Tender Surrender

Album: Alien Love Secrets (1995)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • One of his most popular songs, in our interview with Steve Vai, he told the story behind this guitar-based instrumental: "I was sitting and recording something in the middle of one of my records - I always keep some sort of a documenting device around. I felt this urge to just play and to get out of the way, and I hit the first chord and I sang the melody, and just fished for it. Once it's there, it's almost like low-hanging fruit.

    So then I had this cassette with me singing just the first verse melody and the chord changes, and I knew that it had some energy to it. There was a presence to it. So I just put it on the shelf, and it was yelling at me for about ten years. Finally when I listened back to it, I said, 'I know there's a beautiful song in there,' so I completed it, and then when it was done, I listened to it, and it told me its name."

Comments: 1

  • Kelly from San DiegoIs Tender Surrender used in the movie Worth: The Testimony of Johnny St James
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians?

What Musicians Are Related to Other Musicians?Song Writing

A big list of musical marriages and family relations ranging from the simple to the truly dysfunctional.

Bible Lyrics

Bible LyricsMusic Quiz

Rockers, rappers and pop stars have been known to quote the Bible in their songs. See if you match the artist to the biblical lyric.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.