Second Generation

Originally intended for “Declaration” having been written as early as 1981. It had been an outstanding song in the live set ever since the band’s inception. The version we cut during the album sessions did not make it and was relegated to b-side status. I think we over-played the song live and had tinkered with the arrangement so much, we somehow contrived to strip the single of all its innocence and charm. In fact, the version released on “The Deceiver” single doesn’t really sound much like The Alarm at all – Mike Peters

Second Generation first appeared as the b-side of the 12″ single of The Deceiver released in March 1984

1984 Single release recording details
Running length : 3:35
Written by : Macdonald/Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Sharp – Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Nigel Twist – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals

Backing track recorded at Good Earth Studios, Soho, London W1D, England on 2nd November 1983.
Overdubs and mix at Strawberry Studios, Manchester, England 9th February 1984.
Produced by Alan Shacklock, Dave Sharp and Eddie Macdonald.

Alternative studio recordings – Re-recorded, Re-imagined, Remastered

1995 Elevator Studios, Liverpool, England recording
Running length : 3:31
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Acoustic, Electric and Bass Guitar
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

2014 Bethel Chapel Studios recording
Running length : 3:35
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, acoustic guitar & percussion
Recorded at Bethel Chapel Studio, Dyserth, Wales 
Produced by Michael Peters
Recorded & mixed by Mark Warden

2018 – 1984 Good Earth studio recording remastered
Running length : 3:38.
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
Dave Sharp – Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Bass Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Nigel Twist – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Remastering by Pete Maher
Remastering supervised by Mike Peters

Album Appearances and discography for studio recordings

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


1995 – Mike Peters – Second Generation Volume 1 – Rare songs of the Alarm revisited 
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C002 (CD)
1995 Elevator Studios recording


2000 – The Alarm – Declaration [1984-1985]
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C011 (CD)
Appearing as part of the Alarm 2000 collection box set and then later as an individual disc
1984 single recording version remastered


2014 – The Alarm – The Peace Train
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C066 (CD)
2014 Bethel Chapel Studio recording


2018 – The Alarm – Declaration [1984-1985]
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C094 (Double vinyl), 21C096 (Double CD)
1984 single recording version remastered

Single Appearances and discography for studio recordings

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March 1984 : 12″ vinyl single – The Deceiver
Track listing : The Deceiver / Reason 41 / Second Generation
IRS Records, catalogue number IRSX 103
Also released in Netherlands : IRS Records, catalogue number ILSA 12-4295


December 1984 : 12″ vinyl single – The Chant Has Just Begun
Track listing : The Chant Has Just Begun / The Bells of Rhymney / The Stand (full version) / Thoughts OF a Young Man / Second Generation
Japanese only release : CBS/Sony, catalogue number 20AP 2957

Officially released live recordings – Audio

All are Worldwide Releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)

1st February 1984. Recorded live at The Penthouse, Glasgow, Scotland
Running length 3:10
Band Line up : Mike PetersDave SharpEddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist
Released on CD in 2003 as The Alarm – The Sound & The Fury Live 1981 to 1991
Shakedown records, catalogue number SHAKEBX112Z (UK, Export)
Released on CD in 2014 as The Alarm – When The Storm Broke
Secret records, catalogue number SECDD098 (UK)

24th August 2003. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running Length 4:19
Mike Peters Solo acoustic
Released in 2003 on Alarmstock Volume 6 – A Road Less Travelled

29th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales.
Running Length 3:36
Mike Peters Solo acoustic.
Released in 2004 on Alarmstock 2 vol 5 – Yesterday As If It Was Today

6th August 2005. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London NW8, England
Running Length 4:47
Mike Peters Solo acoustic
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III London Set 3 – A Fuse Has Been Lit In The House

15th October 2010. Recorded at The Guildhall, Gloucester, England
Running Length 2:27
Mike Peters Solo acoustic
Released in 2010 on Mike Peters : In Session 2010

Officially released live recordings – DVD/Video

All are Worldwide Releases except where stated

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

Sessions, Podcasts and Multi-Media recordings

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


25th April 2020. First broadcast for Season 1 Episode 6 of the Big Night In live stream broadcast from The Peters House, Dyserth, Wales
Running Length 3:27
Performed by Mike Peters solo acoustic
Released on CD in 2020 as The Alarm Music Will Keep Us Strong – Disc 2
Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C118
The Big Night In Season 1 Episode 6can be viewed in full on the video section of Alarm Central

Lyrics

How can I try to go on with my life
Say what you like but it’s hard to go on
Remember nineteen sixty five with those faces painted white?
Well just like me they did not succeed
So why do I go on
The lies that we hear about it
Never seem to turn our heads
We’re numb to what we feel about it
We’re deaf to what we hear
There’s a posters on my wall
It says ‘prepare to meet thy doom’
But I’m too young, too young to die
For this I will survive

It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late too late too late

So tell me who are the people
That sit alone at the top of stairs
Never do we see them
There is no answer to our prayers
So mister this and mister that
You think that we don’t know your games
Yet you’re the ones with atomic bombs
To send us to our graves

It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late too late too late

Far far away there are others who feel the same
Deep down inside if we want then we can win
So stand up now you people before millions of you die
Because it’s not too late to change our fate
We’ve gotta put up the fight

It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late too late too latee

Alternative Lyrics – Second Generation Volume 1

How can I try to go on with my life
Say what you like but it’s hard to go on
Remember nineteen sixty five when they painted their faces white
But just like me they did not succeed
So why do I go on
The lies that we hear about it
Never seem to turn our heads
We’re numb to what we feel about it
We’re deaf to what we hear
The posters on the wall
They say prepare to meet thy doom’
But I’m too young, too young to die
For this I will survive

It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late too late too late

So tell me who are the people
That sit alone at the top of the stairs
Never do we see them
There is no answer to our prayers
So mister this and mister that
No we don’t know your games
Yet you’re the ones with atomic bombs
To send us to our graves

It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late too late too late

Far far away there are others who feel the same
Deep down inside if we want then we can win
So stand up now you people before millions of you die
Because it’s not too late to state our case
We’ve gotta put up the fight

It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late to change the things that we have done
We can’t stand still and watch while everything goes wrong
It’s not too late too late too late

Audion & Visual Sources

Video Link – Mike Peters acoustic Live from the Gathering 16, Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales Friday 25 January 2008 – Audience recording

Audio Link – Original 1984 recording from The Deceiver B-side
Audio Link – 1995 Second Generation Volume 1 album recording

(Page updated 28/08/2021)

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