I Will Survive

This brings us to our last post on the “Getting Over a Heartbreak” series:

31) I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor

So here we are on the last post. I’m actually pretty sad to see these postings end. Now don’t get me wrong they are a lot of work and it will be nice to have a reprieve before Horrorfest III begins (which I expect you all to check out. You’re gonna love it, I know it!). But it was a lot of fun as I was able to cover all kinds of my favorite songs. It was a lot of emotions to go through as well, especially those earlier posts.

But they have been a lot of fun, and I’ve had an absolutely fantastic time.

Now onto the song. So I Will Survive was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris; and released by Gloria Gaynor in 1978. It became huge after it came out, not only being one of the most popular disco songs, but being Gaynor’s biggest hit. Yes, it is Disco and Disco rocks!

It scored #1 on Billboard Top 100 in 1979.  It has been covered by tons of artists and featured in all kinds of film.

The best thing about this song is that it hits every emotion you express after a breakup; sadness, anguish, fear, lonliness, anger, resentment, and eventually reaching the point where you don’t care anymore. You are over them.

You will survive

Not only does this song have powerful lyrics, but the music itself is amazingly upbeat and really gets you pumped up and ready for anything. After all:

At first I was afraid I was petrified

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
I should have changed that stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had 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
Do you think I’d crumble
Did 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

I’ve got all my love to give and I’ll survive
I will survive! Hey, Hey!

It took all 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
Now I’m saving all my lovin’ for someone who’s lovin’ 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
Do you think I’d crumble
Did 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
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 crush me with goodbye
Do you think I’d crumble
Did 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
I’ve got all my love to give and I’ll survive
I will survive,
I will survive!

Here is a complete list of the “Getting Over a Heartbreak” series:

1) If It Means A Lot to You by A Day to Remember

2) The End by Silverstein

3) I Don’t Love You by My Chemical Romance

4) Now You’re Gone by Everyday Sunday

5) Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley

6) Good or Bad by Action Item

7) Love Stinks by J. Geils Band

8) That’s What You Get by Paramore

9) Chin Up Kid by Forever the Sickest Kids 

10) I’ll Be Alright Without You by Journey

11) For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic

12) Missing You by John Waite

13) Gone Forever by Three Days Grace

14) Put Me Out by The Used

15) But It’s Alright by Huey Lewis & the News

16) Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson

17) Move Along by All-American Rejects

18) Up and Up (Acoustic) by Reliant K

19) Red Rubber Ball by The Cyrkle

20) Over You by Daughtry

21) I Don’t Wanna Be in Love (Dance Floor Anthem)

22) Here I Go Again by Whitesnake

23) Love Will Find a Way by Pablo Cruise

24) Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey

25) The Lining is Silver by Relient K

26) Whip It by Devo

27) Be Good to Yourself by Journey

28) Any Way You Want It by Journey

29) Unbound by Avenged Sevenfold

30) Here I Go by Relient K

For more on Gloria Gaynor, go to I’ll Be Alright Without You

For more on Margaret Mitchell, go to At the End of the Rainbow

For more on Sarah Dessen, go to Happy B-day!

For more on Friends, go to Pizza Power

For more on Cinderella, go to Episode VI: Return Of the My Favorite Movie Lines’ List

If It Means A Lot to You

So if you remember my post back in Dec, I’ll Be Alright Without You, I talked about creating a post that listed my favorite songs to help one get over heartache/a breakup; namely what songs really helped me. Well previously I wasn’t in the best place to do it, but now that it has been like eight months since we’ve broken up I’m doing great and can totally handle it.

At least for the most part, like Audrey says in Sabrina, even if you are over things certain songs can bring back memories.

The other reason that I have decided to do this list is that I just had a friend go through a breakup and was really struggling, so I promised to put together a compilation for her that helped me through everything.

So actually instead of doing them in all one post, I decided to do a series of posts, weaving them through everything else, so that it isn’t one straight sobfest. I mean imagine trying to storm through constantly sad things?

After all:

So that brings us to the first song on this list

1) If It Means A Lot to You

So when my ex and I first started dating he gave me a bunch of CDs to listen to. And one of them was this CD by A Day to Remember. It was pretty fitting as I was away from Michael and a lot of the songs expressed how I felt about us being apart. In fact I used to listen to this song all the time pre & post-breakup. (I’m not sure if that is romantic or pathetic? Hopefully romantic) So the series is a little scattered, not all songs focus on being “homesick”, however If It Means A Lot to You does. I actually think it is the most powerful song on the whole list, and my favorite (as I connected the most to it).

This song took me the longest to write. It took almost a year, but it was another song that kinda stumped me. I really needed this song to say exactly what I wanted, and I finally got it there. We didn’t know if it would be on the record right up until the end of recording. I wrote it separate from the band, and I wasn’t comfortable changing things. It all worked out in the end, though. I think it’s the perfect end to this record.

                            – Jeremy McKinnon

So the premise of the song is that a guy has to be on the road away from home, and while he doesn’t want to leave his girlfriend, he has to go. He talks about how he knows things are hard and getting rough, but if she could just wait a little longer then he knows everything will be okay, that they will be able to work through everything. She, however, can’t wait. She can’t do it and breaks up with him. It is a heartwrenching song and even more so because it described EXACTLY how I was feeling.

So the song starts off with the guy singing to the girl that he hopes everything is going well with her and that he just needs to hear from her, anything to get him by the time they are apart. This was totally how I felt, because a few weeks before we broke up Michael stopped texting and calling me. I would ask him when he was free to talk/skype as I missed him and he would tell me he was “busy” ,”didn’t know his schedule”, etc. I mean I found some texts that I thought I deleted, but my phone saved (grr) and its pretty pathetic my responses. “Well just let me know when you are free, I miss you” and “Okay we can try to talk later”, etc. I’d like to say aliens momentarily took over my brain, but that’s not true. It’s hard to accept that someone you cared for and cared for you has just stopped liking you. You kind of go into denial about it. Of course I know now that I’m in my right mind, I should have seen the signs. After all:

So back to the lyrics and the song

And hey darling,
I hope you’re good tonight.
And I know you don’t feel right when I’m leaving.
Yeah, I want it but no, I don’t need it.
Tell me something sweet to get me by,
‘Cause I can’t come back home till they’re singing

La, la la la, la la la,
Till everyone is singing

The next part is all about how he knows that if she can just wait a little longer, that he knows everything will work out and be okay. I wasn’t originally going to go home for Thanksgiving break as my aunt was getting married and my whole family was going to the opposite end of the state to do that, and Michael said he couldn’t get the time off to join my family. I however convinced my parents to take me home instead of right back to school as I wanted to see him, as I too thought that if he could wait until I got home we would be able to work through whatever was going on. That everything would be okay.

If you can wait till I get home, 
Then I swear to you that we can make this last. 
(La la la) 
If you can wait till I get home, 
Then I swear come tomorrow, this will all be in our past. 
Well it might be for the best.

So then we have the girlfriend’s response that she just can’t do it anymore, that she needs him. As much as I hate what she does to the guy at least she gave a reason for why she was breaking up, I just got the “I don’t think you’re my future bride” response, which was like pulling teeth trying to get him to say anything why he broke it off. 

And hey sweetie,
Well I need you here tonight,
And I know that you don’t wanna be leaving me
Yeah, you want it, but I can’t help it.
I just feel complete when you’re by my side,
But I know you can’t come home till they’re singing

La, la la la, la la la,
Till everyone is singing.
La, la la la, la la la.

If you can wait till I get home,
Then I swear to you that we can make this last.
(La la la)
If you can wait till I get home,
Then I swear come tomorrow, this will all be in our past.
Well it might be for the best.

So in the next part she tells him she can’t wait its over. And he freaks out, like is this really truly happening? How can this be my life? Let me say that everytime I hear that part my heart stops just like when Michael said he wanted it to be over.

And he is in shock at how this can acutually be happening. Yep, I felt that too. And just like the singer in this song, I did not want to be “just friends”. I personlly don’t believe and can’t understand how one can go from being so much more to “just friends”? How can you watch the person who just rejected you pick up their life and move on, while you sit in heartbreak and try very slowly to work past the pain? I sure don’t know.

 

You know you can’t give me what I need.
And even though you mean so much to me,
I can’t wait through everything,
Is this really happening?
I swear I’ll never be happy again.
And don’t you dare say we can just be friends.
I’m not some boy that you can sway.
We knew it’d happen eventually.

La, la la la, la la la,
Now everybody’s singing.
La, la la la, la la la,
Now everybody’s singing.
La, la la la, la la la,
(If you can wait till I get home)
Now everybody’s singing.
La, la la la, la la la,
(Then I swear we can make this last)
Now everybody’s singing.

La, la la la, la la la,
(If you can wait till I get home)
Now everybody’s singing.
La, la la la, la la la,
(Then I swear we can make this last)
Now everybody’s singing.
La

Now some of you may be wondering why I started off with such a sad song instead of a more empowering or forget you song. Well I believe that you need to allow yourself to grieve the end and that listening to something sad helps make things get better.

So even though this song (and Hey There Delilah) still make me sad as the feels are just so much, it was still hepful listening to this over and over to help voice my feelings about the breakup.

 So that’s the first of many songs, and they do get empowering, you just have to wait for it.

For the next song in the Heartbreak series, go to The End by Silverstein

Here are some other posts you might interested in:

For more of my favorite songs, go to Once Upon a Time

For more on breakups, go to Unbound (The Wild Ride)

For more on ex-boyfriends, go to Push All the Buttons!

For more on Sarah Dessen, go to Happy B-Day

For a song that describes life, go to Nothing But a Good Time