Sweet Surrender

Album: Guitar Man (1972)
Charted: 15
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Songfacts®:

  • This typically mellow Bread song became very popular with their fans. The lyrics describe a way of surrendering, as in giving up all of your love to a person. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Nick - Paramus, NJ
  • Bread frontman David Gates wrote and produced this song. It was released as the follow-up to "The Guitar Man" and became the last of their four #1 hits on the Adult Contemporary chart.
  • This was a rare song that David Gates wrote on tour. In the Billboard Book Of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits, he said, "That's just a happy song. It's not meant to be anything deep or meaningful."

Comments: 5

  • Seventh Mist from 7th HeavenBarry: And in 1974, ABBA scored their breakout hit with a song about surrendering sweetly, "Waterloo."
  • Romanong Kurong from PhilippinesI've given up myself to you; but I didn't really lose at all. I came gave the only love I've known and it never hurt me to fall." This irony and/or paradox, not to mention the playful, dreamy vocals makes it unforgettable.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn November 5th 1972, "Sweet Surrender" by Bread entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #55; and 7 weeks later on December 24th, 1972 it peaked at #15 {for 1 week} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    Their record that succeeded it on the Top 100, "Aubrey", also peaked at #15 and also stayed on the chart for 11 weeks...
    Between June 1970 and April 1977 the quartet had thirteen Top 100 records; six made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Make It With You" for one week in 1970...
    They just missed having a seventh Top 10 record when "Guitar Man" peaked at #11 in 1972...
    Sadly, three members of the group have passed away; guitarist Jimmy Griffin {1943 - 2005}, drummer Mike Botts {1944 - 2005} and Larry Knechtel {1940 - 2009, he replaced bassist Robb Royer in 1971}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyIn 1975 John Denver released a completely different song titled "Sweet Surrender"; it peaked at #13. Bread's version was just about as sucessful, it peaked at #15!!!
  • Charles from Charlotte, NcThe inspiration for the song clearly was the fledgling Women's Right Movement ('You take your rights, I'll take your nights').
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