"Only the Strong Survive" is a song written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and originally sung in 1968 by Jerry Butler, released on his album The Ice Man Cometh.

[1] "Only the Strong Survive" was the first of two singles by Butler which were gold certified by the RIAA, selling over a million copies (the second was "Ain't Understanding Mellow" in 1972).

Elvis Presley (1969), Skeeter Davis (1969), Billy Paul (1977), Rod Stewart (2009) Larry Carlton (2010) and Bruce Springsteen (on his album of the same name) (2022) also recorded "Only The Strong Survive."

In the UK, Billy Paul's version was released on the Philadelphia International label (PIR 5699).

The song appears on the compilation album Only the Strong Survive (Sony), which oddly enough shows the remaining four group members on the cover.