In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Mother told me, yes she told me
I'd meet girls like you
She also told me stay away
You'll never know what you'll catch
Just the other day I heard
Of a soldier's falling off
Some Indonesian junk
That's going 'round
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Father says your mother's right
She's really up on things
Before we married Mommy served
In the WACs in the Philippines
Now I had heard the WACs recruited
Old maids for the war
But Mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Whatever happened to all this season's
Losers of the year
Every time I got to thinking
Where'd they disappear
Then I woke up, Mom and Dad
Are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling
Got my Kiss records out
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
I'd meet girls like you
She also told me stay away
You'll never know what you'll catch
Just the other day I heard
Of a soldier's falling off
Some Indonesian junk
That's going 'round
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Father says your mother's right
She's really up on things
Before we married Mommy served
In the WACs in the Philippines
Now I had heard the WACs recruited
Old maids for the war
But Mommy isn't one of those
I've known her all these years
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Whatever happened to all this season's
Losers of the year
Every time I got to thinking
Where'd they disappear
Then I woke up, Mom and Dad
Are rolling on the couch
Rolling numbers, rock and rolling
Got my Kiss records out
Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright
They just seem a little weird
Surrender, surrender
But don't give yourself away
Away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Surrender, surrender (Mommy's alright, Daddy's alright)
But don't give yourself away
Lyrics submitted by angelvamp13
Surrender Lyrics as written by Rick Nielsen
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Excellent song that I only just rediscovered. I rediscoverd it by finding it in Winamp's media library under the music video section. This live version is totally awesome. It was only shot in the last couple of years I think but they sing and play it perfectly true to original specs.
But, I give up regarding the actual meaning of the song.!?! Some of you guys are implying something about a kid that walks in on his parents gettin' busy.
Ok, sure, the last verse is obviously talking about that. But, I don't see how the rest of song is about that. Is anyone else a little confused here? Can anyone walk us through the verses and tell us what they mean. Especially the first verse about soldier's falling off some ....etc. I have no idea what that's referring to and how it interconnects with the rest of the song.
The first verse is about STDs/STIs (or what was probably VD as they called it in the past).<br /> <br /> "Mother told me, yes, she told me I'd meet girls like you.<br /> She also told me, "Stay away, you'll never know what you'll catch.<br /> Just the other day I heard of a soldier's falling off<br /> Some Indonesian junk that's going round.""<br /> <br /> "heard of a soldier's falling off" is implicitly "heard of a soldier's (genitalia) falling off" due to "some Indonesian junk that's going 'round" - "you'll never know what you'll catch".
@eWe yeah, I don't think the entire song is about sex either. I think that last verse just reinforces that the parents are weird, but fun. That may be when the teenager realizes that mommy's alright and daddy's alright. <br /> It seems that the kid grew up with partying parents who are trying to tamp it down now that they're parents. So, I think the song is really about teenagers growing up, and their relationship with their parents.