At first I was afraid I was petrified
Kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side;
But then I spent so many nights / Thinkin' how you did me wrong
And I grew strong / And so you're back from outer space
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed that stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I'd've known for just one second you'd back to bother me
Go on now, go walk out the door
Just turn around now
('cause) you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
Did I crumble / Did you think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I. I will survive
Oh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive; / I've got all
my life to live,
I've got all my love to give and I'll survive, / I will survive. Hey
hey.
It took all the strength I had not to fall apart
Kept trying' hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart,
And I spent oh so many nights / Just feeling sorry for myself. I used
to cry
But now I hold my head up high / And you see me somebody new
I'm not that chained up little person still in love with you,
And so you feel like droppin' in / And just expect me to be free,
Now I'm savin' all my lovin' for someone who's lovin' me
Go on now.. etc.
According to Dino Fekaris, the principal writer of the song, "I Will Survive" has its genesis in his experience getting fired by Motown Records in the mid-1970s after seven years working there as a staff writer. Jobless, he turned on the TV in his room, and a theme song he had written for the film Generation (performed by Rare Earth) happened to be playing. He took it as a good omen, and jumped up and down on the bed saying, "I'm going to make it. I'm going to be a songwriter. I will survive!"
The song remained unrecorded for two years as no suitable singer was available. When Gaynor was asked what kind of songs she liked, she said she liked "songs that are meaningful, have good lyrics, and touch people's hearts". The producers then handed her the song lyrics of "I Will Survive" scribbled on a piece of brown paper. Gaynor recognized the song as a hit immediately.
It was produced as the B SIDE of the album until Club DJ's kept playing it.
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