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Sweet Surrender Lyrics
Lost and alone on some forgotten highway
Travelled by many remembered by few
Lookin’ for something that I can believe in
Lookin’ for something that I’d like to do with my life
There’s nothin’ behind me and nothin’ that ties me
To somethin’ that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open and right now it seems to be more
Than enough to just be here today
And I don’t know what the future is holdin’ in store
I don’t know where I’m goin’, I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end
Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Lost and alone on some forgotten highway
Travelled by many remembered by few
Lookin’ for something that I can believe in
Lookin’ for something that I’d like to do with my life
There’s nothin’ behind me and nothin’ that ties me
To somethin’ that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open and right now it seems to be more
Than enough to just be here today
And I don’t know what the future is holdin’ in store
I don’t know where I’m goin’, I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end
Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Travelled by many remembered by few
Lookin’ for something that I can believe in
Lookin’ for something that I’d like to do with my life
To somethin’ that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open and right now it seems to be more
Than enough to just be here today
I don’t know where I’m goin’, I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Travelled by many remembered by few
Lookin’ for something that I can believe in
Lookin’ for something that I’d like to do with my life
To somethin’ that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open and right now it seems to be more
Than enough to just be here today
I don’t know where I’m goin’, I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
Live, live without care
Like a fish in the water
Like a bird in the air
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I think he wrote Sweet Surrender based on his experience with est, a self actualization type program he took in 1973. The song was released in 1974. est was based at least partially on eastern concepts similar to Buddhism and Tao.
"Lost and alone on some forgotten highway", "looking for something that I can believe in", "looking for something that I'd like to do with my life" are sentiments many people who took est might feel.
est encouraged people to let go of the past. Buddhism says "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate your mind in the present". That is the second verse, "There's nothing behind me", etc.
The Chorus is about letting go and living in the moment. Like a fish or a bird. He sings "live without care". est emphasized these ideas. There is an est saying "it is what it is". Sweet surrender is surrendering to certain facts about life and just being in the moment. It is a sweet surrender because it can bring you peace and joy. Very eastern philosophy concepts. I am an est alumni, as were my parents and some friends.
[Edit: spell check errors]
He want's to be free even though he is on a forgotten highway, "lost and alone". He needs spiritual guidance to affirm that his life is worth living and to surrender himself to:
loveliness? possibility? His own spiritual growth? Not knowing.
What ever it is, it will be sweet.
though i am not aware of the timeline on which this song was written, i would imagine it was during a tough part of john's life because there was a time in his life where he admitted he was searching pretty high and pretty low for happiness, peace, and understanding. or at least in my mind, this song was written during a tough time, which makes it even more beautiful that he sweetly surrendered himself in order to "live, live without care" because his life was indeed "worth living" and he didn't need to see the future or the end to know that life was worth it.
This song was written for a Walt Disney movie. It was written about a Vietnam War veteran coming home to the Northwest US and wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life.
This song was written for a Walt Disney movie. It was written about a Vietnam War veteran coming home to the Northwest US and wondering what he was going to do with the rest of his life.
What a thoughtful and lovely responce, yourescum.
This is a song written be someone who is definately having a tough time and searching for the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a heart yearning to be free. It makes me sad to listen to this and not feel that way. But hey, thats something to look forward to in the future.