Cheap Trick — Surrender

"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. Its success in Japan, as well as the success of its preceding singles which are known as "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.

"Surrender" is a late 1970s teen anthem, describing the relations between the baby boomer narrator and his G.I. Generation parents. His mother frequently warns him about the girls he will meet, as he will never know what diseases he will catch from them, as exemplified by a rumor about "a soldier's falling off" as a result of "some Indonesian junk that's going around". The mother's expertise on such matters is endorsed by the father, who states that she served with the WACs in the Philippines, a claim which amazes the narrator, who had been under the impression the WACs only recruited "old maids" (and Mommy isn't one of those). The narrator then describes how his parents are weirder and hipper than many teens 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") This mention was a thank you by Cheap Trick who were heavily supported by KISS in their early days as a support band to KISS.

Cash Box said it has "energetic drumming and excellent rhythm guitar work" and that "the singing is intriguing and melodic."

In the 2007 book Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide, a section on Cheap Trick featured reviews on the top 20 stand-out tracks from the band. One track included was "Surrender", where the author John M. Borack wrote "A no-brainer selection, to be sure, but since I believe that it's clinically impossible to get tired of this rock and roll funhouse, it belongs here. A stone classic for the ages." Rolling Stone deemed it "the ultimate Seventies teen anthem" and ranked it number 471 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

It was on the soundtrack of the classic 1979 crime drama Over the Edge.

Mariah Carey’s band, Chick, covered the song on their 1995 debut album “Someone’s Ugly Daughter.”

A live version of the song can be heard in the 1999 film Detroit Rock City. It is also on the movie's soundtrack.

In the 2003 film Daddy Day Care, Cheap Trick make an appearance performing the song.

In 2008, Erin Lyndal Martin heard this song in Walgreen's and believed the universe wanted her to reunite with her great love.

A cover of the song is part of the soundtrack to the PS2 and Xbox 360 game Guitar Hero II.

This song is also included on the soundtrack for EA's skateboard video game Skate.

The song was also used in the intro for the first episode of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien in 2009, as well as in a montage for the final episode in 2010.

It also appeared at the beginning and end of the 2015 film Pixels.

In 2017, it was used in the closing credits of the film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and was included on its soundtrack.

The opening theme song for That '70s Show references the song when it says "we're all alright".

In Californication, Hank’s daughter Becca sings a cover version.

At the end of season 5 episode 8 of F is for Family, it plays on the outro.

The Cheap Trick — Surrender clip can be downloaded for free and without registration.