Papa San remembers I Will Survive, 35 years later
The Duck rhythm was red hot in 1988, spawning hits such as Bounce by Flourgon and Duck by Red Dragon.
Papa San, who at the time was one of the hottest names in dancehall, jumped onto the beat with the song I Will Survive.
The lyrics, which interpolates Gloria Gaynor’s 1979 disco anthem of the same name, became a solid hit the following year, topping the JBC Radio 1 and RJR Top 40 charts.
Produced by Donovan Loubar, I Will Survive bore the Dallas Texas label. It was the hit song that Papa San needed to take his career to the next level locally.
“I was hitting with hit songs before, but I Will Survive was a turnaround for my career. When the song became a smash I was doing school barbecues, fan club concerts, signing lots of autographs, and doing promotion all over. It was just another level for dancehall music at the time,” Papa San shared in an interview with the Jamaica Observer during his recent visit to Jamaica.
Papa San, who gave his life to Christ in 1997, says the inspiration for I Will Survive came from his father’s relentless efforts to take care of his family.
“The idea for the song came from my father, who I love so dearly. He worked overtime for us to survive, and that’s why the video has my family in it — my father, my brother who died, my eldest daughter, and my mother. My dad did extra jobs over the years to provide for his family. I will survive, that’s what I was talking about,” Papa San recalled.
Asked what it was about the song that made it connect with music lovers, Papa San said: “It’s something that most Jamaicans can relate to. Most of us aren’t born with a silver or gold spoon in our mouths… We see the challenges that the parents face… The man who walks and sells the peanuts on the road, him have him family to feed. People connected to that song because it was the reality of the lives of many people,” he said.
Following the success of I Will Survive, Papa San continued his hit streak with
Round Table Talk with Lady G, Maddy Maddy Cry, and You Have Me Talking with Carlene Davis.
He later signed with US based Pow Wow Records and released the hip hop-dancehall-inspired Dancehall Good to We.
In 1993 he collaborated with house music icon David Morales and the Bad Yard Club on two Billboard #1 Dance hits, Eenie Meenie Miny Mo (Gimmie Luv) and The Program, which featured singer Stanryck.
