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I Will Survive

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For other uses, see I Will Survive (disambiguation).
"I Will Survive"
Song
B-side"Substitute", "Anybody Wanna Party"

"I Will Survive" is a song first performed by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978. It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. A top-selling song after its initial release, it has remained a popular disco anthem, as well as being certified double platinum by the RIAA.

The song's lyrics describe the narrator's discovery of personal strength following an initially devastating breakup, delivered with increasing confidence and backed by a stirring instrumental accompaniment. It is one of the most famous disco songs of all time and remains Gaynor's biggest hit. It received heavy airplay in 1979, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the UK Singles Chart on consecutive days.

Releases

Originally released as the B-side to a cover version of the Righteous Brothers song "Substitute", "I Will Survive" became a worldwide hit for Gaynor when disc jockeys played that side of the record instead. New copies of the record were eventually pressed with "I Will Survive" as the A-side ("Substitute" itself peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, equaling to number 107 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart).

As a disco number, the song was unique for its time by virtue of Gaynor's having no background singers. And, unlike her first disco hits, the track was not pitched up to make it faster and to render Gaynor's recorded voice in a higher register than that in which she actually sang. Most disco hits at the time were heavily produced, with multiple voices, overdubs, and adjustments to pitch and speed. "I Will Survive" had a much more spare and "clean" sound. Had it been originally planned and released as an A-side, it would almost certainly have undergone a substantially more heavy-handed remix.[citation needed]

The song received the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980, the only year the award was given. It is ranked #492 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and ranked at #97 on Billboard magazine's "All-Time Hot 100". [1][dead link] In 2000, the song was ranked #1 in VH1's list of the 100 greatest dance songs.[1] Comedian George Carlin, however, listed it without comment as item 9 on his list of "10 Most Embarrassing Songs of All Time".[2]

A promotional video was filmed in 1979 at New York discothèque Xenon. Sheila Reid-Pender of Harlem, NY is the featured skater in the video from the skating group, The Village Wizards. Although three videos were filmed that day, the "I Will Survive" video was the only one to survive. The video can be seen on VH-1 countdowns and is featured on YouTube.

Following the success of fellow 1970s disco stars Sister Sledge with remixed singles in the UK in 1993, "I Will Survive" was also remixed and released that summer. This remix reached number five on the UK Singles Chart.

Robbie Williams sampled the song in his 2000 single, "Supreme".

Featured in the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994), and stage musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert – the Musical.

The song was performed in its entirety by Khadijiah (Queen Latifah) in an episode of Living Single.

The song was also covered as part of Glee Season 3 - mixed with Survivor by Destiny's Child.

Official versions

Recorded by Gloria Gaynor

  • "I Will Survive" (1978 single version) - 3.15
  • "I Will Survive" (1978 album version) - 8.01
  • "I Will Survive" (1993 Phil Kelsey Classic 12" Mix) - 7.52
  • "I Will Survive" (1993 Phil Kelsey Classic 7" Mix) - 3.45
  • "I Will Survive" (2009 re-recording)

Chart positions

Chart (1979) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 5
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales[3] 1

Cover versions

The song has been covered by musicians such as Diana Ross, Shirley Bassey, Miss Piggy, Billie Jo Spears, Selena, Chantay Savage, Antony and the Johnsons, The Puppini Sisters, Hermes House Band, voice actor Cam Clarke, the band Cake and in a recent duet by Jill and Lindsay from KickTease. Conan O'Brien has sung this song at some of his live shows, with some lyrics revised to take shots at NBC.[4] Cuban artist, Celia Cruz recorded a Spanish salsa version of the song, called "Yo Viviré". Pussycat Dolls cover parts of the song in their disco-pop version of Hush Hush. In 2011, the Glee Cast used the song in a mashup with Destiny's Child's song Survivor for their season three episode Hold on to Sixteen.

Cake version

"I Will Survive"
Song
B-side"Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle"

Cake covered the song rock-style in 1996, on their album Fashion Nugget. Lead singer John McCrea altered the lines "I should have changed that stupid lock" and "I'm not that chained up little person" to "I should have changed my fucking lock" and "I'm not that stupid little person". The word "fucking" is faded out in the Radio Edit version of the song.

This version is Gaynor's least favorite, due to its use of profanity.[5]

Track listing

CD single
  1. "I Will Survive" (Radio Edit) – 4:14
  2. "Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle" – 4:12
Promo CD single
  1. "I Will Survive" (Radio Edit) – 3:52
  2. "I Will Survive" (Long Radio Edit) – 5:11

Music video

The music video for Cake's version features John McCrea as a parking control officer who is writing tickets in San Francisco, often at the expense of normally happy people (such as a newly wed couple). This is combined with footage of Todd Roper playing in the streets, Victor Damiani playing on top of a car, and Greg Brown playing in a crowded courtyard.

Chart positions

Chart (1996) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 28

Chantay Savage version

"I Will Survive"
Song

R&B singer Chantay Savage covered the song in 1996 as a ballad. Her version peaked at #24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was certified Gold by the RIAA.[6]

Track listing

12" single

Side A

  1. "I Will Survive" (Puff Daddy "Bad Boy Mix")
  2. "I Will Survive" (Silk's Old Skool Extended Mix with Clean Rap)
  3. "I Will Survive" (Original LP version - edit)

Side B

  1. "I Will Survive" (Silk's Classic House Mix)
  2. "I Will Survive" (Rhythm Radio version)

Chart positions

Chart (1996) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 12
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 24
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 35
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 10
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 5

References

  1. ^ "I Will Survive". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2009-04-13.
  2. ^ George Carlin, "The 10 Most Embarrassing Songs of All Time," Napalm & Silly Putty (New York: Comedy Concepts, Inc., 2001), p. 187.
  3. ^ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p41416
  4. ^ Conan to Fans: They Kinda Tried to Kill Me
  5. ^ 'I Will Survive' is disco queen's mantra for hope from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via archive.org); by Kevin C. Johnson; published February 14, 2008; retrieved June 10, 2011
  6. ^ http://www.riaa.com
Preceded by
Fly Away (all cuts) by Voyage
 Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
with "Substitute", "Anybody Wanna Party?" and "I Said Yes"
January 27, 1979 – February 10, 1979 		Succeeded by
"Keep on Dancin'" / "Do It at the Disco" / "Let's Lovedance Tonight" by Gary's Gang
Preceded by Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
First run: March 10, 1979 – March 17, 1979
Second run: April 14, 1979 		Succeeded by
Preceded by UK number-one single
17 March 1979 – 7 April 1979 		Succeeded by
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