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 sayin'

Boy, oh, I see you're sittin' 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 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, you'd better hold on

Don't go all around with your head hung down
Well, I wouldn't let that little girl know
Wouldn't let her know that she made me feel like a clown
There are 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
Hey, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand, yeah

So I'm telling you right now
Only the strong survive
Only the strong survive
Hey, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on

Don't worry about it
Don't you know that things are gonna change?
Oh, but you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
Don't ever feel that, you can make it, baby