I remember my first love affair
Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong
My mamma 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 sittin` out there all alone
Cryin` your eyes out
`cos 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 your knees 
`cos 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 girls 
lookin` for a good man like you
Oh but you`ll never meet `em if you give up now
and say that your life is through
Yes she said: Only the strong survive,
only the strong survive, 
You`ve got to be a man, you`ve got to take a stand

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive, 
Oh, you`ve got to be strong, you`d better hold on
`Cos only the strong survive
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive, 
Well, you`ve got to be a man, you`ve got to take a stand
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive