Written in 1984 when the song was debuted at The Pier, New York, USA show in September 1984, shortly after being written the song was known as We Are the Majority, the first demos recorded at E-Zee studios in November 1984 still carried this name. After a suggestion by Bono to write from the first person stance the song evolved into the version that would be recorded as part of the Strength recording sessions. The now shortened Majority was first released as the b-side to the 7″ & 12 single release of Strength in September 1985. If Strength had not been delayed as an album release it might have found its way onto the album, but it had to wait under the remasters of the Alarm 2000 collection to first appear on an album.
Running length: 3:25
Written By: Macdonald/Peters
Musicians
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 Marcus Studios, London, England between 6th June and 4th August 1985.
Produced by Mike Howlett. Engineered by Nigel Luby.
Song notes
Played live for the first time at the fabled Pier 84 show in New York City. (14th September 1984) I had only just written the song, and was desperate to play it live before we got down to recording our second LP. The title was originally “We Are The Majority”, and while The Alarm toured Europe with U2. In late ’84, Bono suggested the song might be more powerful if the lyric were to be sung in the first person. I took Bono’s suggestion on board, and the song, and the song that went on to become the classic opening song to most of the Alarm shows of ’85 became simply “Majority”. The song should have appeared on the “Strength” album. (1995, Second Generation sleeve notes)
During the recording sessions at Marcus, Strength had emerged as the main contender for lead single. It was to be the first track mixed when the band and production team moved in to Battery Studio 4, Willesden, North London on 5th August 1985. To further speed things up, it was decided to mix Majority, already chosen to accompany Strength as the b Side during the last day of the Marcus sessions dated 3rd August 1985. While Eddie was preparing to be betrothed, the rest of The Alarm were in the studio finishing Majority. (The 3 mixes of Majority are labelled as follows : Wedding Day Mix 1, The Honeymoon Starts Mix 2 and The Honeymoon Flight Mix 3. Upon completion the band went straight to the church to join in the celebrations. They only just made it on time. (Alarm 2000 Collection liner notes)
Alternative studio recording releases
Album Appearances and discography for studio versions
Single Appearances and discography for studio versions
Officially released live recordings – Audio
All are Worldwide Releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
15th January 2000. Recorded at The Gathering 8, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales. Running Length 3:06
Band Line up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams, Steve Grantley.
4th December 2000. Recorded at The Garage, Glasgow, Scotland.
5th December 2000. Recorded at University, Newcastle, England. Running Length 3:34
7th December 2000. Recorded at The Cockpit, Leeds, England. Running Length 3:27
8th December 2000. Recorded at Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, England.
9th December 2000. Recorded at The Lomax, Liverpool, England. Running Length 3:18
13th December 2000. Recorded at Rock City, Nottingham, England.
15th December 2000. Recorded at Shepherds Bush Empire (W12), London, England.
Running Length 3:15
16th December 2000. Recorded at University, Cardiff, Wales. Running Length 3:21
17th December 2000. Recorded at University, Manchester, England.
The band line up for all of the December live shows were : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Richard Llewellyn, Steve Grantley. These December dates were part of the tour to promote The Alarm 2000 collection and were billed as The Alarm MM with the Cd’s released as “Live at ….”
6th February 2001. Recorded at Logo, Hamburg, Germany.
10th February 2001. Recorded at Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, Germany. Running Length 338
12th April 2001. Recorded at T.T. The Bear’s Place, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
13th April 2001. Recorded at The Vanderbilt, Plainview, New York, USA.
These CD’s released as “Live at ….”
(Band Line up : tbc for the Feb and April dates)
12th November 2003. Recorded at The Middle East, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
17th November 2003. Recorded at The Knitting Factory (East), New York, USA.
Running Length 3:05
19th November 2003. Recorded at The Middle East, Boston, Massachusetts,USA.
20th November 2003. Recorded at Elbo Room, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Running Length 3:05
These CD’s released as “Live at ….”
(Band Line up : tbc)
29th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales.
Running Length 3:18. Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2004 on Alarmstock 2 vol 7 – Out Come The Flags And Banners Again
13th August 2005. Recorded at Electric Lady Studio A, New York, USA
Running Length 3:27 Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III vol 2 – New York
Officially released live recordings – DVD
Lyrics
I used to put the flowers in the dressing room
I’m no longer a child I’m all grown up now
I’ve set them up seen them let me down
I’ve been in the crowd swirling round and round
All as one, with those songs of Freedom
Saying all the things I could never say
And I rode with fate on a wing and a prayer
And there were four in the bed and the little one said
We were running so fast
We didn’t even know what had hit us
And we were blind to the world
And the world was blind to us
Majority
Like the majority
I see a sea of faces staring up
I hear the sound of my beloved in the crowd
She’s saying ‘give me a future, I want it now
I don’t want my life to know any bounds’
‘Cause I’m young and I want to run
I don’t care where to just as I’m with you’
It could be you or you or you or you
And there were four in the bed and the little one said
We were running so fast
We didn’t even know what had hit us
And we were blind to the world
And the world was blind to us
Majority
Like the majority
I see them rise and I see them fall
The broken trust and the promises rust
When will another one bite the dust, bite the dust
I give everything I’ve ever had to give
I bought the books, the records all the politics
It was all those words that shaped my dreams
There were times when I felt like a human being
I say ‘hello, are you listening now
I say ‘hello’, I say ‘hello, hello’
I’m in the lost generation and I’m calling out
There were four in the bed and the little one said
We were running so fast
We didn’t even know what had hit us
And we were blind to the world
And the world was blind to us
Majority
Like the majority