Sweet Surrender

Album: Guitar Man (1972)
Charted: 15
Play Video

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').
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's Songs

Macabre Mother Goose: The Dark Side of Children's SongsSong Writing

"London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie" and "It's Raining, It's Pouring" are just a few examples of shockingly morbid children's songs.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Rupert Hine

Rupert HineSongwriter Interviews

Producer Rupert Hine talks about crafting hits for Tina Turner, Howard Jones and The Fixx.

Bob Dylan Lyric Quiz

Bob Dylan Lyric QuizMusic Quiz

Think you know your Bob Dylan lyrics? Take this quiz to find out.

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

Church Lyrics

Church LyricsMusic Quiz

Here is the church, here is the steeple - see if you can identify these lyrics that reference church.