THE JAM "BEAT SURRENDER"

By Mark Nobes

Released on 22nd November 1982, "Beat Surrender" is notable for being The Jam's very last single and also not featuring on any of the band's studio albums - it was later included on the band's 1983 compilation album Snap!
Unsurprisingly, fans flocked to the record stores to buy it, and the song entered the UK singles charts at No.1 on 28th Nov, with the previous week's No.1 "I Don't Wanna Dance" by Eddy Grant dropping to No.4.
The single held on to the top spot for two weeks, keeping The Human League at No.2 with "Mirror Man", which, on reflection, must've been pretty annoying for Phil and the girls! 

The 12" Maxi single. The girl holding the white flag is Weller's then girlfriend Gill Price.

On 12th Dec, Renee and Renato with their cringeworthy "Save Your Love" duet claimed the No.1 position, pushing The Jam down to No.2.
The Jam performed the single live on Channel 4's music show The Tube on 5th Nov 1982.
The B-side of the 7" single featured the track "Shopping". A double 7" and 12" was also released which included mouth-watering covers of three tracks; The Chi-Lite's "Stoned Out Of My Mind", Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up" and Edwin Starr's "War". You may well remember "War" also being covered by Frankie Goes To Hollywood for their 1984 album Welcome To The Pleasuredome.
A five track EP was released in the U.S. in the spring of 1984, although it only reached #171 on the Billboard 200. 
Many fans have argued that "Beat Surrender" was released to ease people into the sound of Paul Weller's next project The Style Council, and the track certainly has the piano and brass sound associated with them. It was becoming obvious that Weller's musical taste was shifting, and that this was heavily staged as a farewell song.It was entirely Weller's decision to split, and it came as a shock to Buckler and Foxton when the band's manager (Weller's Dad) announced his decision in the Summer of 1982.  So it's really no surprise that many have commented about Weller looking rather disinterested in the Top Of The Pops performance above. 
It was entirely Weller's decision to split, and it came as a shock to Buckler and Foxton when the band's manager (Weller's Dad) announced his decision in the Summer of 1982. So it's really no surprise that many have commented about Weller looking rather disinterested in the Top Of The Pops performance above. Indeed, the whole performance looks awkward, with the drums at the front and Weller dancing like his Dad in the background.
Beat Surrender double 7 inch single front sleeve (1982) The Jam

Double 7" vinyl front sleeve

The Jam - Beat Surrender video screenshot
The Jam 1977

 

Lyrics for Beat Surrender

The Jam T-shirts

Going Underground

The Bitterest Pill

Town Called Malice

The Style Council