No Surrender
Jack Bruce Lyrics


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Chorus I:
No Surrender!
You've got to stand alone
Until temptation has gone
Everybody's talkin' 'bout walkin' tall
But from this moment on
You've got to answer the call
No Surrender!

Steal all my bread
Til my pocket's dead
I don't hear a word you say
Suck on my soul
Til you've reached your goal
I'll never give myself away
No – I'll never give myself away

Demolish my house
I'll scream and shout
But I won't do a thing you ask
Kick down my door
Or start a war
I'm never gonna let you pass
No – I'm never gonna let you pass

Chorus II:
No Surrender!
You've got to be a man
You have to make your last stand
Everybody's crying and trying to run
Hold fast and let them pass
The battle's hardly begun
No Surrender!

Shoot down my kite
Take king-sized bites
Of the apples I know and love
Groove on my lot
Rip up my roots
I'll never let you get above
No – I'll never let you get above

Dump on my lawn
And poison my corn
Drag my name all over town
Call up your guns
Everybody run
I'm still gonna cut you down
Yes – I'm still gonna cut you down

Chorus III:
No Surrender!
You cannot be afraid
Of mistakes that you made
Everybody's running for shelter
You know your destiny
You have to make the parade
No Surrender!

Steal all my bread
Til my pocket's dead
I don't hear a word you say
Suck on my soul
I've reached my goal




I'll never give myself away
No – I'll never give myself away

Overall Meaning

The song "No Surrender" by Jack Bruce is a powerful anthem about standing up for oneself and remaining strong in the face of adversity. The song talks about the many challenges that we might face in life, from people trying to take advantage of us to those who seek to tear us down. The chorus is the primary message of the song, urging us to stand strong and never give up on ourselves or our beliefs. The lyrics detail several different scenarios in which the singer might be tested, from having his bread stolen to having his name dragged through the mud. However, in each instance, the singer remains steadfast and committed to his own principles, standing firm and refusing to give in to the pressures around him.


The first verse speaks to the idea of temptation, urging listeners to resist the urge to give in to others' demands or expectations. The second verse builds on this theme, describing how the singer will never "give himself away" to those who would seek to manipulate or control him. The third verse brings the song to a close with a final reminder to stay strong and never be afraid to make mistakes or take control of one's own destiny.


Overall, "No Surrender" is a powerful call to arms for anyone who has ever felt beaten down or taken advantage of. It encourages us to stay strong and believe in our own abilities, even when the odds seem stacked against us. With its driving beat and powerful message, it remains a rock classic that continues to inspire and encourage listeners today.


Line by Line Meaning

No Surrender!
Don't give up, keep on fighting


You've got to stand alone
You have to face challenges by yourself


Until temptation has gone
Don't give in to temptation, wait until it passes


Everybody's talkin' 'bout walkin' tall
Everyone talks about being strong and brave


But from this moment on
Starting now


You've got to answer the call
You have to take action when needed


Steal all my bread Til my pocket's dead I don't hear a word you say
You can take all I have, but I won't listen to you


Suck on my soul Til you've reached your goal I'll never give myself away No – I'll never give myself away
You can try to manipulate me, but I will never let you control me


Demolish my house I'll scream and shout But I won't do a thing you ask
Even if you destroy what I have, I won't obey you


Kick down my door Or start a war I'm never gonna let you pass No – I'm never gonna let you pass
You can try to force your way in, but I will resist


You've got to be a man You have to make your last stand Everybody's crying and trying to run Hold fast and let them pass The battle's hardly begun No Surrender!
You have to be brave and fight until the end, even if others are backing down


Shoot down my kite Take king-sized bites Of the apples I know and love Groove on my lot Rip up my roots I'll never let you get above No – I'll never let you get above
You can harm what I care about, but you won't get the upper hand over me


Dump on my lawn And poison my corn Drag my name all over town Call up your guns Everybody run I'm still gonna cut you down Yes – I'm still gonna cut you down
Even if you ruin my reputation or try to scare me, I won't let you win


You cannot be afraid Of mistakes that you made Everybody's running for shelter You know your destiny You have to make the parade No Surrender!
Don't be afraid of your mistakes, face them and keep on going towards your destiny


Suck on my soul I've reached my goal I'll never give myself away No – I'll never give myself away
You can't take my soul, I have achieved my goals and won't let anyone control me




Contributed by Jasmine T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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