Message II (Survival) (feat. Melle Mel & Duke Bootee)

Survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

They smile in your face and they talk behind your back

And when you do the story, it's never exact

Some say, they're your friends but they really are not

Because they are only out to trying to get what you've got

Survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

In jail they got a game and they call it survival

They run it down to you on your first arrival

They tell you what you can and what you cannot do

So, if you're ever going to jail, watch your, umm, umm

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

I went looking for a job, every day last week

But it turned into a crazy game of "hide and seek"

Because every place I seemed to look, a job wasn't there

I might as well apply for food-stamps or welfare

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

Like Hercules, your body is strong but your mind is like the Devil

Your ideals are wrong

You hurt people's feelings and mess with their minds

Didn't have the nerve to call me brother and wave the big sign

The young and the old, they all hate your sight

Because of people like you, they're scared to walk in the night

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

The problems of the world today are bigger than life

You have recessions and depressions, men are cheating on their wives

Babies born each morn' with part of their bodies gone

Because of some crazy drug that their mothers was on

This country fightin' not unitin', always putting each other down

Blacks and whites don't realize that they're really pink and brown

You got gun tootin' cut-throats, stress and strife

And looking out for number one is a way of a life

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

You've got to lock all your windows and chain up all your doors

To protect what's inside of your houses or stores

Beware of the food, it might be no good

'Cause there's someone trying to poison the whole neighborhood

Today they found something that somebody stored

They said, "He killed ten people and hurt four more"

They can't even trust the pill to make life easier

When there's sudden death on your roses' freezer

Survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival

About to lose your mind because life is hard

Yet you believe in everything but God

Those pretty women lost of money, yeah, that's alright

But don't you ever forget the man with the might

Now, get a hold of yourself man, think positive

Because that's definitely the only way to live

Don't let yo mind flow, like water from a cup

And don't you ever let me hear you say that you're giving up

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival

Remember, a child is born with no state of mind

He was blind to the ways of mankind

God is smiling on you but he's frowning too

Because only God knows what you'll go through

Survival, only the strong can survive

It's called survival and only the strong can survive

It's called survival in order to stay alive

It's called survival, survival, survival, survival