Dawn Chorus first appeared on the Strength album released on 21st October 1985.
Much of the time I felt the pressure to write songs for the band and that’s why I would always say it’s “we” this and “we” that, when really, and I have to thank Eddie for this, I could better say what I really felt. It’s been so important to write down on paper and admit that I’m a lonely sort of person. It was such a relief to write “Dawn Chorus” – you know, I lived that song to write it – and to get up on stage and sing it really helped me relax as a person, on stage as well. So, the person on stage is much closer to me now. I think many people were confused by this difference. lt was difficult, with the press for example, the business of politics and The Alarm I found confusing, and belief in God. Now I am coming to terms with it and starting to take a responsibility because it is easy to run away from things, and that I can’t do. – Mike Peters 1985.
The songs on ‘Strength’ were OK. The best was Dawn Chorus. – Nigel Twist
Strength album recording details
Running length : 5:24
Written By: Macdonald/Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Sharp – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Nigel Twist – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Recorded at Roundhouse Studios, London NW1, England between 25th March and 4th April 1985.
Mixed at Battery Studio 4, Willesden, London NW10, England, between 5th and 23rd August 1985.
Produced by Mike Howlett.
Engineered by Nigel Luby.
Alternative studio recording releases – Acoustic, Remastered
1995 recording details
Running length: 4:00
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Recorded at Fort Apache, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Produced by Michael Peters
Recorded by Dan McLoughlin
2000 – The Alarm – The Alarm 2000 Collection Box Set : Strength [Remastered]
Running length : 5:26
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Sharp – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Nigel Twist – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Remastered from the 1985 original recording by Mike Peters
Remastering Engineered by Gary Butler @ RTS Liverpool in 2000
2019 – The Alarm – Strength [1985-1986] [Remastered]
Running length : tbc
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Sharp – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Nigel Twist – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Remastered from the 1985 original recording by Pete Maher
Remastering supervised by Mike Peters
Album appearances and discography for studio recordings
21st October 1985 – The Alarm – Strength – IRS Records vinyl MIRF1004, cassette MIRC1004, CD IRS DMIRL1004 (UK Release) Original 1985 recording
Declaration was also released on vinyl, cassette and CD in USA, Canada, Europe. Vinyl and CD in Australia, Japan. Vinyl only New Zealand, Israel, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Brazil. Cassette only France, 
28th October 1997 – Mike Peters – Acoustic Works 1981-1986 – Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number No. 21C004. (CD) 1995 Fort Apache Acoustic Recording.
2000 – The Alarm – Strength (1985-1986) – Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C012 (CD). Appearing as part of the Alarm 2000 collection box set and then later as an individual disc. 1985 recorded version remastered.
2012 – The Alarm – Two classic albums: Strength / Eye of the Hurricane – EMI GOLD, no catalogue number (CD). 1985 recorded version.
2019 – The Alarm – Strength (1985-1986) – Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue numbers double vinyl LP 21C105LP and double CD 21C105CD. 1985 recorded version remastered.
Single appearances and discography for studio recordings
Officially release live recordings – Audio
All the following are Worldwide releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
Officially release live recordings – Video/DVD
All the following are Worldwide releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
Lyric – Strength Album
I’m a lonely man walking lonely streets
I’m soaked to the skin with the pain of my unease
From such a strained existence
The tension in this world keeps me from sleep
I’m hungry and cold, there’s a weight hanging over my shoulders
A rain black cloud of doubt
Have I got enough love, have I got enough hope?
Enough strength to face the world each day?
I know there’s an answer somewhere in this night
I see it each time I look in your eyes
I’m walking in a wild place
I am banging on the gates
On the other side of the tracks babe
Hoping that someone’s gonna hear me pray
Oh there’s a dawn chorus breaking out all over the town
Will you say you want me, will I say I want you?
Will you say you love me when I’m stripped and forced to stand up naked?
And will I still love you?
The goal that I want can’t exist without fire
And you fire the thoughts that realise all my dreams
These are a grown man’s tears
I lost all faith, I lost all hope
I started drinking, life became a joke
Something would keep me going, I didn’t know what it was
But I saw it each time I looked in your eyes
I’m walking in a wild place
I am banging on the gates
On the other side of the tracks babe
Hoping that someone’s gonna hear me pray
Oh there’s a dawn chorus breaking out all over the town
Why do I feel the doubt?
You give me something I can’t live without
Yet from somewhere there comes an emptiness
A feeling that I can’t suppress
Is this the start of the beginning or the point of no return?
There’s an answer there
When I look in your eyes
I’m walking in a wild place
I am banging on the gates
On the other side of the tracks babe
Hoping that someone’s gonna hear me pray
Oh there’s a dawn chorus breaking out all over the town
(Written by Macdonald/Peters)
Alternative Lyrics – 1995 Acoustic Works recording
I’m a lonely man walking lonely streets
I’m soaked to the skin with the pain of my unease
From such a strained existence
The tension in this world keeps me from sleep
I’m hungry and cold, there’s a weight hanging over my shoulders
A rain black cloud of doubt
Oh now
Have I got enough love, have I got enough hope?
Enough strength to face the world each day?
I know there’s an answer somewhere in this night
I see it each time I look in your eyes
I’m walking in a wild place
I am banging on the gates
On the other side of the tracks babe
Hoping that someone’s gonna hear me pray
Oh there’s a dawn chorus breaking out all over the town
All over the town
Will you say you want me, will I say I want you?
Will you say you love me when I’m stripped and forced to stand up naked?
And will I still love you?
Will I still love you?
For the goal that I want can’t exist without fire
And you fire the thoughts that realise all my dreams
These are a grown man’s tears
Oh now
I lost all faith, I lost all hope
I started drinking, life became a joke
Something would keep me going, I didn’t know what it was
But I saw it each time I looked in your eyes
I’m walking in a wild place
I am banging on the gates
On the other side of the tracks babe
Hoping that someone’s gonna hear me pray
Oh there’s a dawn chorus breaking out all over the town
All over the town
I’m a lonely man walking lonely streets
(Written by Macdonald/Peters)
Audio & Visual Sources
Images
(Page updated 25/04/2021)