Writer: Rick Nielsen
Producer: Tom Werman
Recorded: Early 1978 in New York City
Released: April, 1978
| Players: | Robin Zander — vocals, guitar Rick Nielsen — guitar, vocals, synthesizer Tom Petersson — bass, vocals Bun E. Carlos — drums |
| Album: | Heaven Tonight (Epic, 1978) |
“Surrender,” the opening track from Cheap Trick's third album, was the group's breakthrough song. It gave the band its first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at Number 62.
Replete with allusions to sex, drugs and rock & roll (particularly Kiss albums), the song's theme concerns a youth who discovers his parents are as hip, if not hipper, than him.
One part of the lyrics was changed, however. A section originally written as “Now I had heard the WACs were either old maids, dykes or whores” became “Now I had heard the WACs recruited old maids for the war.”
In concert, “Surrender” was also the showcase for Rick Nielsen's custom-made five-neck guitar, which was built by Paul Hamer.
The Heaven Tonight album was originally gong to be called American Standard, which was the reason for the restroom cover art.
Heaven Tonight was recorded during a brief four-week window between tours of the U.S. and Europe.
Heaven Tonight reached Number 48 on the Billboard 200 and became the first Cheap Trick album to achieve gold record status.