One of the best known American power pop bands, the group's biggest hits over the years include "I Want You to Want Me", "Surrender", "Dream Police", "Don't Be Cruel" (a cover of Elvis Presley's hit), and "The Flame". Their most recent release, The Latest, has gained critical acclaim. They also wrote and performed the theme song for "The Colbert Report" as well as "That 70s Show", both tunes being fan favorites.
Nielsen and Petersson originally formed the group as Fuse in 1967, with Carlos joining the group several years later; however, when Zander joined as vocalist in 1972, the group was renamed Cheap Trick. Zander is considered one of the best hard rock vocalists of his era. For their part, Tom Petersson has been known for playing custom made 8, 12, and even a 18 string custom bass made by Modulus for Tom in 1981 and Rick Nielsen also has a penchant for unusual instruments. He owns and plays a five-necked solidbody electric guitar (it can be seen in the video for the song "She's Tight" among others).
Studio Albums
(1977) Cheap Trick [a.k.a Cheap Trick (1997)]
(1977) In Color
(1978) Heaven Tonight
(1979) Dream Police
(1980) All Shook Up
(1980) Found All The Parts
(1982) One on One
(1983) Next Position Please
(1985) Standing on the Edge
(1986) The Doctor
(1988) Lap of Luxury
(1990) Busted
(1994) Woke Up With A Monster
(1997) Cheap Trick [a.k.a Cheap Trick (1997)]
(2003) Special One
(2006) Rockford
(2009) The Latest
(2016) Bang, Zoom, Crazy...Hello
(2017) We're All Alright!
(2021) In Another World
[Live Albums]
(1978) At Budokan
(1978) Budokan II
(1998) At Budokan: the Complete Concert
(1999) Music for Hangovers
(2001) Silver
Surrender
Cheap Trick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd meet girls like you
She also told me stay away
You'll never know what you'll catch
Just the other day I heard
Of a soldier's falling off
Some Indonesian junk
That's going 'round
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Father says your mother's right
She's really up on things
Before we married Mommy served
In the WACs in the Philippines
Now I had heard the WACs recruited
Old maids for the war
But Mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Whatever happened to all this season's
Losers of the year
Every time I got to thinking
Where'd they disappear
Then I woke up, Mom and Dad
Are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling
Got my Kiss records out
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
The lyrics to Cheap Trick's song "Surrender" tell a story about a young boy who is beginning to discover certain truths about his parents and their quirks. At the same time, he is also finding himself attracted to girls, which goes against what his mother warned him about. He hears about a soldier falling off an Indonesian junk, which seems to reference the risks of sexually transmitted diseases. The chorus encourages the listener to surrender but not give themselves away, perhaps as a warning against losing one's identity in these new experiences.
The second verse refers to the boy's father agreeing with the mother's caution about girls, and revealing that she had served in the Women's Auxiliary Corps in the Philippines before they were married. The boy then remarks that he had heard the WACs recruited old maids for the war, suggesting an attitude of cynicism towards government institutions. However, he knows his mother well and thinks highly of her. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the importance of surrender without losing oneself.
The final verse takes a more surreal turn, with the singer wondering about the fate of "this season's losers of the year". He then wakes up to find his parents rolling on the couch, listening to music and possibly getting high. They are "alright but seem a little weird", which could be interpreted as the singer's growing sense of distance from them as he starts to come into his own. The chorus repeats multiple times, almost becoming an anthem in itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Mother told me, yes she told me
I'd meet girls like you
She also told me stay away
You'll never know what you'll catch
My mother warned me that I would meet girls like you, but also cautioned me to be careful because you never know what dangers come with them.
Just the other day I heard
Of a soldier's falling off
Some Indonesian junk
That's going 'round
I recently heard about a soldier who contracted an illness from a ship made in Indonesia that is now spreading among people.
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
My parents are okay, although they may act strange at times. The song urges me to surrender to their care, but warns against losing myself in the process.
Father says your mother's right
She's really up on things
Before we married Mommy served
In the WACs in the Philippines
My father agrees with my mother's opinions, citing that she has knowledge of important matters. My mother had served in the Women's Army Corps stationed in the Philippines before she got married.
Now I had heard the WACs recruited
Old maids for the war
But Mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years
Rumors have circulated about the Women's Army Corps enlisting unmarried women to fight in the war, but my mother doesn't fit that description, having known her for so long.
Whatever happened to all this season's
Losers of the year
Every time I got to thinking
Where'd they disappear
The song ponders what happened to the disappointing people of the year, who always seem to vanish when thought about.
Then I woke up, Mom and Dad
Are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling
Got my Kiss records out
I was awakened by the sound of my parents enjoying themselves, playing games and listening to music together.
Away
This line signifies the end of the song.
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
These repeating lines emphasize the importance of surrendering to parental guidance, while not losing one's sense of self in the process.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Rick Nielsen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind