don't you know that things are gonna change
Oh but you gotta be a man (man), you gotta take a stand (stand)
Don't ever feel that, you can make it baby
'Cause there ain't no woman worth it, you gonna make it now
Keep on on pushing, boy, don't you know that it's true, it'll come around soon
Hey now there'll be another little girl that'll take you ???
??? little baby, everything's gonna be alright
Hey ??? let the darkness ???
?? the strong survive
Only the strong can make it
???...
[Fades out]
ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE is a song written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble, and Leon Huff and released by Butler on his 1968 album The Ice Man Cometh. The above lyrics are for the original Jerry Butler version of ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE as released in 1968.
Bruce Springsteen recorded ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE and released it on his 2022 album Only The Strong Survive. See the album version for more details.
List of available versions of ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE on this website:
ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE [Album version]