Enoch Light was a classical violinist, bandleader, and recording engineer. … Read Full Bio ↴Enoch Light was a classical violinist, bandleader, and recording engineer. He is credited with being the first musician to go to extreme lengths to create quality recordings that took full advantage of the technical capabilities of home audio equipment of the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly stereo effects that bounced the sounds between the right and left channels (often described as "ping-pong"). He arranged his musicians in ways to produce the kinds of recorded sounds he wished to achieve, the first to do so. The first of the albums produced on his record label, Command Records, Persuasive Percussion, became the first huge hit based solely on retail sales. His songs received little or no airplay on the radio, because AM radio, the standard of the day, was monophonic. Light went on to release several albums in the Persuasive Percussion series, as well as a Command test record.

I Surrender Dear
Enoch Light Lyrics

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Pride, sad, splendid liar,
Sworn enemy of love
Kept my lips from saying
Things I was thinking of.
But now my pride you've humbled,
I've cast it to the winds,
Broken, beaten, sick at heart
My confession begins.

We've played the game of stay away
But it cost more that I can pay.
Without you I can't make my way,
I surrender, dear.

I may seem proud, I may act gay,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
I surrender, dear.

Little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
But I don't care who's to blame.
When stars appear and shadows fall,
Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
To you my love, my life, my all
I surrender, dear.

We've played the game of stay away
But it cost more that I can pay.
Without you I can't make my way,
I surrender, dear.

I may seem proud, I may act gay,
It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
'Cause deep down in my heart I say
I surrender, dear.

Little mean things we were doing
Must have been part of the game,
Lending a spice to the wooing,
But I don't care who's to blame.
When stars appear And shadows fall,

Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
To you my love, my life, my all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I Surrender Dear" is a poignant confession of a man who was once too proud to confess his love. He was a "splendid liar, sworn enemy of love" and kept his lips from saying the things he was truly feeling for fear of vulnerability. However, his pride has been shattered, and he now realizes that he can no longer bear the weight of his broken heart alone. He must confess his love, even if it means admitting his faults and shortcomings.

The song talks about the game of "stay away" between the man and his lover, a game that he admits has cost him more than he can pay. He cannot make his way without his lover, and he is willing to surrender everything to her. The man acknowledges that he may have acted proud and gay before, but it was all just a facade to hide his true feelings. He immediately confesses his heart to his lover and asks for forgiveness for their little mean acts, which may have been part of the game that they played with each other.

The song is a beautiful representation of how love can humble even the proudest and most stubborn hearts. It is a classic love song that speaks to the power of vulnerability and honesty in love. Through his lyrics, Enoch Light has created a beautiful tribute to the power of love and its ability to transform even the hardest hearts.

Line by Line Meaning

Pride, sad, splendid liar,
My pride is a deceitful mask of sadness and splendor.

Sworn enemy of love
It is an enemy of love, something that obstructs and undermines it.

Kept my lips from saying
My pride prevented me from expressing my true feelings.

Things I was thinking of.
It stopped me from speaking the thoughts that I was holding onto.

But now my pride you've humbled,
My pride has been shattered by something (possibly a certain event or person).

I've cast it to the winds,
I have let go of my pride and allowed it to dissipate into the wind.

Broken, beaten, sick at heart
I am feeling shattered, defeated and deeply saddened.

My confession begins.
I am starting to reveal my true feelings.

We've played the game of stay away
We have been playing a game of avoiding each other.

But it cost more that I can pay.
This game has become too expensive and it has taken a toll on me.

Without you I can't make my way,
I cannot move forward without you.

I surrender, dear.
I am giving up and surrendering to my feelings of love for you.

I may seem proud, I may act gay,
I might look and act confident, but that is not who I truly am.

It's just a pose, I'm not that way,
My confident facade is simply a pose and it does not truly reflect how I feel.

'Cause deep down in my heart I say
My true feelings and desires are deep within my heart.

Little mean things we were doing
Our actions towards each other may have been hurtful or spiteful.

Must have been part of the game,
These behaviors were likely part of our game of avoiding each other.

Lending a spice to the wooing,
It might have added some thrill and excitement to the pursuit of our relationship.

But I don't care who's to blame.
I do not want to dwell on who was at fault.

When stars appear and shadows fall,
As day turns to night, and shadows stretch out across the ground.

Why then you'll hear My poor heart call,
You will hear my heart reaching out to you.

To you my love, my life, my all
You are everything to me.

I surrender, dear.
Once again, I am giving up and surrendering to my feelings of love for you.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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