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Survive Lyrics by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

Celebration (Original Broadway Cast)

1969

[Potemkin]
I've been everything that a man could be
From aristocrat to bum
I’ve learned every trick of the beggar's trade
Why, I've even invented some
I’ve soared to the heights
I've sunk to the depths
And here's how I stay alive
When faced with a choice
I say to myself
"Potemkin, my friend
"Survive."
Just survive
Sometimes at night
When it is dark
I spot a pigeon
In the park
And then I croon
"Coo-roo coo-coo
Won't you join me in a pigeon stew?"
Sometimes at day
When people pass
I eat my pride
And kiss their ass
Down on my knees
"Kind sir," I squeak
"Won't you kindly kick the other cheek?"
Time and time again
To myself, I say
"Stand up like a man
Change the world today
Fight for what is right
Die heroically"
Then I start to think how messy death must be
So come with me
And I will show
You all the crooked
Tricks I know
We'll steal and cheat
And we'll connive
But it's worth it all if we survive
[Potemkin and Ensemble]
So come with us
And we will show
You all the crooked
Tricks we know
We’ll steal and cheat
And we’ll connive
But it's worth it all if we survive
Maybe we eat mud
But we survive
Maybe we lack pride
But we survive
Maybe we all lie
But we can justify
It with our little motto
"Do whatever you got to."
If it’s worth at all
If you just stay alive
Survive
Just survive
Credits
Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

About “Survive” by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt

Read the complete lyrics to "Survive" by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt from the album "Celebration (Original Broadway Cast)" in 1969. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop, Broadway, Theatre.

"Survive" is performed by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. from the album "Celebration (Original Broadway Cast)" in 1969 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Survive", explore more songs by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Survive" is credited to Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Survive" appears on "Celebration (Original Broadway Cast)" in 1969.

Visit the Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt artist page at /artist/tom-jones-and-harvey-schmidt for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.