I will survive, originally sung by Gloria Gaynor in the 1970s, is a powerful song that Gaynor sang when she was on a quest to find personal strength. It has a powerful voice that every woman, or even man, can identify with in their journey for self-realization. The words spoken are more powerful than the melody; they create a certain intelligence that people can connect with. This idea of voice is exemplified by Aristotle, who emphasizes the importance of the intent of voice over the sound of it. For instance, “Voice is a kind of sound characteristic of what has soul in it… “(Aristotle, 669). Gloria’s voice is a powerful anthem that was used for empowering women and gay men in the AIDS crisis; it’s an inspiring song that resonates with people everywhere.
In the 1990s the song was used as a cover song by Cake and had been transformed with a completely different meaning. Gaynor’s lyrics and melodies encourage the listeners to feel strength, while with Cake the sound of the guitar and the way the lyrics are delivered in a speech-like manner seem to suggest that the empowerment stage had already been reached. Gaynor shows that she will survive and Cake seems to finish the song by implying that they have already survived and are feeling the effects of survival. Cake’s use of profanity, “I should have changed my f***ing lock…”, asserts the newfound strength. Both songs utilize the same lyrics, except for the previous line, but the method of delivery is different, and it’s brilliant that it impacts how the song is interpreted. Further, the songs seem to challenge Aristotle’s view as the intent changes based on the delivery, which shows that there is more to a voice than clarity.
Gaynor: https://youtu.be/ZBR2G-iI3-I
Cake: https://youtu.be/0iGi_atvgyg
