The I Will Survive lyrics are a female empowerment anthem about how women can overcome heartbreak in a relationship and move on, not only becoming stronger but also an entirely new person.
"You think I'd crumble?
You think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive"
Written by Freddie Perron & Dino Fekaris, Gloria recorded the song in October 1978.
The I Will Survive lyrics describe the discovery of personal strength after a devastating breakup.
The lyrics give inspiration & strength to survivors everywhere regardless of their situation.
Gloria even gained strength from her own song as she recorded it whilst recovering from a major back injury.
Gloria (Fowles) Gaynor grew up Newark New Jersey and was exposed to a wide range of music during her early impressionable years.
Her father was not around much at all as she was growing up as he himself was a professional singer.
Gloria was one of seven children who all had a passion for singing. Her mother also loved to sing, but when Gloria was still a young girl her mother had to undergo throat surgery which sadly robbed her of her beautiful singing voice.
She would then often ask Gloria to sing some of her favorite songs. Gloria was more than happy to do this for her mother although she once commented in 'GUIDE POSTS'
I didn't think she ever paid any attention to my singing and there she was asking me to do one of her favorites,
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria enjoyed singing and was gaining more & more in confidence as she was growing up.
At the age of 13 she was practicing a popular song in the stairwell of the apartment where she lived when a neighbor upstairs called out to her "Oh, I thought that was the radio". This was a real confidence boost for Gloria.
After graduating high school she got a babysitting job in an apartment close by. She would often sing out loudly whenever she heard footsteps in the apartments above. She was determined to be heard and continued doing this for the next several weeks!
One evening she went along to a local nightclub with Arthur, her brother. The band on stage were the Soul Satisfiers and Gloria never hesitated to sing along as they performed.
Eventually the band leader took the mic and coaxed her onto the stage to sing. She was hired on the spot to join the band and she was delighted.
A while later she found out that the footsteps she was hearing from the apartment above were no other than the manager of the nightclub!
I Will Survive Lyrics - Classic Disco
Gloria sang with the band for around a year and then moved on to doing the rounds of clubs & bars throughout Eastern & Midwest United States.
Eventually she hit lucky when singer / producer Johnny Nash caught her act at the Wagon Wheel Club.
He invited her to sing on one of the records he was producing at the time and although it was only a hit locally, it gained Gloria a much wider audience.
Of course the 1970's arrived and along with it was Disco Music that people loved to dance to in nightclubs and bars.
Gloria went on to release her first single Honey Bee in February 1974 on CBS Label.
Soon after, Gloria was discovered & signed to a recording contract by the head of MGM Records Clive Davis.
The First Queen of Disco instantly made her mark & rocketed to fame with smash hits such as:
I Will Survive was the second single from the album Love Tracks (1978).
The I Will Survive lyrics with their empowering message have made this a karaoke hit that will continue to belted out across the world.
Everyone has no doubt hummed along to this song at one time or another in their lives and probably will continue to do so for a long long time...
I Will Survive Lyrics
Disco Wave
The single went Platinum, topped the Billboards Disco & Pop Chart and also won The Best Disco Recording At The Grammys.
Gloria Gaynor is 'Soul' through & through and the I Will Survive lyrics are an anthem that will continue playing in nightclubs and bars around the world for many more years to come.
The First Queen Of Disco Has Survived!!