I remember, my first love affair Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong My mama had some great advice So I thought I'd put it into words of this song I can still hear her saying' it "Boy, oh, I see you're sitting' out there all alone Cryin' your eyes out Cause 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 of your knees Cause 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 girl Lookin' for a good man like you Oh, but you'll never meet them if you give up now And say, your life is through" And she said it "Only the strong survive, only the strong survive Oh, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand Only the strong survive, only the strong survive" [Bridge] "Well, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on Only the strong survive, only the strong survive Only the strong survive" [Outro] "Well, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand Only the strong survive, only the strong survive Only the strong survive, only the strong survive Only the strong survive"