Beat Surrender - Misplaced Pages

"Beat Surrender" was the Jam's final single, and was released on 22 November 1982. It became the band's fourth and last No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in December 1982.

Title

The song's title was a play on words combining the title of the 1979 Anita Ward disco single "Sweet Surrender", with the British traditional military term of "Beating Retreat", signalling a withdrawal.

Background

Paul Weller wrote the song to mark the end of the group, which he disbanded shortly after the single's release. "I wanted it to be a statement, a final clarion call saying: Right, we're stopping, you take it on from here."

For bassist Bruce Foxton, the single's commercial success made the breakup more discouraging: "That was our fourth Number One. It was very emotional for myself and I can't talk for Rick but I’d imagine... he didn't want the band to split up. We were thinking 'Why are we going to split up?' We were Number One in the single and album chart at the time. I've only just got over it!"

Release format

The 7" was backed by the B-side "Shopping". A double 7" and 12" single version was available with additional studio cover versions of The Chi-Lites' "Stoned Out of My Mind", Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up", and Edwin Starr's "War".

"Beat Surrender" was not included on any of the band's six studio albums. In the U.S., it appeared on the five-track EP, Beat Surrender (Polydor 810751), which peaked at No. 171 on the Billboard 200 album chart in April 1983.

Cover art

The sleeve for the single, including the 12" and the double single pack, featured Gill Price, Weller's girlfriend at the time.

Performances

"Beat Surrender" was previewed live on the first episode of The Tube, on 5 November 1982.

Musicians

Paul Weller – guitar, lead vocals
Bruce Foxton – bass, backing vocals
Rick Buckler – drums
Tracie Young – backing vocals
Peter Wilson – piano
Martin Drover – trumpet
Paul Cosh – trumpet

References

Vincent Jeffries. "The Very Best of the Jam - The Jam | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
^ "Jam, The – Beat Surrender (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 17 June 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 416. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ Interview with Paul Weller, Mojo, June 2015
Chamberlain, Rich. "Bruce Foxton of The Jam's 11 career-defining songs: "Start isn't exactly the same as Taxman... otherwise I'm sure Paul McCartney would have thought about suing us!"". MusicRadar.
"The Jam Chart History". Billboard.com. 15 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
"Style Council, The – My Ever Changing Moods (12" vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 29 March 2014.

External links

v t e The Jam
Paul Weller Rick Buckler Bruce Foxton
Studio albums	In the City This Is the Modern World All Mod Cons Setting Sons Sound Affects The Gift
Live albums	Dig the New Breed Live Jam The Jam at the BBC Fire and Skill – The Jam Live Live at the 100 Club
Compilations	Snap! Greatest Hits Extras Wasteland Collection The Very Best of The Jam The Sound of the Jam
Box sets	Direction Reaction Creation 45 rpm: The Singles, 1977–1979 45 rpm: The Singles, 1980–1982
Singles	"In the City" "All Around the World" "The Modern World" "News of the World" "David Watts" "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" "Strange Town" "When You're Young" "The Eton Rifles" "Going Underground" "Start!" "That's Entertainment" "Funeral Pyre" "Absolute Beginners" "Town Called Malice" / "Precious" "Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?" "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)" "Beat Surrender"
Related articles	Discography Fire & Skill: The Songs of the Jam From the Jam

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