Music Review: Corey Hart "Never Surrender"
Corey Hart
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Never Surrender
Album: Boy In The Box
Year: 1985
Corey Hart implores people not to give up in the preachy ballad “Never Surrender.”
Rousing strings and a plucky guitar open the single, setting an enlightened tone. In the first verse, he says people should get some breaks and not be written off quickly. When finding a job, they are told they are underqualified, overqualified, or not what the company is looking for right now. A person’s self-esteem plunges, thinking they are a failure. It hurts when such people do not want anything to do with them.
In the chorus, he says people cannot the abandon the path they are on in life. If they accidently take a wrong turn on the way back home, they can’t dwell on it. They must remain positive and proactive.
In the second verse, people must face adversity and take every measure possible. They cannot do what they are told.
The chorus is sung again.
A praising saxophone solo follows.
The latter half of the chorus is sung again.
In the final section, he combines the first lyric and part of the chorus.
Hart speaks up for those who haven’t had the opportunities he’s had. If it weren’t for someone else, he would’ve been a celebrity. He sees people at the grocery store and taking walks who’d rather be somewhere else. He wants people to reach their potential and achieve their goals. He emphasizes it’s something they must hunger for, though.
His merciful, speechifying vocals are pompous, as he uses himself as an example of the American Dream.
The teacherly arrangement coaches and boosts but offers little more than a phrase for people to motivate themselves.
The self-righteous “Never Surrender” means well but fails to be effective.
Album: Boy In The Box
Year: 1985
Corey Hart implores people not to give up in the preachy ballad “Never Surrender.”
Rousing strings and a plucky guitar open the single, setting an enlightened tone. In the first verse, he says people should get some breaks and not be written off quickly. When finding a job, they are told they are underqualified, overqualified, or not what the company is looking for right now. A person’s self-esteem plunges, thinking they are a failure. It hurts when such people do not want anything to do with them.
“Just a little more time is all we're asking for/Cause just a little more time could open closing doors/Just a little uncertainty can bring you down/And nobody wants to know you now/And nobody wants to show you how.”
In the chorus, he says people cannot the abandon the path they are on in life. If they accidently take a wrong turn on the way back home, they can’t dwell on it. They must remain positive and proactive.
“So if you're lost and on your own/You can never surrender/And if your path won't lead you home/You can never surrender/And when the night is cold and dark/You can see, you can see light/Cause no one can take away your right/To fight and never surrender.”
In the second verse, people must face adversity and take every measure possible. They cannot do what they are told.
“With a little perserverence you can get things done/Without the blind adherence that has conquered some/And nobody wants to know you now/And nobody wants to show you how.”
The chorus is sung again.
A praising saxophone solo follows.
The latter half of the chorus is sung again.
“And when the night is cold and dark/You can see, you can see light/Cause no one can take away your right/To fight and never surrender, to never surrender.”
In the final section, he combines the first lyric and part of the chorus.
“Just a little more time is all we're asking for/You can never surrender/ Just a little more time is all we're asking for/You can never surrender, never surrender.”
Hart speaks up for those who haven’t had the opportunities he’s had. If it weren’t for someone else, he would’ve been a celebrity. He sees people at the grocery store and taking walks who’d rather be somewhere else. He wants people to reach their potential and achieve their goals. He emphasizes it’s something they must hunger for, though.
His merciful, speechifying vocals are pompous, as he uses himself as an example of the American Dream.
The teacherly arrangement coaches and boosts but offers little more than a phrase for people to motivate themselves.
The self-righteous “Never Surrender” means well but fails to be effective.