1997 – Mike Peters – Acoustic Works 1981-1986
Running length 3:08
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Recorded in 1997 by Gethyn Evans at Mountain & Sea Studio, Dyserth, Wales
Produced by Michael Peters

2000 – The Alarm – The Alarm 2000 Collection Box Set : Strength [Remastered]
Running length 4:05
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

2015 – The Alarm – Strength [Re-imagined]
Running length 4:11
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead vocals, acoustic, baritone & electric guitar
Steve “Smiley” Barnard – Drums, percussion & backing vocals
Johnny Pisano – Bass
Mark Taylor – Piano, Hammond organ
Jules Jones Peters – Backing vocals & percussion
Steve Allen Jones – Backing vocals
Acquire Choir under musical director Dawny Ward, conductor Leslie Church Ward – Backing vocals
Mixed & mastered by Mark Warden
Engineered by Mark Warden at Bethel Chapel Studios, Patrick Philips at Real World Studios.
Recorded at Real World Studios, England, Bethel Chapel Studios, Wales.
Additional recording at Sonic Hills, Sunshine Corner Studios England and Community First, Wales
Produced by Mike Peters, Mark Warden and Smiley. Executive Production by Jimmy Iovine.

2019 – The Alarm – Strength [1985-1986] [Remastered]
Running length 4:07
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

All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
(All Images right click to open larger in new window)


21st October 1985 – The Alarm – Strength
Released in the UK on vinyl IMIRF1004, cassette MIRC1004, CD IRS DMIRL1004 by IRS Records
Strength 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, Netherlands.
Original 1985 recording


28th October 1997 – Mike Peters – Acoustic Works 1981-1986
Released on CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number No. 21C004
1997 Mountain & Sea recording


2000 – The Alarm – Strength (1985-1986)
Released on CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C012
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
Released on CD by EMI GOLD, no catalogue number
1985 recorded version


2015 – The Alarm – Strength
Released on CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C070
Re-imagined new recording version


2019 – The Alarm – Strength (1985-1986)
Released on Vinyl and CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue numbers double vinyl LP 21C105LP and double CD 21C105CD
1985 recorded version remastered
1985 studio session and outtake recording remastered

All the following are Worldwide releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)

17th October 1985. Recorded live at The Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London W1F, England
Running length 4:09
Performed by The Alarm : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist
Released on CD in 2003 as The Alarm The Sound & The Fury Live 1981 to 1991 (UK, Export)
Released on CD in 2014 as The Alarm When The Storm Broke (UK)

23rd August 2003. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running Length 3:08 
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2003 on Alarmstock Volume 3 – Walking With The Demons And The Devils

28th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running Length 2:33 
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2004 on Alarmstock 2 Volume 2 – Is A Working Man Born To Live And Then Die

13th August 2005. Recorded at Electric Lady Studio A, New York, USA
Running Length 4:06
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III New York Set 3 Strength [Love and Hope]

31st January 2009. Recorded at The Gathering 17, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales
Running length : 3:49
Performed by The Alarm : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley
Released on CD in 2010 – The Alarm – Loaded, Live At The Gathering 2009 (audio highlights disc), catalogue number 21CDVD013

28th February 2009. Recorded at Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Wales
Running Length 3:09 
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD in 2009 Mike Peters of The Alarm Live Acoustic, catalogue number 21C049

30th October 2011. Record at Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, Wales
Running Length 3:19
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD in 2012 Mike Peters of the Alarm – 30th Anniversary Acoustic Alarm Tour 1981-2011, catalogue number 21C059

2nd May 2015. Recorded at The Globe, Cardiff, Wales
Running length 4:50
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD on 7th December 2015 – Mike Peters presents The Alarm – Live At The Globe 2015 – Strength Set (audio disc), catalogue number 21CDVD019

All the following are Worldwide releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)

12th January 2001. Recorded at The Gathering 9, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales 
Mike Peters solo acoustic set
Released on DVD in 2005 – The Alarm – The Gathering History, catalogue number 21CDVD003

28th January 2006. Recorded at The Gathering 14, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales 
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on DVD in 2006 – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2006, catalogue number 21CDVD007

31st January 2009. Recorded at The Gathering 17, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales
Running length 3:49
Performed by The Alarm : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve Grantley
Released on CD in 2010 – The Alarm – Loaded, Live At The Gathering 2009, catalogue number 21CDVD013

30th January 2015. Recorded at The Gathering 23, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales
Performed by Mike Peters, Steve “Smiley” Barnard, Mark Taylor, Acquire Choir conducted by Leslie Churchill Ward
Released on CD in 2015 – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2015 – Hands Held High Friday Concert, catalogue number 21CDVD018

2nd May 2015. Recorded at The Globe, Cardiff, Wales
Running length 4:50
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD on 7th December 2015 – Mike Peters presents The Alarm – Live At The Globe 2015 – Strength Set, catalogue number 21CDVD019

My father said, “Son, now my life’s work is done
There’s a future for you, there’s a job to be done
Stop fighting the system ’cause the system won’t break
Get your hair cut boy and learn from my mistakes”

Now I said to my father, “Father give me a break
There’s a million more chances that I’m born to take
I don’t want to die like I saw you die
In a dead end job in a dead end way”

How many years must I waste in these black times
How many years must I waste?
Today I can’t find nothing nowhere

Tomorrow I might find something somewhere
Give me a future now
I need it so badly now
For tomorrow

“These are times of recession” father said unto me
“Don’t you leave now my son, you’ll break our family”
I said, “I’ve got ideas that I cannot deny
If I stay I’ll be killed by the dreams on my mind.”

I see the signs of black times everywhere I run
I can’t escape them no matter how hard I try
I see these signs of black time everywhere I run
I can’t stand another day, I got to move away
I got to move today

Today I can’t find nothing nowhere
Tomorrow I might find something somewhere
Give me a future now

I need it so badly now
For tomorrow

My father said, “Son, now my life’s work is done
There’s a future for you, a job to be done
Stop fighting the system, the system won’t break
Get your hair cut boy learn from my mistakes”

Now I said to my father, “Father give me a break
There’s a million more chances that I’m born to take
I don’t want to die like I saw you die
In a dead end job in a dead end way”

How many years must I waste in these black times
How many years must I waste?
Today I can’t find nothing nowhere
Tomorrow might find something somewhere
Oh give me a future now
I need it so badly now
Oh oh for tomorrow

“These are times of recession” father said unto me
“Don’t you leave now my son, you’ll break our family”
I said, “I’ve got ideas I cannot deny
If I stay I’ll be killed by the dreams on my mind.”

How many years must I waste in these black times
How many years must I waste?
Today I can’t find nothing nowhere
Tomorrow might find something somewhere
Oh give me a future now
I need it so badly now
Oh oh for tomorrow

I see the signs of black times everywhere I run
Can’t escape them no matter how hard I try
I see the signs of black time everywhere I run
I can’t stand another day, I got to move away
I got to move away

Today I can’t find nothing nowhere
Tomorrow might find something somewhere
Give me a future now
Oh give me a future now
I need it so badly now
Oh oh for tomorrow

Audio Link – Live recording recorded at The Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London W1F, England on 17th October 1985 appears on The Sound & The Fury Live 1981 to 1991 album – from the official The Alarm Youtube channel
Audio Link – Strength 2015 re-imagined version – from the official The Alarm Youtube channel
Audio Link – Strength 2019 [Remaster] – from the official The Alarm Youtube channel


Video link – Click on the image for video of Mike Peters performing Father To Son live from The Gathering, Prestatyn, Wales 28th January 2011 – Audience recording


Video Link – Click on the image for video of Mike Peters performing Father To Son live from The Globe, Cardiff 2nd May 2015 – Audience recording

Video link – Click on the image for video of Mike Peters performing Father To Son live from Rhyl Town Hall, Wales, March 2022 – Audience recording