The Peace Train (Chant Has Just Begun) is a track that was first recorded to appear on the Second Generation Volume 1 – Rare Songs Of The Alarm Revisited album released in 1995. However the idea of the song dates back to Declaration album as most of the lyrics to the song appear written in the background on the sleeve of the album release in 1984
I happened to be watching some old Alarm footage recently, when I came across an early film in 1984 on the American T.V. show called The Cutting Edge (Broadcast date 3.3.1984) which used to be shown on M.T.V. (An edited version of this film appears on the Spirit Of ’86 video). It was our second appearance on the show and a film crew had followed the band on a train journey through California, from Los Angeles to San Diego. The film contained interviews, a performance of Shout To the Devil, an early version of The Chant has Just Begun and interestingly, a recital of the Peace Train poem (which formed the sleeve notes pf the Declaration album. I had written The Chant after stealing the title from a mural painted on the wall of the A&M Studios, La Brea Ave, Hollywood, Ca. We had been there to film our first appearance on the show which also became the video for The Stand. (I think British band Level 42 must have seen the same mural .. but that’s another story!). In 1995 I have married The Peace Train with the rediscovered first-draft lyrics of The Chant and based this new recording on the version which The Alarm performed on that railway bridge outside Union Station in downtown Los Angeles – Mike Peters, Second Generation Album Notes, 1995
1995 Second Generation Volume 1 – Rare Songs Of The Alarm Revisited recording details
Running length 3:39
Written by Macdonald/Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Acoustic/Electric Guitars, Bass, Harmonica
Owen Thomas – Drums
Recorded & Mixed at Elevator Studios, Liverpool, England 16,17,18 September 1995
Produced by Michael Peters
Engineered and Mixed by Mark Phythian
Alternative studio recordings
Album appearances and discography for studio recordings
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
Lyrics ~ Original Declaration Poem
The peace train says that in the first carriage rides FREEDOM a CONFUSED man who states that the whole of his life from SCHOOL-house to CHURCH-house, PUBLIC-meeting to POLITICAL rally, DEMONSTRATION to CONVERSATION TRAVELS to be MISUNDERSTOOD PEOPLE not knowing WORDS anymore
In the SECOND CARRIAGE ETYMOLOGICAL man speaks out of turn, sitting behind CONFUSION having picked a GOLD watch out of his pocket screaming HEAVENS TIME is out of time as he secretes the clock back out of sight
And a HOWLING WIND blasts GLORY riding to his home and sees MEANING pulling down his suitcase to display his WORDS but closes his eyes to ride on to DESTINY
Will LOVE speak yet gaze from the windows. No need to SPEAK, WORDS may only DECEIVE
The PEACE TRAIN shifts on with relentless unease as the GUARD who deals not in money or cards but some FOREIGN CURRENCY shouting where are you COMING to where are you GOING from. But the WORD was down on the TRACKS down on the TRACKS
Lyrics ~ Second Generation Vol 1
The peace train says that in the first carriage rides FREEDOM a CONFUSED man who states that the whole of his life from SCHOOL-house to CHURCH-house, PUBLIC-meeting to POLITICAL rally, DEMONSTRATION to CONVERSATION TRAVELS to be MISUNDERSTOOD PEOPLE not knowing WORDS anymore
In the SECOND CARRIAGE ETYMOLOGICAL man speaks out of turn, sitting behind CONFUSION having picked a GOLD watch out of his pocket screaming HEAVENS TIME is out of time as he secretes the clock back out of sight
And a HOWLING WIND blasts GLORY riding to his home and sees MEANING pulling down his suitcase to display his WORDS but closes his eyes to ride on to DESTINY
Will LOVE speak yet gaze from the windows. No need to SPEAK, WORDS may only DECEIVE
The PEACE TRAIN shifts on with relentless unease as the GUARD who deals not in money or cards but some FOREIGN CURRENCY shouting where are you COMING to where are you GOING from. But the WORD was down on the TRACKS down on the TRACKS
The lines that were have laid been shattered
The past has been bent out of shape
The Silver highway
Truths on byway
Triangle, set-square and law
Are all the things that matter
To the three handed man
The chant has just begun
The song must now be sung
For the word must now be spoken
The chant has just begun
The oceans are stagnant and tideless
The rivers are running upstream
The copper skyway a constant reminder of all the things we have lost
Of all the things that won’t come back
The joker has left the pack
The chant has just begun
The song must now be sung
For the word must now be spoken
The chant has just begun
(Page update 03/04/2024)