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The Queen of Disco herself, Gloria Gaynor, joins host Peter Csathy on The Story Behind the Song to explore her iconic, universal anthem “I Will Survive.” Listen to Gaynor discuss her signature song above or wherever you get your podcasts, and watch the full episode at the top of the page or on YouTube.
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Peter welcomes Gaynor to discuss the empowering track, including its unique and dramatic origin story. Released in 1978, “I Will Survive” was recorded while Gaynor was recovering from a paralyzing fall, and she recounts how her own situation allowed her to inject pure emotion into the recording. “It was great because they were kind of recording it as the B-side, and I was recording it as the A-side,” she says, “and putting my heart and soul into it. Which was really quite easy, because I was feeling it. I was living it. I was standing there in a back brace, living this song. It was really relatively easy for me to put all of that emotion into it and everything because I was living it.”
The conversation delves into how she gave the track a strategic debut at Studio 54, and traces Gaynor’s remarkable journey back to the serendipitous “God setup” that launched her singing career. She also shares insights into her 50-plus year career, the stories behind her name change, and some delightful personal anecdotes — including one from a fan in Italy that reflects the profound impact “I Will Survive” has had on listeners worldwide.
Over 40 years later, the track has maintained its legacy as a global beacon of hope and resilience across generations. Listen to Gloria Gaynor take a deep dive into “I Will Survive” above or on your favorite podcast platform, or watch the full interview at the top of the page or on YouTube. Also make sure to check out Gaynor’s new EP, Happy Tears, available now on Apple Music and Amazon Music. Get tickets to her upcoming tour dates here.
Make sure to follow The Story Behind the Song, and rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Fans can also check out our TSBTS merch — including a killer poster and jigsaw puzzle — available now at the Consequence Shop or via the buy now buttons below! Follow host Peter Csathy on Threads at @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media, and keep up with the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our shows.
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