Beat Surrender

Album: Snap! (1982)
Charted: 1
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Songfacts®:

  • The Jam recorded two tracks for their final single: "Beat Surrender" and "Solid Bond In Your Heart." They couldn't decide which one to go with but eventually plumped for "Beat Surrender." "Solid Bond In Your Heart" was eventually a #11 hit for Paul Weller's next group, The Style Council.
  • The song's title was based on Anita Ward's 1979 disco song "Sweet Surrender" and was written with the band's split in mind. Paul Weller recalled to Mojo magazine in 2015: "I wanted it to be a final statement on The Jam. A sort of clarion call. It was like, Right, we're stopping it – you take it on now."

    "Was it emotional for me to write? Pff, not really no 'Cos my head was in Style Council towards the last days. I was counting down the hours and the days 'til I could crack on with that."

Comments: 4

  • Paul Von Rictoffen from NottinghamThe song was drawing on comparisons between The German 6th army that surrendered at Stalingrad and The Jams own endings, its a song to say "The buzzards are circling and we're doomed"
  • Mark from Cromer, Norfolk, UkAs with "Going Underground", initial copies came with a free 7" EP, this one featuring "Move On Up" (which had been going down well during their live gigs), "Stoned Out Of My Mind" and "War". A 12" edition featured all 5 tracks from the double pack.
  • Mark from Maesteg, United KingdomThis song was weller saying that even though the jam are splitting dont forget the "ethic" that the jam set hence the lines "bulls--t is bulls--t it goes by different names" and "if you feel theres no passion , no quality sensation seek a new determination show the fakers you aint fooling you'll see me come running to the sound of your snoring".
  • Myla from San Diego, CaMy most favorite song of the Jam! The movie, Billy Elliot, could have used this song instead of Town Called Malice, but I guess both songs are good.
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