Cenotaph was first released on the Viral Black album in 2017. A reworked studio version was released on the album Equals in 2018.
On remembrance day In The Poppy Fields was released from the Poppies Falling From The Sky DVD/CD collection and the song really started to resonate with all those people who come together to celebrate the life of people who have given their lives for others. And it was watching the services of remembrance and seeing the Cenotaph that the symbol of that came alive in my mind because, to me it took me back to the beginnings of The Alarm when we had photographs in London round war memorials and we were so young we didn’t realise what we were stepping into. We were writing Marching On, Across The Border and Going Out in a Blaze of Glory, Third Light, Sixty Eight Guns, and we had the red poppy. It was a soundtrack to taking back freedom, but we didn’t realise the full implication I don’t think. As a kid I was almost press ganged into the Navy, be it I almost joined the Navy and I remember having an operation on my chest before I could take the physical. While I was in hospital<I remember thinking what am I doing, you don’t want to go in the Navy, you could get yourself killed. the idea of all that became very real for me when I probably knew I would have to go take the test and be joined up. When I came out of hospital, I said to me Dad, Dad I don’t want to go into the Navy and he said to me, thank God for that, let me deal with it and so I carried on with my life, but every day the recruitment officer banging my door down, saying Bob Peters your son has taken the exam he is joining the Navy, we want the physical out of him. he belongs in the Navy, he’s in the Navy, my dad would say no he’s not, he’s not coming, end of the story and he rally stood his ground and I’m so glad he did, for if that guy had got to me, I think he might have persuaded me. My best friend Gary Davies went in the Navy, I let him down, I didn’t go, I hid behind my Dad. I did not go to the Navy and there’s a line in Sixty Eight Guns “And Now They’re trying to Take Me Life Away” that is a direct reference to what I could have lost had I gone into the Navy. So it’s always been there this idea of war, but I think it has coalesced in recent times because we are on the edge of something, we see it every day, the news invades our lives, invaded our streets and I saw that phrase to do with the Navy “If You Want peace Prepare For War” and I think we have to accept that possibly war is amongst us alreday – Mike Peters Viral Black In Session In conversation 2017
Official video from the National Album Day 2018 recording at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool, England
2017 Viral Black recording details
Running length 5:19
Written by : Mike Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Harmonica, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, E-bow, Electro Harmonix Mel9
James Stevenson – Electric & Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Steve “Smiley” Barnard – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Jules Jones Peters – Piano, Backing Vocals
George Williams – Keyboards, Bass Guitar
Recorded at Bethel Chapel Studio, Dyserth Wales, Parr Street Studio A, Liverpool, England in January/February 2017
Produced and mixed by George Williams
Engineered by Tony Draper and Mark Warden
Mastered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studio, London NW8, England
Alternative studio recordings – Acoustic, Equals studio version
2017 Viral Black Acoustic session
Running time 4:25
Musicians & Credits:
Mike Peters – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica
Recorded at Bethel Chapel Studio, Dyserth, Wales
recorded by Tony Draper
Produced by Andy Labrow
2018 Equals Recording
Running time 5:28
Musicians & Credits:
Mike Peters – Vocals, Harmonica, Baritone, Acoustic & Electric Guitar
James Stevenson – Acoustic guitar, Electric, Slide & Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Steve “Smiley” Barnard – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
JJules Jones Peters – Piano, Backing Vocals
George Williams – Keyboards, Bass Guitar
Recorded at Bethel Chapel Studio, Dyserth, Wales, Parr Street Studios A and C, Liverpool, England
The Doghouse Studios, Henley on Thames, England and Monnow Valley, South Wales
Produced and mixed by George Williams
Engineered by Mark Warden (Bethel Chapel and The Doghouse), Tony Draper (Parr Street) and Matt Glasbey (Monnow Valley)
Album appearances and discography of studio recordings
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
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22nd September 2017 – Mike Peters & The Alarm – Viral Black
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue numbers 21C089 (CD), 21C089LP (vinyl)
This is the original 2017 recording
29th June 2018 – The Alarm – Equals
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue numbers 21C100 (red vinyl and black vinyl), 21C101 (CD)
This is the 2018 recording.
Single appearances and discography
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
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22nd September 2017 – Mike Peters & The Alarm – Peace Now 10″ White EP
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C090
2017 The Gathering 25 Live recording
Officially released live recordings – Audio
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
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January 2017. Recorded at The Gathering 25 at Venue Cymru, Llandudno
Running Length 5.40
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released on 10″ white vinyl on 22nd September 2017 : Mike Peters & The Alarm – Peace Now
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C090
Sessions, Podcasts and Multi-Media
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
(All Images right click to open larger in new window)
22nd September 2017 – Mike Peters & The Alarm – Viral Black In Session
Running length 4:25
Mike Peters solo acoustic 2017 in session recording
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue numbers 21C092 (CD)
10th October 2018 – Mike Peters – Mike Peters Declaration / Equals / Acoustic In session 2018
Running length 6:12
Mike Peters solo live version recorded for National Album Day 2018 at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool, England
Twenty First Century Recording Company, (atalogue number 21C106 (CD)
21st March 2020. First broadcast for Season 1 Episode 1 of the Big Night In live stream broadcast from The Peters House, Dyserth, Wales
Running Length tbc
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released on CD in 2020 as The Alarm Music Will Keep Us Strong – Disc 1
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C118
The Big Night In Season 1 Episode 1 can be viewed in full on the video section of The Alarm Central platform
Lyrics
I have built an air raid shelter
Got some food and clothes
Radiation suit for the fall out
And a bullet just in case
I hope and pray the God of love is on my side
There’s talk of war in the air this morning
They’re ringing bells in the house of Lords
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
I’ve got a white flag of surrender
And a pick and a spade
I’ve got some morphine for the pain
And a white cross for the grave
As I wait for the God of peace
To save
There’s talk of war in the air this morning
They’re ringing bells in the house of Lords
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
As I pray
For the God of love
To heal
There’s talk of building a wall around us
To save us from the infidel
They’re folding flags in cemeteries
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
I prepare for the ending
And the time that is left
I’ve made my will and testament
Through the blood, I’ll come again
As I walk with the God of grace
By my side
There’s talk of war in the air this morning
They’re ringing bells in the house of Lords
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
And if you want peace, prepare for war
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
War, war
If you want peace, prepare for war
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
Get ready, get ready for war
If you want peace, prepare for war
If you want peace, prepare for war
Alternative Lyrics – Viral Black In Session
I have built an air raid shelter
Got some food and clothes
Radiation suit for the fall out
And a bullet just in case
I hope and pray the God of love is on my side
There’s talk of war in the air this morning
They’re ringing bells in the house of Lords
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
I’ve got a white flag of surrender
Got a pick and a spade
I’ve got some morphine for the pain
And a white cross for the grave
As I wait for the God of peace
To save
There’s talk of war in the air this morning
They’re ringing bells in the house of Lords
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
And if you want peace, prepare for war, war
As I walk with
For the God of love
By my side
There’s talk of building a wall around us
To save us from the infidel
They’re folding flags in the cemeteries
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
I prepare for the ending
And the time that is left
I’ve made my will and testament
Through the blood, I’ll come again
As I wait for the God of grace
To say
There’s talk of war in the air this morning
They’re ringing bells in the house of Lords
Lay your wreath at the cenotaph
And if you want peace, prepare for war
If you want peace, prepare for war, war
War
If you want peace, prepare for war
Get ready, get ready for war
If you want peace, prepare for war
If you want peace, prepare for war
Audio & Visual Sources
Video Link – Mike Peters solo, National Album Day 2018 recording at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool, England
Video Link – Mike Peters solo within The Alarm show, performed live The Rescue Rooms Nottingham, 4th October 2017 – Audience recording
Video Link – Mike Peters solo within The Alarm show, performed live Edinburgh, 7th October 2017 – Audience recording
Video Link – Mike Peters, acoustic version, Coda Records, Edinburgh 2nd July 2018 – Audience recording
Video Link – Mike Peters, acoustic version New York City The Gathering 2019 – Audience recording
Audio Link – Audio from Soundcloud website – Equals; album recording
(Page update 26/09/2021)