I Surrender (Rainbow song)

1980 song written by Russ Ballard

"I Surrender"

Single by Rainbow
from the album Difficult to Cure
B-side| "Vielleicht Das Nächster Zeit (Maybe Next Time)"
Released| 23 January 1981 (1981-01-23)[1]
Genre|

* Hard rock
* pop metal[2]

Length| 4:01
Label| Polydor
Songwriter(s)| Russ Ballard
Producer(s)| Roger Glover
Rainbow singles chronology
| "All Night Long"
(1980)  | "I Surrender"
(1981)  | "Can't Happen Here"
(1981)

|
|

"I Surrender" is a song written by former Argent guitarist and singer Russ Ballard and first released by Head East as a single in October 1980 from their sixth album U.S. 1. It is better known for being a hit for Rainbow the following year, reaching number 3 on the UK Singles Charts.[3]

## Contents

* 1 Rainbow version
* 1.1 Track listing
* 1.2 Charts
* 1.2.1 Weekly charts
* 1.2.2 Year-end charts
* 1.3 Certifications
* 2 Other versions
* 3 References

## Rainbow version[edit]

Released in January 1981, the song became the band's biggest hit in the UK. Originally, some backing vocals were recorded by Graham Bonnet, but after he quit the band, lead and backing vocals were sung by his replacement Joe Lynn Turner.[4]

Heavy metal band Praying Mantis band were originally in the running to release the song and had already recorded the backing track and were adding the vocals when they were told to stop as Rainbow, being the bigger name, had been given the nod to record and release the song.[5][6]

The B-side "Vielleicht Das Nächster Zeit" is an instrumental song written by Ritchie Blackmore and Don Airey and was titled with the English equivalent in brackets, "Maybe Next Time". Blackmore made a grammatical error with the German title, which was corrected for later releases as "Vielleicht das nächste mal".[5]

In 2017, the revived band, under the name Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, released a re-recording of the song as a digital single, with vocals from the current lead singer Ronnie Romero.[7]

### Track listing[edit]

7": Polydor / POSP 221 (UK)

1. "I Surrender" – 4:01
2. "Vielleicht Das Nächster Zeit (Maybe Next Time)" – 3:23

12" Promo: Polydor / PRO 147 (US)

1. "I Surrender" – 4:01
2. "Spotlight Kid" – 4:52

### Charts[edit]

#### Weekly charts[edit]

| Chart (1981)  | Peak
position

|

Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] | 7
Ireland (IRMA)[9] | 4
UK Singles (OCC)[3] | 3
US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 105
US Billboard Mainstream Rock[10] | 19

#### Year-end charts[edit]

| Chart (1981)  | Peak
position

|

UK (Gallup)[11] | 45

### Certifications[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Silver  | 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## Other versions[edit]

* In 1981, Finnish singer Markku Aro covered the song in Finnish, titled "Ensi kertaa" for his album Mun suothan tulla vierees sun.
* In 1997, Cherie & Marie Currie re-released their 1980 album Messin' with the Boys, with a cover of the song included as a bonus track
* In 2001, Finnish metal band Stratovarius released a live cover on their 2001 compilation album Intermission.
* In 2002, German metal band At Vance covered the song as a bonus track for their album Only Human.
* In 2004, Japanese metal band Concerto Moon covered the song as a bonus track for their album After the Double Cross.
* In 2009, Swedish pop singer Tove Lo (under the alias Sue Ellen) covered the song for her album Sunday Hangover.
* In 2010, German house music duo The Disco Boys covered the song as a single for their album Volume 10.

## References[edit]

1. ^ "News". Record Mirror: 2. 17 January 1981. Retrieved 14 December 2020 - via flickr.com.
2. ^ Gittins, Ian (2015-10-01). The Periodic Table of HEAVY ROCK. Random House. p. 134\. ISBN 978-1-4735-2841-3.
3. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
4. ^ Songfacts. "Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow) : Songwriter Interviews". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
5. ^ a b Bloom, Jerry (2006). Black Knight: Ritchie Blackmore. London: Omnibus Press. pp. 252, 378. ISBN 9781846092664.
6. ^ "The Official Russ Ballard Newsletter July 2019" (PDF). russballardmusic.com. July 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
7. ^ "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow Releases New Song Remake of I Surrender LISTEN | Q104.3 | Ken Dashow". Q104.3. Retrieved 2020-03-11.
8. ^ Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit R - RAR". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2021-11-06.
9. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I Surrender". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
10. ^ a b "I Surrender (song by Rainbow [British rock band]) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
11. ^ "Official Top 50 best-selling singles of 1981". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
12. ^ "British single certifications – Rainbow – I Surrender". British Phonographic Industry.

* v
* t
* e

Rainbow

* Ritchie Blackmore
* Candice Night
* Jens Johansson
* David Keith
* Bob Nouveau
* Ronnie Romero

* Ronnie James Dio
* Gary Driscoll
* Craig Gruber
* Micky Lee Soule
* Cozy Powell
* Jimmy Bain
* Mark Clarke
* Tony Carey
* David Stone
* Bob Daisley
* Roger Glover
* Don Airey
* Graham Bonnet
* Joe Lynn Turner
* Bobby Rondinelli
* David Rosenthal
* Chuck Burgi
* Paul Morris
* Greg Smith
* Doogie White
* John O'Reilly
* John Miceli

Studio albums|

* Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
* Rising
* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
* Down to Earth
* Difficult to Cure
* Straight Between the Eyes
* Bent Out of Shape
* Stranger in Us All

EPs|

* Jealous Lover

Live albums|

* On Stage
* Finyl Vinyl
* Live in Germany 1976/Live in Europe
* Deutschland Tournee 1976
* Live in Munich 1977

Compilation albums|

* The Best of Rainbow
* The Very Best of Rainbow
* 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow
* Pot of Gold
* All Night Long: An Introduction
* Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology
* Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and Rainbow

Video albums|

* Live in Munich 1977

Songs|

* "Man on the Silver Mountain"
* "Stargazer"
* "Since You Been Gone"
* "All Night Long"
* "I Surrender"
* "Stone Cold"
* "Street of Dreams"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Members
* Blackmore's Night
* Elf
* Deep Purple
* Black Sabbath
* Whitesnake
* Dio
* Heaven & Hell
* Yngwie Malmsteen

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