Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Released: August 20, 1991

Songwriter: Desmond Child Joan Jett

Producer: Joan Jett Kenny Laguna Thom Panunzio

(Joan Jett/Desmond Child)

I can see the sadness in your eyes
Hard knocks an' hurt are hard to hide
It can be a long an' lonely ride
But it makes ya strong inside

When you're down an' out the streets get rough
You need love but ya just don't enough
An' ya feel like no one's on your side

When you wanna throw it all away an' you've had it

Don't surrender don't surrender
Cause the fight inside your hearts
Your best defender don't surrender

Ya try so hard but ya feel just like a clown
An' there ain't enough luck to go around
All your dreams they crash right to the ground
You wanna get right outta town

You can say "What the hell I've given up lay down to die" but it's just a bluff
Cause ya know there's no place left to hide

Sometimes life seems like a war an' you're surrounded

Don't surrender don't surrender
Cause the fight inside your hearts
Your best defender don't surrender
Don't give up when ya know you right
When you're feelin all alone just remember
Don't surrender

When you wanna throw it all away an' you've had it

Don't surrender
Don't surrender

After splitting with The Runaways, and releasing her first solo album, Joan Jett placed an ad in LA Weekly looking for bandmates. Gary Ryan, Eric Ambel, and Danny “Furious” O'Brien joined her, creating the orginial Blackhearts lineup.

After their initial tour though, O'Brien was replaced with Lee Crystal.

Early on, keeping the band afloat was not easy. Joan and producer Kenny Laguna struggled, sometimes selling copies of albums from the trunk of his car. Eventually unable to keep up with the demand for Joan Jett’s album, they signed with Boardwalk Records.

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