The lyrics draw inspiration from “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery which Dave Sharp had read as a youth. (Mike Peters, Second Generation Album Notes, 1995)

We used to rehearse in a T-Shirt factory underneath some railway arches in Battersea. Reason 41 was written by Dave Sharp during the early days in London. When we asked him what the title meant he said “because there are 40 lines to the song and on for the title. (Mike Peters Alarm 2000 collection liner notes)

1982 Demo version
Running length: 2:42
Written By: Peters/Sharp
Musicians
Dave Sharp – Lead vocals & electric guitar
Mike Peters – Acoustic guitar, harmonica & backing vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Acoustic bass guitar
Nigel Twist – Drums
Recorded 3rd June 1982 at EMI Studios, London, England
Produced & engineered by Ron Hill

Worldwide Releases
2000 – The Alarm – Eponymous (1981-1983) – 1982 demo recording version. Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C010. (Part of the Alarm 2000 collection box set Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C018)

30th January 1983. Recorded at The Marquee Club, Wardour Street, London, England.
Band Line up : Dave Sharp, Mike Peters, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist.
Mixed by Steve Tannett. Running length tbc.
This version of the song was released as one of the 2 tracks on the B-side of the 12″ release of The Stand in April 1983.
The Alarm – Eponymous (1981-1983). This 30th January 1983 performance appears on this remastered album released in 2000. – Twenty First Century Recording Company, Cat. No. 21C010. (Part of the Alarm 2000 collection box set Twenty First Century Recording Company, Cat. No. 21C018) (CD) (1982 remastered version). This version was remastered by Mike Peters in 2000 and Engineered by Gary Butler at RTS, Liverpool.

Date tbc 1983. Recorded live at Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Band Line up : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist.
Running length 2:53
Released on CD in 1999 as The Alarm Live on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. (UK, USA, Spain)
Released on CD in 2002 as The Alarm Blaze of Glory. (Europe)
Released on DVD-Audio in 2003 as The Alarm From The Front Row ….. Live! (USA)

All are Worldwide Releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
24th August 2003. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales.
Running Length 3:10. Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2003 on Alarmstock vol vol 6 – A Road Less Travelled

29th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales.
Running Length 5:05. Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2004 on Alarmstock 2 vol 8 – The Peace Train

6th August 2005. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London, England.
Running Length 4:01. Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III vol 1 – London

5th April 2014. Recorded at The Deaf Institute, Manchester, England.
Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2014 on DVD – Declaration – Live From The Deaf Institute (Cat. No. 21CDVD017)

OK This is a song called reason 41.
One two three four

Well I used to wonder why that
When it’s black there is no white
And why that when it’s day
There is never any night
I got talking to a soldier and he tried to set things right
He said, If you want peace them you will always have to fight
Hey

I went searching in the desert
Where it just began to rain
And I met up with this drunken bum who said he’d lost his name
He said, I put it in this bottle and it drifted out to sea
I said, there is no water here and he walked away from me

So then I asked for help from a very clever man
He kept looking down at his figures
He was a very busy man
I told him what the problem was
He said, that’s sad. I’d like to help you boy but there is nothing I can add

Guitar

Now my throat was getting dry And I was feeling kinda rough
But I just kept on searching ’till that I’d had enough
I came across a doctor he said, his cure was the best
He diagnosed my troubles, but I didn’t get no rest

One more time

Now I was really kind of puzzled
By the things that had been said
And all the people that I’ve mentioned started spinning round my head
I gave it up for lost and it suddenly was clear
The only reason you are there is ‘cos I’m over here
Hey!