I Will Survive (1978)

"I Will Survive" is a song recorded by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978 by Polydor Records as the second single from her sixth album, Love Tracks (1978). It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. The song's lyrics describe the narrator's discovery of personal strength following an initially devastating breakup. The song is frequently regarded as an anthem of gay empowerment, as well as a disco staple.

"I Will Survive" received heavy airplay in 1979. The single spent three non-consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, and also peaked atop the UK Singles Chart and Irish Singles Chart. It was later certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It won Best Disco Recording at the 22nd Annual Grammy Awards, and also received nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. It is one of the best-selling singles in history to date, having sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

In 2016, the Library of Congress deemed Gaynor's original recording to be "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry. In 2023 and 2025, Billboard magazine included "I Will Survive" in their lists of the best pop and dance songs of all time.

Composition and recording

According to Dino Fekaris, the principal writer of the song, "I Will Survive" has its genesis in his experience getting fired by Motown Records in the mid-1970s after seven years working there as a staff writer. Jobless, he turned on the TV in his room, and a theme song he had written for the film Generation (performed by Rare Earth) happened to be playing. He took it as a good omen, and jumped up and down on the bed saying, "I'm going to make it. I'm going to be a songwriter. I will survive!". Fekaris teamed up with his collaborator Freddie Perren, another former member of the Motown production team, to write the song; however, the song remained unrecorded for two years as no suitable singer was available.

In 1978, Perren was asked by Polydor to produce "Substitute" for Gloria Gaynor, which he agreed on the understanding that he could also produce the B-side. When Gaynor was asked what kind of songs she liked, she said she liked "songs that are meaningful, have good lyrics, and touch people's hearts". The producers then handed her the song lyrics of "I Will Survive" scribbled on a piece of brown paper. Gaynor recognized the song as a hit immediately.