(Words & music by Gamble - Huff - Butler)
  I remember my first love affair
  Somehow or another the whole darn thing went wrong
  My mamma had some great advice
  So I thought I'd put it into words of this song
  I can still hear her sayin' it
    Boy, Oh, I see you're sittin' out there all alone
  Cryin' your eyes out 'cos 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 'cos 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 girls lookin' for a good man like you
  Oh but you'll never meet 'em if you give up now and say that your life is through
  Yes she said: Only the strong survive, only the strong survive,
  You've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
    Only the strong survive, only the strong survive,
  Oh, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
  'Cos only the strong survive
  Only the strong survive, only the strong survive,
  Well, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
  Only the strong survive, only the strong survive