Surrender
Cheap Trick, 1978, from Heaven Tonight. Solo by Rick Nielsen.
Nielsen packs a jittery, economical solo into the band's anthem about teenage life and parents.
Surrender is Cheap Trick's anthem about teenage life, and Rick Nielsen's solo packs a lot of energy into a short space. His playing is jittery and economical, with quick, choppy phrases and a bright, crunchy tone. He keeps the solo tight and focused, avoiding long runs in favour of punchy bursts that match the song's youthful excitement. Nielsen's style, mixing hard rock power with pop sensibility, was central to the band's success. Listen for how the solo darts around the chords with sharp, rhythmic accents, and for the way it propels the song into its final section, where the famous lines about parents and rock records take over.
Surrender by Cheap Trick is featured in our Power Pop (#7) list. The solo is played by Rick Nielsen and the song was released in 1978.
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Surrender?
Rick Nielsen played the solo on Cheap Trick's Surrender (1978).