Sea of hurt, I feel the waves of pain

And now the tide comes in again

Caught in a vicious cycle of despair

Give me the strength to face another day



Oh, sing a song of joy

Sweet childhood, never desert me

Time for celebration, oh!

Overcome with a sense of elation

I'll never let you get to me

Survival is my victory



I sighed and sighed as I was mourning

I said sorry a thousand times

I cried aloud to God for all my failings

But God seemed deaf as well as blind



Oh, sing a song of joy

Sweet childhood, never desert me

Time for celebration, oh!

Overcome with a sense of elation

I'll never let you get to me

Survival is my victory



We drank and smoked and talked until the dawn

We shared our problems and our food

Telling tales of courage and resolution

Through all the hardships we'd endured



Oh, sing a song of joy

Sweet childhood, never desert me

Time for celebration, oh!

Overcome with a sense of elation

I'll never let you get to me

Survival is my victory