The first recording of Alarm Alarm appeared on the flexi disc with the Absolute Tour programme in April 1985, but Alarm Alarm actually relates to two different songs, one performed by The Toilets and a new song demoed at the end of the days of Seventeen. The full story of the evolution is in the Never Let The Fires Die Episode 7 Podcast.
Podcast Episode #7: Alarm Alarm – From June 2017
This week Jeff and Steve Fulton discuss the legendary “lost” Alarm song, “Alarm Alarm”. What will they find as they excavate 40 years of Alarm history, looking for what could be, the quintessential Alarm track?
Featuring a brand new interview with Mike Peters
Click on the above to listen to the story of the evolution of Alarm Alarm ….
Roundhouse Studio Session 1985
Running length 2:54
Written by The Alarm
Musician & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Sharp – Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar
Nigel Twist – Drums
Recorded live on 25th March 1985 at Roundhouse Studios, Camden, London NW1, England
Produced by Mike Howlett
Engineered by Nigel Luby
Click on above image for audio of the Absolute Tour Flexi which includes Alarm Alarm, hosted on the Official The Alarm youtube channel
Alternative studio recordings of the song
~ New recording Vinyl Free Rock and Roll album
2013 – The Alarm – Vinyl Free Rock and Roll
Running length 1:53
Musician & Credits
Mike Peters – Punk Rock Guitar & Vocals
Phil Daniels – Vocals
James Stevenson – Bass & Electric Guitar
Steve ‘Smiley’ Barnard – Drums
Steve Allan Jones – Piano, Farfissa Organ and Backing Vocals
Craig Adams – Bass Guitar
Mark Taylor – Piano & Hammond Organ
Produced by Mike Peters
Music Supervisor – Steve Allan Jones
Recorded at Aerial Studios, Wrexham, Wales and Beth Chapel Studios, North Wales
Recorded by Mark Warden, Martin Wilding & Mark Joy
Mixed by Andrea Wright at Serial Studios, Wrexham, Wales
Mastered by Kai Blankenberg @ Skyline Tonfabrik
Click on above image for audio of Alarm Alarm from the Vinyl soundtrack album, hosted on the Official The Alarm youtube channel
Album appearances & discography of studio/session versions
All the following are Worldwide releases unless stated
(v) 2001: The Alarm – Alt-Strength
Released on CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company as part of the Alarm Record Collectors Club, Catalogue number ARCC001
1985 Roundhouse Studio Session recording
(v) 15th March 2013: The Alarm – Vinyl Free Rock and Roll
Released on CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C062
2013 Vinyl soundtrack original recording
(v) 15th March 2019: The Alarm – Strength (1985-1986)
Released on double CD, disc 2 by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C105CD
1985 Roundhouse Studio Session recording remastered
(v) 15th October 2021: The Alarm- History Repeating 1981-2021
Released on disc 4, side A of 4 vinyl album box set by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C119LP
2013 Vinyl soundtrack original recording remastered
Single appearances & discography for studio versions
(v) 04/1985: The Alarm – Absolute Tour Flexi-disc
Released free with the Absolute Tour UK Tour programme by IRS Records, no catalogue number
1985 Roundhouse Studio Session recording
Officially released live recordings ~ Audio
All the following are Worldwide releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company unless stated
(v) 29th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running length 2:34
Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released on CD as part of a set of 8 discs in 2004 as Alarmstock 2 Volume 5 – Yesterday As If It Was Today
(v) 20th August 2005. Recorded at Recorded at Capitol Records Studio A, Los Angeles, California, USA
Running length 2:33
Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released on CD as part of a 4 disc box set, disc 1, in 2005 as Alarmstock III Los Angeles Set 1 – The Sound Of Generations Collide
(v) 26th January 2013. Recorded at The Gathering 21, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales
Running length : 3:27
Performed by The Alarm : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams, Steve “Smiley” Barnard, Mark Taylor
Released on double CD, disc 2 in 2013 as The Alarm Abide With Us Live at The Gathering 2013 by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C063
Lyrics ~ Absolute Tour Flexi
[Mike Peters – spoken introduction]
Next up is a fragment of the song we took our name from, the song is called Alarm Alarm and it was Eddie’s idea that we should name the band after a song I had written when I was in school, it was probably the first sort of thing positive thing that I had ever really done. There’s not much of it on her unfortunately cause Eddie heard another song in the middle of us playing it
[song]
Let’s go
Oowwwww
You better start running
The cops are coming
There’s gonna to be a fight tonight
??
??
??
It revolution ain’t no solution
There gotta be another way out
Your revolution ain’t no solution
You better find another way out
[Eddie Mcdonald] I got it,got it play, the beat Nige, it’s Golden Earring
Lyrics ~ Vinyl Free Rock And Roll album version
???
I can’t keep cool
My body starts to tremble
Against my will
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to come here
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to show fear
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Alarm
What happened to my best mate
What happened to me
I thought that I could take it
I could show no fear
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to come here
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to show fear
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to come here
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to show fear
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to come here
Alarm Alarm
Why did I have to show fear
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
Alarm Alarm
{Spoken word outro] It’s all a scam mate, everything CDs, the videos, the lot, were the single shoes, the weapons of happiness
(Page updated 08/10/2024)