The song is frequently recalled as a symbol of female strength and as a gay anthem.
A top-selling song after its initial release, it sold 14 million copies worldwide and has remained a popular disco anthem, as well as being certified platinum by the RIAA.
The song's lyrics describe the narrator's discovery of personal strength following an initially devastating breakup.
The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the UK Singles Chart on consecutive weeks.
In 2016, the Library of Congress deemed Gaynor's original recording to be "culturally, historically, or artistically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry.