Surrender (Cheap Trick song)
Encyclopedia
"Surrender" is a single by Cheap Trick
released in June 1978 from the album Heaven Tonight
. It was the first Cheap Trick single to enter the Billboard Hot 100
chart, peaking at number 62. But it was a hit single in Japan and its success in Japan, as well as the success of its preceding singles "Clock Strikes Ten
" and "I Want You to Want Me
", paved the way for Cheap Trick's famous concerts at Nippon Budokan
in Tokyo in April 1978 that were recorded for the group's most popular album Cheap Trick at Budokan. It is ranked #465 on the Rolling Stone
magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
narrator and his G.I. generation parents. The narrator describes how his parents are weirder and hipper than many children would believe. For example, the narrator describes how he discovers his "mom and dad are rolling on the couch" and listening to his Kiss
records late at night ("rolling numbers, rock-and-rolling, got my Kiss records out").
stated: "When I wrote the song, the 'we're all alright' was originally only intended to refer to the four of us; that's why it comes right after the 'Bun-E/Tom/Robin/Rick's alright' section. After we started playing it live however, I came to realize that, to our audience, it was inclusive of all of us - our generation; that we're ALL alright, we survived the 60s & Vietnam & Nixon & everything, and we're all still here, playing music and having fun. That's when we started playing with it a little in concert; I'll tell ya, you get 50 - 60 thousand people screaming 'WE'RE ALL ALRIGHT!' in unison, that's a pretty positive affirmation!" Cheap Trick still performs this song, and Nielsen often throws Kiss
records to the audience in live performances at the moment Kiss is mentioned in the song.
covered "Surrender" in 1996, along with its original B-side "Auf Wiedersehen."
Terrorvision
recorded "Surrender" as a B-Side to their single "Middleman".
Velvet Revolver
also released a cover as a B side to their single "Fall To Pieces".
Green Day
covered the song along with "Bastards of Young" by The Replacements
in a live medley called the "The Midwest Medley"
Warrant
included the song on their 2001 album Under the Influence
. Union
performed the song live on their second album, Live from the Galaxy, and American Hi-Fi
recorded it live to the delight of its Japanese audience on their album Live from Tokyo
. Psychotic Youth
covered the song on their 2000 album Stereoids. Less Than Jake
covered the song on their 2003 album Anthem and The Manges covered it on the 2005 album Acid Beaters
. Gluecifer
included a version on their 2009 album B-Sides & Rarities 1994-2005. Ryan Roxie
performed "Surrender" on the Cheap Trick tribute album Cheap Dream: A Tribute to Cheap Trick.
Cheap Trick's version of "Surrender" was also included on the soundtracks for the films Small Soldiers
and Over the Edge
. Simple Plan
recorded a version for the soundtrack of Fantastic Four
.
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
released in June 1978 from the album Heaven Tonight
Heaven Tonight
Heaven Tonight is Cheap Trick's third album, released in 1978. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson....
. It was the first Cheap Trick single to enter the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, peaking at number 62. But it was a hit single in Japan and its success in Japan, as well as the success of its preceding singles "Clock Strikes Ten
Clock Strikes Ten
"Clock Strikes Ten" is a song released in 1977 by Cheap Trick on their second album, In Color. It was written by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. It was released as a single in Japan, where it was a major hit and reached #1 on their singles chart...
" and "I Want You to Want Me
I Want You to Want Me
"I Want You to Want Me" is a song by Cheap Trick which first appeared on their second album In Color in 1977. It was the first single released from that album but it didn't chart in the US. However, it was a #1 single in Japan...
", paved the way for Cheap Trick's famous concerts at Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
in Tokyo in April 1978 that were recorded for the group's most popular album Cheap Trick at Budokan. It is ranked #465 on the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
Content
It is a late 1970s teen anthem, describing the relations between the baby boomerPost-World War II baby boom
The end of World War II brought a baby boom to many countries, especially Western ones. There is some disagreement as to the precise beginning and ending dates of the post-war baby boom, but it is most often agreed to begin in the years immediately after the war, ending more than a decade later;...
narrator and his G.I. generation parents. The narrator describes how his parents are weirder and hipper than many children would believe. For example, the narrator describes how he discovers his "mom and dad are rolling on the couch" and listening to his Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
records late at night ("rolling numbers, rock-and-rolling, got my Kiss records out").
Live performances
The counter-choral of "We're all alright!", repeated four times in the final chorus of the song, has become an audience favorite, with the band members often leading the entire audience in numerous, shouted repetitions of the phrase. In a 2008 interview, Rick NielsenRick Nielsen
-External links:* * *...
stated: "When I wrote the song, the 'we're all alright' was originally only intended to refer to the four of us; that's why it comes right after the 'Bun-E/Tom/Robin/Rick's alright' section. After we started playing it live however, I came to realize that, to our audience, it was inclusive of all of us - our generation; that we're ALL alright, we survived the 60s & Vietnam & Nixon & everything, and we're all still here, playing music and having fun. That's when we started playing with it a little in concert; I'll tell ya, you get 50 - 60 thousand people screaming 'WE'RE ALL ALRIGHT!' in unison, that's a pretty positive affirmation!" Cheap Trick still performs this song, and Nielsen often throws Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
records to the audience in live performances at the moment Kiss is mentioned in the song.
Cover versions
Steel Pole Bath TubSteel Pole Bath Tub
Steel Pole Bath Tub was a hardcore punk/noise rock band, formed in 1986 in Bozeman, Montana by Mike Morasky and Dale Flattum .- Band history :...
covered "Surrender" in 1996, along with its original B-side "Auf Wiedersehen."
Terrorvision
Terrorvision
Terrorvision are an English rock band. They were formed in 1987 in Keighley, and initially disbanded in 2001...
recorded "Surrender" as a B-Side to their single "Middleman".
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
also released a cover as a B side to their single "Fall To Pieces".
Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
covered the song along with "Bastards of Young" by The Replacements
The Replacements
The Replacements were an American punk rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1979, and are considered pioneers of alternative rock. The band was composed of guitarist and vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bassist Tommy Stinson, and drummer Chris Mars for most of their career...
in a live medley called the "The Midwest Medley"
Warrant
Warrant (American band)
Warrant is an American heavy metal band from Hollywood, California, that experienced success from 1989-1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich, and one of its...
included the song on their 2001 album Under the Influence
Under the Influence (Warrant album)
Under the Influence is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Warrant released in 2001. The album is a covers album with two original new tracks, "Face" and "Sub Human"...
. Union
Union (band)
Union is an American rock group formed in 1997 featuring lead vocalist and guitarist John Corabi , guitarist Bruce Kulick , bassist James Hunting, and drummer Brent Fitz .-Formation:...
performed the song live on their second album, Live from the Galaxy, and American Hi-Fi
American Hi-Fi
American Hi-Fi is an American pop punk band from Los Angeles, California, which originally hailed from Boston, Massachusetts. The band consists of vocalist Stacy Jones, guitarist Jamie Arentzen, bassist Drew Parsons, and drummer Brian Nolan...
recorded it live to the delight of its Japanese audience on their album Live from Tokyo
Rock n' Roll Noodle Shop: Live from Tokyo
Rock n' Roll Noodle Shop: Live from Tokyo is the first live album of American Hi-Fi. It's a Japan only album.-Track listing:# "Scar"# "A Bigger Mood"# "Safer On The Outside"# "Hi-Fi Killer"# "Surround"# "Surrender"...
. Psychotic Youth
Psychotic Youth
Psychotic Youth was a Swedish punk rock band formed by singer, songwriter and guitarist Jörgen Westman in 1985 in Kramfors under the name Ratfink-A-Boo Boo's. The other original members besides Westman, were Kent Sjöholm on drums, Anders Nordstrand on bass, and Danish-Swede Nils Lund-Larsen on guitar...
covered the song on their 2000 album Stereoids. Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
covered the song on their 2003 album Anthem and The Manges covered it on the 2005 album Acid Beaters
Acid Beaters
Acid Beaters is a split album featuring American pop punk band The Queers and Italian pop punk band the Manges. The album's title is a play on words of the Ramones album Acid Eaters.-Track listing:#"Chewy Chewy"- The Queers#"Ft...
. Gluecifer
Gluecifer
Gluecifer was a hard rock band based in Oslo, Norway. Formed in 1994, they produced several underground releases during their first years of existence and soon claimed to be "kings of rock"....
included a version on their 2009 album B-Sides & Rarities 1994-2005. Ryan Roxie
Ryan Roxie
Ryan Roxie Ryan Roxie Ryan Roxie (born in Sacramento, California, December 1, 1965 is an American guitarist/singer-songwriter currently residing in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the founding member of Roxie 77 and probably most well known for his guitar work with Alice Cooper, Slash, Casablanca, Dad's...
performed "Surrender" on the Cheap Trick tribute album Cheap Dream: A Tribute to Cheap Trick.
Cheap Trick's version of "Surrender" was also included on the soundtracks for the films Small Soldiers
Small Soldiers
Small Soldiers is a 1998 American action/science fiction film directed by Joe Dante starring Gregory Smith and Kirsten Dunst. The film revolves around two teenagers , who get caught in the middle of a war between two factions of sentient action figures, the Gorgonites and the Commando...
and Over the Edge
Over the Edge (film)
Over the Edge is a drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan released in 1979. Due to the negative publicity surrounding a wave of recent youth gang films, Over the Edge had a limited theatrical release in late 1979...
. Simple Plan
Simple Plan
Simple Plan is a Canadian pop punk band from Montréal, Québec. The band has had no line up changes since its inception in 1999. Members are Pierre Bouvier , Jeff Stinco , Sébastien Lefebvre , David Desrosiers and Chuck Comeau...
recorded a version for the soundtrack of Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four (film)
Fantastic Four is a 2005 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics comic Fantastic Four. It was directed by Tim Story, and released by 20th Century Fox. It is the second live-action Fantastic Four film to be filmed. The previous attempt, a B-movie produced by Roger Corman only for the...
.
Chart positions
| Chart (1978) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 62 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 79 |
| Dutch Singles Chart (1979) | 9 |