(I remember) I remember my first love affair

(I remember) Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong

(I remember) My mama had some great advice so I thought I'd put it into words of this song

(I remember) I can still hear her sayin'

Boy (Boy, boy), oh, I see you're sittin' out there all alone

Cryin' your eyes out 'cause the woman that you love is gone

Oh, there's gonna be, there's gonna be a whole lot of trouble in your life

(A whole lot of trouble)

Oh, so listen to me, get up off your knees 'cause only the strong survive

That's what she said

"Only the strong survive, only the strong survive"

Hey, you've got to be strong (Strong), you'd better hold on (Hold on)

Don't go (Don't go) all around with your head hung down

Well I wouldn't let the little girl know, wouldn't let her know that she made me feel like a clown

There's a whole lot a girls (A whole lot of girls) lookin' for a good man like you

Oh but you'll never meet 'em if you give up now and say your life is through

Then she said:

"Only the strong survive, only the strong survive

Yeah, you've got to be a man (Man), you've got to take a stand"

So I'm telling you right now

Only the strong survive, only the strong survive

Hey, you've got to be strong (Strong), you'd better hold on (Hold on)

Don't worry about it, don't you know that things are gonna change (Only the strong survive)

Oh, but you've got to be a man (Yeah), you've got to take a stand (Yeah)

Don't ever feel that, you can make it baby (Only the strong survive)

Oh so ain't no woman worth it, you've gotta make it