Never Surrender (song)

"Never Surrender" is a song by Canadian singer Corey Hart. It was released in June 1985 as the first single from his second album, Boy in the Box. The song was number-one for four weeks in Canada and was Hart's highest charting single in the United States, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100 (topping the sales only chart for one week) in August 1985.

"Never Surrender"
Single by Corey Hart
from the album Boy in the Box
B-side"Water from the Moon"
ReleasedJune 8, 1985
RecordedLe Studio, Quebec
Length4:16 (7")
LabelAquarius (CAN), EMI America (U.S.)
Songwriter(s)Corey Hart
Producer(s)Phil Chapman, Jon Astley and Corey Hart
Corey Hart singles chronology
"Lamp at Midnite"
(1985)		 "Never Surrender"
(1985)		 "Boy in the Box"
(1985)
Audio sample
"Never Surrender"
  • file
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Music video
"Never Surrender" on YouTube

The song won a Juno Award in 1985 for the "Single of the Year", and was certified Platinum in Canada for sales of over 100,000 copies in 1985.[1]

"Never Surrender" has been featured in the Hulu series Future Man (TV series) Episode 10 "Operation: Natal Attraction" and in the Netflix series Stranger Things, season 3, episode 1 "Suzie, Do You Copy?", The Goldbergs, season 7, episode 13 "Geoff the Pleaser".

In May 2020, Hart announced the release of a new version of the song, with the lyrics updated to reflect a message of resilience and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

Critical reception

AllMusic has since called "Never Surrender": "a soaring power ballad of empowerment, giving this album (Boy in the Box) a greater musical and emotional range than his (Hart's) debut."[3] Regarding the song becoming another US hit single Hart said "I really think it's difficult breaking into America regardless of where you're from. I don't think it's any more difficult for a Canadian act than for a band from Oklahoma".[4]

Music video

The music video features a story line of Hart leaving his home after an argument with his father and hitchhiking his way to a major city where he finds himself alone and ends with a 'live' performance with his band. Portions of the video were filmed on Yonge Street, Spadina Avenue and Queen Street West in downtown Toronto, including the now defunct Crest Grill. The video's director, Rob Quartly, had worked with Hart on three previous music videos and Quartly was again nominated for a Juno Award for his work on this video.

Performers
  • Corey Hart - vocals
  • Russell Boswell - bass
  • Gary Breit - keyboards
  • Michael Hehir - guitars
  • Andy Hamilton - saxophone
  • Bruce Moffet - percussion

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 20
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[6] 1
Germany (Media Control Charts)[7] 37
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] 38
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 3
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[10] 8
Year-end chart (1985)Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[11] 44
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References
  1. "Canada Certifications". CRIA. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  2. David Friend, "Corey Hart updates Never Surrender as pandemic-era salute to people's strength". CBC News, May 13, 2020.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Boy in the Box Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
  4. Linda Moleski (1986-11-22), Canadian's Overjoyed At US Success - Hart Is Beside Himself, Billboard
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 134. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  6. Canadian Top Singles peak
  7. "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Corey Hart – Never Surrender (single)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  8. "Charts.nz – Corey Hart – Never Surrender". Top 40 Singles.
  9. "Billboard > Artists / Corey Hart > Chart History > The Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  10. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 107.
  11. "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97 no. 52. December 28, 1985. p. T-21.
  • Liner notes from Boy in the Box album
  • MVDbase - List of Hart's videos
  • Discogs - List of Hart's singles
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