(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958, and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post.)
Elvis Presley - "Surrender"
Hit Number 1: March 20, 1961
Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks
I have to admit, before taking on this massive project I had no idea that "Surrender" even existed. I remember my dad playing tons of songs by Elvis, and all of his previous #1 hits were songs that I have heard at some point in my lifetime, and I knew and recognized them when it came time for me to review them. "Surrender" was completely new to me though, so it surprised me a lot that Elvis had a chart-topper that I have never heard of before. But just like the other Elvis songs, it is a good song, but it's not one that I think I will ever go out of my way to listen to.
"Surrender" was an adaptation by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman of the music of a 1902 ballad that was called "Torna a Surriento" ("Come Back to Sorrento"). "Surrender" was one of several songs by Pomus and Shuman that was written for Presley. It starts out like something you'd expect to here in a spy movie, and develops into the old Elvis that we all know and love in the chorus. The meat and potatoes of the song is, yet again, Elvis' voice. It just astounds me how someone can sing like that, and make it sound effortless and like its nothing. I guess it all came naturally to Elvis, and he delivered another great song for America in 1961, though it was his only chart-topper in the year.
I do like the song, but I have a hard time getting "super into it". Elvis delivers his charm that he was known to have, and he does a hell of a job singing on the track. But there's just something missing on "Surrender" that he had on his other #1 hits. I wish I could place a finger on it, but I can't, I just get the feeling that there is something missing. Maybe I just flat out don't like the song as much as his other ones, but if you're going to say you don't like something by Elvis, you better have a damn good reason. And I'm not going to say I dislike the song, it just isn't a favorite of mine.
GRADE: 6/10
This song is good but not one of my favorite Elvis songs. I didn't play it much and that's why you probably don't remember it. he definitely has better tunes but a mediocre Elvis song is still better than a lot of songs by other artists.