Jerry Butler – Only The Strong Survive lyrics

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
Crying your eyes out,
'Cause the woman that you love has gone.
There's gonna be, there's gonna be a whole lot of trouble in your life.
(Whole lot of trouble)
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.
You've got to be strong. (Hold on.)
You've got to hold on.

Don't go all around (No, no) with your head hung down.
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 of girls looking for a good man like you.
(A good man like you)
Oh, but you'll never meet them if you give up now
And say your life is through.

Then she said it, only the strong survive.
Only the strong survive.
You've got to be a man. (Hold on.)
You've got to take a stand.

So I'm telling you right now, only the strong survive.
Only the strong survive.
You've got to be strong. (Hold on.)
You better hold on.
(Only the strong survive.) Don't worry about it.
Don't you know that things are gonna change.
(Only the strong survive.)
But you've got to be a man. (Hold on.)
You've got to take a stand.
(Only the strong survive.) Don't ever feel like you can't make it, baby.
Only the strong survive.