I Will Survive
Disco anthem of personal strength and gay empowerment.
In October 1978, Polydor Records released "I Will Survive" as the second single from Gloria Gaynor's sixth album, *Love Tracks*. The song was penned by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. Its lyrics follow a narrator who, after a painful breakup, realizes their own inner strength. It is widely considered both a disco classic and an anthem for gay empowerment.
The idea for the song came to Fekaris after he was let go from Motown Records in the mid-1970s. While unemployed, he saw a theme song he had written for the film *Generation* playing on TV, took it as a good sign, and began jumping on his bed, declaring he would survive. He and Perren wrote the track, but it sat unrecorded for two years because no suitable singer was found. In 1978, Polydor asked Perren to produce the A-side "Substitute" for Gaynor. He agreed only if he could also produce the B-side. When Gaynor said she wanted songs that were meaningful and touched people's hearts, the producers handed her the lyrics for "I Will Survive" scrawled on brown paper. She knew immediately it was a hit.
The recording session lasted three hours, but most of that time went to "Substitute." The musicians had just 35 minutes left for the B-side. They didn't know the song's title or melody, and relaxed because they assumed the B-side would never get played. Working only from chord changes and a few notes, they improvised the backing track, with guitarist Robert "Boogie" Bowles adding jazzy blues licks. Because the intro and main body of the tune were hard to blend smoothly, the track was recorded in two parts and spliced together. Gaynor sang while wearing a back brace, having recently undergone surgery after a fall at a concert. That injury, plus a recent loss, helped her connect deeply with the song's message.
Gaynor believed "I Will Survive" would be a hit and urged the label to make it the A-side, but they refused. It was released as the B-side to "Substitute." Gaynor's husband gave a copy to Studio 54 DJ Richie Kaczor, who loved it. Gaynor handed him a stack of records to share with friends. Soon, other DJs and radio stations were playing that side instead. The song's popularity forced the label to reissue it as the A-side. A promotional video was shot at Xenon Discotheque in New York, featuring roller skater Sheila Reid-Pender from the group The Village Wizards.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Gloria Gaynor
- Album
- Love Tracks
- A-Side
- Substitute
- Released
- October 23, 1978
- Recorded
- 1978
- Studio
- Mom & Pop's Company Store, Los Angeles, California
- Genre
- Disco · soul
- Length
- 4:56 (album version) / 3:15 (single version) / 8:01 (12" version)
- Label
- Polydor
- Writer
- Freddie Perren · Dino Fekaris
- Prev Title
- Let's Make a Deal
- Prev Year
- 1976
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
According to Dino Fekaris, the song's genesis came from his experience getting fired by Motown Records in the mid-1970s. Jobless, he turned on the TV and heard a theme song he had written, took it as a good omen, and jumped on his bed saying, "I'm going to make it. I will survive!" He teamed with Freddie Perren, but the song remained unrecorded for two years. In 1978, Perren was asked by Polydor to produce "Substitute" for Gloria Gaynor, agreeing on the condition he could also produce the B-side. When Gaynor said she liked songs that are meaningful with good lyrics, the producers handed her the lyrics of "I Will Survive" scribbled on brown paper; she recognized it as a hit immediately.
Reader's Guide
The song was recorded in a three-hour session, with most time spent on the A-side "Substitute"; only 35 minutes remained for "I Will Survive". The session musicians did not know the song title or melody, improvising freely based on chord changes. Gaynor recorded vocals wearing a back brace after surgery from a fall at a concert, and a recent bereavement helped her identify with the sentiment. Although Gaynor tried to persuade the label to release it as the A-side, it was initially released as the B-side. Gaynor's husband took it to Studio 54 DJ Richie Kaczor, who loved it; other DJs soon played that side, leading the label to release it as an A-side. The song spent three non-consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, won Best Disco Recording at the 22nd Grammy Awards, and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. In 2016, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry.
Did You Know?
- The song was originally released as the B-side to "Substitute" before becoming a hit.
- The song won the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980, the only year that award was given.
- In 1998, the France men's national football team made it their unofficial anthem, focusing on the instrumental sub-theme to sing "la la la la la".
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote and performed I Will Survive?
Gloria Gaynor recorded and released the track, while the songwriting credit goes to Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. It came out in October 1978 on Polydor Records as the second single from her sixth album, Love Tracks.
What is the story behind I Will Survive?
The lyrics follow a narrator who, after being dumped by a partner, initially feels devastated but ultimately discovers a fierce inner strength. That arc of heartbreak turning into self-empowerment is what makes the song resonate so deeply with listeners.
Why is I Will Survive considered an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community?
Beyond its disco sound, the song's message of surviving rejection and standing on your own became a rallying cry for gay empowerment, especially in the late 1970s and into the AIDS era. It is widely recognized as both a cornerstone of disco and a symbol of resilience within the queer community.
How high did I Will Survive chart?
The single hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, the UK Singles Chart, and the Irish Singles Chart. Its #1 placements across multiple major markets cemented it as a global disco hit.
What inspired Dino Fekaris to write I Will Survive?
After being let go from Motown Records in the mid-1970s, Fekaris was unemployed and watching TV when a theme song he had previously written for the film Generation came on. He took that moment as a positive sign, began jumping around his living room, and the energy of that experience helped spark the song's driving, uplifting feel.
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