 As they began to play , bassist Adam Clayton developed a bassline . The part was originally based on the Grandmaster Melle Mel song " White Lines ( Don 't Don 't Do It ) " before Clayton changed to a more trance @-@ like bassline . Vocalist Bono created some melodies and sang over the music . During the album 's recording , Bono had become tired of writing in the first @-@ person and he began writing lyrics and singing from the perspective of different characters . During the writing of " Moment of Surrender " , Bono assumed the character of a drug addict having a crisis of faith . The song title was borrowed from the Alcoholics Anonymous term for when an addict admits being " powerless over alcohol " and needs help . Bono had attempted to use the phrase " vision over visibility " in the lyrics of earlier songs ; however , " Moment of Surrender " was the first song where he felt it was appropriate to be used . Eno called Bono 's singing in this character as " so heartbreaking agonized and vulnerable " , creating a feeling like " a knife to the heart " . Lanois contributed by developing the gospel @-@ like chorus . The uneven hi @-@ hat from the drum part stems from Mullen 's electronic drum kit malfunctioning during the song 's recording . Eno was amazed by each performer 's ability to develop and play their part without any instructions or cues . After the song 's recording completed , everyone in the studio , including a gathering of production personnel and visitors , was completely silent , and Eno suggested it was as if they had gone on an " emotional adventure of some kind " . He called the song 's recording " the most amazing studio experience I 've ever had " , and he believes the " emotional crescendo " heard in the song properly captures how they felt as they improvised the piece . Bono stated " it was a spell and we were in it " . 
 As they began to play , bassist Adam Clayton developed a bassline . The part was originally based on the Grandmaster Melle Mel song " White Lines ( Don 't Don 't Do It ) " before Clayton changed to a more trance @-@ like bassline . Vocalist Bono created some melodies and sang over the music . During the album <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>recording , Bono <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> become tired of writing in the first @-@ person and he began writing lyrics and singing from the perspective of different characters . During the writing of " Moment of Surrender " , Bono assumed the character of a drug addict having a crisis of faith . The song title was borrowed from the Alcoholics Anonymous term for when an addict <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>admits</mark></a> being " powerless over alcohol " and <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>needs</mark></a> help . Bono <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> attempted to use the phrase " vision over visibility " in the lyrics of earlier songs ; however , " Moment of Surrender " was the first song where he felt it was appropriate to be used . Eno called Bono <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>singing in this character as " so heartbreaking agonized and vulnerable " , creating a feeling like " a knife to the heart " . Lanois contributed by developing the gospel @-@ like chorus . The uneven hi @-@ hat from the drum part <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>stems</mark></a> from Mullen <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>electronic drum kit malfunctioning during the song <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>recording . Eno was amazed by each performer <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>ability to develop and play their part without any instructions or cues . After the song <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>recording completed , everyone in the studio , including a gathering of production personnel and visitors , was completely silent , and Eno suggested it was as if they <a href='been_done' title='12'><mark>had</mark></a> gone on an " emotional adventure of some kind " . He called the song <a href='null_genetive' title='13'><mark>'s</mark></a>recording " the most amazing studio experience I 've ever had " , and he <a href='uninflect' title='14'><mark>believes</mark></a> the " emotional crescendo " heard in the song properly <a href='uninflect' title='15'><mark>captures</mark></a> how they felt as they improvised the piece . Bono stated " it was a spell and we <a href='uninflect' title='16'><mark>were</mark></a> in it " . 
As they began to play , bassist Adam Clayton developed a bassline . The part was originally based on the Grandmaster Melle Mel song " White Lines ( Don 't Don 't Do It ) " before Clayton changed to a more trance @-@ like bassline . Vocalist Bono created some melodies and sang over the music . During da album  recording , Bono done become tired of writing in tdafirst @-@ person and he began writing lyrics and singing from the perspective of different characters . During thdariting of " Moment of Surrender " , Bono assumed thedaaracter of a drug addict having a crisis of faith . The song title was borrowed from the Alcoholics Anonymous term for when an addict admit being " powerless over alcohol " and need help . Bono done attempted to use the daase " vision over visibility " in the lyrics of earlier songs ; however , " Moment of Surrender " was the fdat song where he felt it was appropriate to b used . Eno called Bono  singin in this character as " so heartbreaking agonized and vulnerable " , creating a feelin like " a knife to the heart " . Lanois contributed by developing the gospel @-@ like chorus . The undan hi @-@ hat from the drudaart stem from Mullen  electronic drum kit malfunctioning during the songdaecording . Eno was amazed by each performer  ability to develop and play their part without any instructions or cues . After the song dacording completed , everyone in the studio , including a gathering of production personnel and visitors , was completely silent , and Eno suggested it was as if they done gone on an " emotional adventure of sum kind " . He called the song  recording " the most adain studio experience I 've ever had " , and he believe the " emotidal crescendo " heard in the song properly capture how they felt as they improvised the piece . Bono stated " it was a spell and we was in it " .