Gaynor was a singer with the Soul Satisfiers, a jazz/pop band, in the 1960s. Her first solo single was "She'll Be Sorry/Let Me Go Baby" in 1965.
Her first real success came in 1975 with the release of her album Never Can Say Goodbye, which established her as a disco artist. The first side of this album consisted of three disco songs ("Honey Bee", "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Reach Out, I'll Be There"), with no breaks in between the songs. This 19-minute dance marathon proved to be enormously popular, especially at dance clubs. All three songs were released as singles via radio edits, and all of them became hits. This album was so instrumental in introducing disco music to the public, that many later believed that Gloria Gaynor had been the first artist to record disco music. "Never Can Say Goodbye" became the first song to top Billboard magazine's dance chart - in that sense, she was the first. Capitalizing on the success of her first album, Gaynor quickly released her second album, Experience Gloria Gaynor, later that same year. While this album was also successful, it was not quite as popular as her previous album in the mainstream.
Some of her lesser-known singles, due to lack of recurrent airplay, include "Honey Bee", "Casanova Brown", and "Let's Make A Deal" which all became hits in the clubs and reached the Top 5 on Billboard's disco charts. After her 1976 album, I've Got You, Gaynor shifted from her hit production team to work with other productions. While it seemed like a good move, her subsequent producers did not seem to match Gaynor's vocal approach and style as well. This caused her the albums that followed, such as 1977's Glorious and 1978's Park Avenue Sound, to be regarded as merely good albums instead of excellent albums.
For the next few years, Gaynor would only enjoy a few moderate hits. However, in late 1978, with the release of her album Love Tracks, she climbed the pop charts again because of her now-signature song "I Will Survive". The lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a woman, recently dumped, telling her former lover that she can cope without him and does not want anything more to do with him. The song has become something of an anthem of female emancipation, and is still a staple of office parties and karaoke nights. The song was awarded the first and only Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980 (the category was discontinued upon disco's fall from favor shortly afterward). In 1999, Pixar animator Victor Navone used this song to create an alien music video, which for a time, was a minor internet phenomenon.
Interestingly, "I Will Survive" was originally the B-side when Polydor Records released it in late 1978. The A-side, a song called "Substitute", then a recent worldwide hit for South African girl-group Clout, was considered to be more "radio friendly." Radio DJs flipped the record over, and audience response forced the record company to flip the songs, so that subsequent copies of the single listed the more popular song on the A-side. In late 1979, she released the album I Have A Right, which contained her next disco hit, "Let Me Know (I Have The Right)", featuring Doc Severinsen of The Tonight Show fame on trumpet solo.
Even though she exprienced difficulty having hit records in the U.S. after "I Am What I Am", the majority of her subsequent single chart on the UK Singles Chart. During the late 1990s and the 2000s, Gaynor returned to the American charts. She issued two albums, 2002's I Wish You Love and 2006's The Answer, that were well received with her fanbase.
I Will Survive
Gloria Gaynor Lyrics
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Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong
And I grew strong
And I learned how to get along
And so you're back
From outer space
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
If I'd known for just one second you'd be back to bother me
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn around now
'Cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
You think I'd crumble?
You think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive, hey, hey
It took all the strength I had not to fall apart
Kept trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
And I spent oh-so many nights just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry
But now I hold my head up high and you see me
Somebody new
I'm not that chained-up little person still in love with you
And so you felt like dropping in and just expect me to be free
Well, now I'm saving all my lovin' for someone who's loving me
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn around now
'Cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye?
You think I'd crumble?
You think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive
Oh
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Just turn around now
'Cause you're not welcome anymore
Weren't you the one who tried to break me with goodbye?
You think I'd crumble?
You think I'd lay down and die?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive
I will survive
"I Will Survive" is a song that became an anthem for independence, strength, and resilience for women all over the world. It's a song about a woman who has been wronged in love; however, instead of staying down, she picks herself up and proves her worth. The song's first verse describes the singer's initial fear and despair following a failed romantic relationship, but by the chorus, she takes on a more confident tone. She proclaims that she will not only survive but thrive without the person who hurt her. In the second verse, the singer speaks about her personal growth and how she has worked to heal her wounds. She has moved on from her past, and her newfound self-assurance is evident. The final chorus is an affirmation of her ability to persevere, with the singer repeating the song's title over and over again.
Line by Line Meaning
At first I was afraid, I was petrified
Initially, I was scared and paralyzed
Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side
I believed that I could not survive without your constant presence.
But then I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong
After much contemplation and reflection, I realized how much you had hurt me.
And I grew strong
This realization helped me develop a strong and resilient spirit.
And I learned how to get along
I found ways to move on and live a fulfilling life without you.
And so you're back
However, now you have returned.
From outer space
In a sudden and unexpected manner.
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face
I was surprised to see you with a gloomy expression in my presence.
I should have changed that stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key
I regret not taking steps to prevent you from entering my life again.
If I'd known for just one second you'd be back to bother me
I didn't expect you to return and disrupt my life again.
Go on now, go, walk out the door
Now that you have come back, please leave and walk out the door.
Just turn around now
Don't hesitate, just turn around and go away.
'Cause you're not welcome anymore
You are not welcome to be a part of my life anymore.
Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
You were the one who intentionally tried to hurt me with your departure.
You think I'd crumble?
Did you really think I would fall apart?
You think I'd lay down and die?
Did you think I would give up on life because of your actions?
Oh no, not I, I will survive
But I am determined to survive and overcome your mistreatment.
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
As long as I have love in my life, I will continue to thrive and survive.
I've got all my life to live
I still have a lot of life left to experience and enjoy.
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I have so much love to offer and that will help me overcome and survive.
It took all the strength I had not to fall apart
It was quite challenging to not crumble under the weight of your mistreatment.
Kept trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
I made a concerted and persistent effort to heal and piece back together my damaged heart.
And I spent oh-so many nights just feeling sorry for myself
I spent countless nights wallowing in self-pity.
I used to cry
I used to shed tears of sorrow and disappointment.
But now I hold my head up high and you see me
But now, I can hold my head up high in confidence despite your past actions.
Somebody new
I am now a different person than the one that you knew before.
I'm not that chained-up little person still in love with you
I am no longer that emotionally constricted person who was madly in love with you.
And so you felt like dropping in and just expect me to be free
You felt entitled to just come back into my life without any consequences or repercussions.
Well, now I'm saving all my lovin' for someone who's loving me
But now, I am directing my love and attention to someone who loves me in return.
I will survive
I have been through tough times, but surviving and thriving is the only option for me.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dino Fekaris, Frederick J. Perren
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind