Elvis Recorded “Surrender” Late in the Evening on October 30, 1960. It Reached Number One in Both the US and the UK in 1961, Becoming One of His Best-Selling Singles
About The Song
– Elvis recorded “Surrender” late in the evening of October 30, 1960, in the middle of a marathon session that produced his gospel LP “His Hand in Mind.” Elvis’s recording closely followed Pomus’s demo. “Doc’s lyric was dressed up in state-of-the-art schmaltz that made it onto the record,” according to Halberstadt, “the Jordanaires egging [Presley] on to scale heroic vocal heights. Doc could hardly believe that Stuart Hamblen’s ‘Known Only to Him,’ a sublime performance that inflamed Elvis’s voice with what sounded like true religious epiphany, was recorded on the same night that yielded ‘Surrender’s’ Neapolitan glitz.”
– Initially Doc viewed “Surrender” as nothing more than just another job, but Elvis’ delivery of the song astonished him, according to Halberstadt. “Presley imbued ‘Surrender’ with sly humor and an almost maniacal ardor, transforming it into a dramatic showcase for his genuinely amazing chops … Doc was humbled by the result. He had to admit that Elvis was a songwriter’s dream. He could make a mediocre song distinctive, make a good one great, and make a great one indelible. When he wanted to, he sang anything—from spirituals to novelty pop—brilliantly, finding just the right emotional shading.”
– In February 1961, RCA shipped Elvis’ “Surrender” single to distributors. On the flip side was the ballad “Lonely Man,” which had been recorded for the soundtrack of Presley’s soon to be released film, Wild in the Country.
– It hit number one in the US and UK in 1961 and eventually became one of his best-selling singles. Presley held the record for most consecutive number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 before 1966, when The Beatles beat the record.
Video
Lyric
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
When we kiss my heart’s on fire
Burning with a strange desire
And I know, each time I kiss you
That your heart’s on fire tooSo, my darling, please surrender
All your love so warm and tender
Let me hold you in my arms, dear
While the moon shines bright aboveAll the stars will tell the story
Of our love and all its glory
Let us take this night of magic
And make it a night of loveWon’t you please surrender to me
Your lips, your arms, your heart, dear
Be mine forever
Be mine tonight
