Rose Beyond The Wall first appeared a a b-side to the Rain In The Summertime single released on 5th October 1987. An earlier version of a song called Memorial Day, which was demoed in 1985 as part of the Strength sessions, this song would later be reworked to become Rose Beyond The Wall
Rose Beyond The Wall was originally going to called Memorial Day until Eddie Macdonald came across a sympathy card his mother had purchased which contained a reference to a “rose beyond the wall”. I have incorporated the original card into the sleeve design. Most of the songs contained within Second Generation Volume One have one thing in common. They all missed out on album release because they either peaked too early or matured too late to be included in the album sessions. In this way they somehow fell between the cracks of The Alarm’s recording schedule. Rose flowered at the end of the Hurricane sessions and unfortunately came to life too late to be considered for the album. It did however make the b-side of the Rain In The Summertime single – Mike Peters, Second Generation Album Notes, 1995
Rose Beyond The Wall was originally demo-taped fro the Strength album. We recorded this specifically as a b-side. We had to use another studio on the other side of Milton Keynes because the main sessions were running late. When we had finished it Eddie and I both wished we had recorded it for the album proper – Mike Peters, Alarm 2000 box set notes
1987 recording
Running length 3:40
Written by Macdonald/Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Electro-Acoustic Guitars, Drum Programming
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Drum Programming
Mark Taylor – Keyboards
Backing track recorded 21st June 1987 at Pace Studios, Milton Keynes, England
Produced by Eddie Macdonald
Mixed at Great Linford Manor, Milton Keynes, England by Gary Wilkinson & Eddie Macdonald
Alternative studio recordings : Demo ~ Re-recording ~ Remastered
(v) 1995 – Elevator Studios, Liverpool, England recording
Running length 3:17
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Acoustic, Electric & Bass Guitar, Harmonica
Owen Thomas – Drums
Recorded and mixed at Elevator Studios, Liverpool, England, 16th to 18th September 1995
Produced by Michael Peters
Engineered and mixed by Mark Phythian
Album Appearances and discography for studio versions
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
(v) 1995 : Mike Peters – Second Generation Volume 1 – Rare Songs Of The Alarm Revisited
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C002
1995 Elevator Studios recording
Single Appearances and discography
Officially Released Live Recordings – Audio
All are Worldwide releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
24th August 2003. Recorded at Alarmstock, William Aston Hall, NEWI (North East Wales Institute), Wrexham, North Wales
Running time 3:07
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD in 2003 Alarmstock Volume 6- A Road Less Traveled
29th August 2004. Recorded at Alarmstock, William Aston Hall, NEWI (North East Wales Institute), Wrexham, North Wales
Running Length 2:58
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD in 2004 as Alarmstock 2 Volume 7 – Out Come The Flags And Banners Again
20th August 2005. Recorded at Capitol Records Studio A, Los Angeles, California, USA
Running Length 4:15
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD in 2005 as Alarmstock III Los Angeles Set tbc
27th November 2011. Recorded at The Glee Club, Cardiff, Wales
Running time 3.32
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD as Mike Peters of The Alarm– 30th Anniversary Acoustic Alarm Tour 1981-2011, catalogue number 21C059
Officially Released Live Recordings – DVD
Lyrics ~ 1987 Recording
Out come the flags and banners again
The memorial band plays on
Lloyd George my fathers friend
And light breaks on the streets
Where no sun shines
Where my fathers lived and died
But time moves on in this my town
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
And I, I walk away from you
And everyone who knew me well
Oh my valley
For pastures new
There’s cruel in this innocent world I’ve known
Oh I don’t want to go
Oh no from this my town
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
There comes a time in my life
When I have to take a chance
To find myself find my way
Oh I’ve got to find a way in life
In this my town you never let me down
But time moves on
In this my town
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
Alternative Lyrics ~ Second Generation Vol 1 recording
Out come the flags and banners again
The memorial band plays on
Lloyd George my fathers friend
And light breaks on the streets
Where no sun shines
Where my fathers lived and died
But time moves on in this my town
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
And I, I walk away from you
And everyone who knew me well
Oh my valley
For pastures new
There’s cruel in this innocent world I’ve known
Oh I don’t want to go
Oh no from this my town
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
There comes a time in my life
When I have to take a chance
To find myself to find my way
Oh to find my way in life
In this my town you never let me down
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
Nah nah nah nah nah
But time moves on
In this my town
The sound of the wind is blowing
Rushing over hill and vale
As the new day dawns
And a rose
A rose beyond the wall
Audio & Visual Sources
(Page updated 11/03/2024)