A version of the song was originally recorded for the Kid Jensen Radio One Session at BBC studios, Maida Vale, London (Recording date: 6th Nov 1983-Broadcast 15th Nov 1983). This was one of The Alarm’s very first unplugged sessions and also featured the first public airing of One Step Closer To Home”and with producer Alan Shacklock on piano, Walk Forever By My Side. The Alarm went on to play these songs many times during the acoustic section of the live shows in 1984. I always thought these songs were certain to be included on “Strength”, but somewhere along the way fate intervened and only Walk Forever made it onto the album. The Alarm never actually recorded Unbreak again, and IRS records had to gain permission from the BBC to release the version that finally came out with the Knife Edge 12″ single – Mike Peters – Second Generation album notes, 1995
Unbreak The Promise was first released as the B-side of the Knife Edge single released on 26th April 1986 using the BBC Sessions version
1983 BBC Radio 1 Session recording details
Running length 2:26
Written by Macdonald/Peters
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica
Dave Sharp – Acoustic Guitar, Backing vocals
Eddie Macdonald – Backing Vocals
Nigel Twist – Backing Vocals
Road Crew and Friends : Clapping & Stomping
Recorded at BBC Studios, Maida Vale, London W9, England 6th November 1983
Produced by Alan Shacklock and The Alarm
Alternative studio recordings : Re-recording ~ Remastered
(v) 1995 – Elevator Studios, Liverpool, England recording
Running length 2:54
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Acoustic, Electric and 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
2006 – Mike Peters In Session 2006 – WMFU-FM 14 May 2006
2011 – The Alarm – Unbreak The Promise 30th Anniversary EP version
2015 – The Alarm – Majority
Acoustic version ? date as per the version on 2018 Remaster of Declaration
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
2000 – The Alarm – Declaration [1984-1985]
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C011
(Part of the Alarm 2000 collection box set Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C018 and then later as an individual disc)
1983 BBC session recorded version remastered
2000 – The Alarm – The Alarm 2000 collection sampler
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C018
1983 BBC session recorded version remastered
2008 – The Alarm – Radio Sessions 1983-1991 BBC
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C045
13th February 1983 Kid Jensen Session version
2011 – The Alarm – The Sound And The Fury – 30th Anniversary Edition
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C056
2011 New recording.
16th March 20105 – The Alarm – Majority
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C071
2015 New recording. 
2018 – The Alarm – Declaration [1984-1985]
Released on CD & Double Vinyl by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number double vinyl LP 21C094 and double CD 21C096
Acoustic version remastered
Single/EP appearances and discography
UK Releases :
26th April 1986 : 12” Vinyl Knife Edge
Track listing 12″ : Knife Edge / Howling Wind (Radio Session) / (b Side) – Caroline Isenberg / Unbreak The Promise (Radio Session)
Released on 12″ vinyl single by IRS Records, catalogue number IRMT112
Netherlands Release :
April 1986: 12” Vinyl Knife Edge
Track listing 12″ : Knife Edge / Howling Wind (Radio Session) / (b Side) – Caroline Isenberg / Unbreak The Promise (Radio Session)
Released on 12″ vinyl single by IRS Records, catalogue number ILSA 12.6991
Worldwide Release
25th July 2011 : CD EP – The Alarm – Unbreak The Promise EP
Track listing : Unbreak The Promise [Featuring The Alarm Choir] / 81 2 91 / 92 2 00 / 01 2 11 / Unbreak The Promise [Live @ The Gathering 28 01 11]
2011 new studio recording version
Running length : 4:02
Live version Recorded at The Gathering 19, Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Prestatyn, Wales, 28th January 2011
Running length : 6:55
Released as a CD single by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C057.
Radio Sessions, Podcast and Multi-Media
13th February 1983 – Kid Jensen Session – Recorded for the BBC Radio One
First transmitted on 23rd February 1983 Running length 2:29
Performed by Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald, Nigel Twist
Released on CD in 2008 as The Alarm – Radio Sessions 1983-1991 BBC on Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C045
Officially released live recordings ~ Audio
All are Worldwide Releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
13th December 1983. Recorded live at The Paradise, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Running length 1:52
Band line up : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie 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)
14th February 1984. Recorded live at Hammersmith Palais, London W6, England
Running length 2:16.
Band line up : Mike Peters, Dave Sharp, Eddie Macdonald and Nigel Twist
Released on CD in 2002 as The Alarm Record Collectors Club Vol II – Hammersmith 1984. Catalogue number ARCC002
14th January 2000. Recorded at The Gathering 8, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales.
Running Length 2:14
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
24th August 2003. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running length 2:39
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2003 on Alarmstock Volume 6 – A Road Less Traveled
29th August 2004. Recorded at William Aston Hall, NEWI, Wrexham, Wales
Running Length 5:11
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2004 on Alarmstock 2 Volume 8 – The Peace Train
6th August 2005. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London NW8, England
Running Length 2:56
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III London Set 3 – A Fuse Has Been Lit In The House
20th August 2005. Recorded at Capitol Records Studio A, Los Angeles, California, USA
Running Length 2:15
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released in 2005 on Alarmstock III Los Angeles Set 3 – Like Sniffin’ Roses
22nd October 2010. Record at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Scotland
Running Length 2:30
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on CD in 2010 Mike Peters // The Alarm – Direct Acoustic MMX live in Glasgow, catalogue number 21C054
28th January 2011. Recorded at The Gathering 19, Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Prestatyn, Wales
Running length 6:55
Band line yup : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve “Smiley” Barnard, Mark Taylor and The Alarm Choir
Released in 2011 on CD – The Alarm – Unbreak The Promise EP, catalogue number 21C057
29th January 2011. Recorded at The Gathering 19, Pontins Prestatyn Sands Holiday Park, Prestatyn, Wales
Running length 6:27
Band line up : Mike Peters, James Stevenson, Craig Adams and Steve “Smiley” Barnard and Mark Taylor
Released in 2011 on CD/DVD – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2011 (audio disc), catalogue number 21CDVD015
Officially released live recordings – Video / DVD
All are Worldwide Releases on Twenty First Century Recording Company
(Except where stated)
12th January 2001. Recorded at The Gathering 9, The Town Hall, Rhyl, Wales
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on DVD in 2005 – The Alarm – The Gathering History, catalogue number 21CDVD003
28th January 2006. Recorded at The Gathering 14, The North Wales Conference Centre, Llandudno, Wales
Performed by Mike Peters acoustic
Released on DVD in 2006 – The Alarm – Live At The Gathering 2006, catalogue number 21CDVD007
Lyrics – 1983 BBC Radio Session
There’s something that must now be spoken
Now that all the barriers are broken down
I want to bury my words in the heartland soil
Too much has fell on stony ground
I never lost that true gut feeling
That a generation could bring change
And even though it’s been eroded
And wom away with time
I still believe we’ve got to try
I refuse to break
The promises we made
I will not forsake
The vow
Unbreak the promise
As the new wave sons are rising
All the rent books have been paid
For whatever you have borrowed
Don’t bring it back
It’s been stolen all before somewhere
As the outside gets sucked into the inside
The outcry’s always going to be heard
So before you start accusing
Just hold back on you tongue
By each man let this song be sung
I refuse to break
The promises we made
I will not forsake
The vow
Unbreak the promise
Alternative Lyrics
Audio & Visual Sources
Audio Link – Live version recorded at The Paradise, Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA on 13 December 1983 from the official The Alarm youtube channel
Audio Link – 1995 Second Generation recording version. Uploaded to youtube by Pete Cole
Audio Link – 2011 recording short version from the official The Alarm youtube channel
Audio Link – 2011 live recording long version from the official The Alarm youtube channel
(Page updated 11/03/2024)