Whatever – (Song)

Whatever appears on the Forwards album released on CD and Vinyl on 16th June 2023, it is a song by The Alarm that was premiered via video on Monday 27th March 2023. This song will appear on on the forthcoming album Forwards. The song was released as a digital download / stream on 28th March 2023


“With an anthemic chorus that begs for a crowd singalong, “Whatever”, is the brand new track by The Alarm that fits perfectly in their oeuvre of earnest and guitar-charged bangers. It’s a return to form for the band, recalling chiming classics like “68 Guns,” “Spirit of ‘76” and “Rescue Me.” – The Big Takeover website

“Whenever I’ve been in hospital, I have projected my imagination towards recovery and the mountain summit has always been a place I aspire to get to as a sign of recovery,” says Mike Peters, vocalist/guitarist of THE ALARM who release their new single and video “Whatever” today, Marxh 28, 2023. The video, which shows Mike hiking up a mountain during a snowstorm, is symbolic of his struggle to make it back to good health, as Peters continues to rebound from a serious leukemia relapse in 2022. “If I can get back to the mountaintop, I’ll know I am on the right track.”

“I was inspired to write this song after hearing John Lennon sing ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ on the hospital radio. I thought to myself ‘Never mind the night, what am I going to do to get through life?’,” he told The Big Takeover, who premiered the video. He elaborates, “The song ‘Whatever’ was born soon after and it’s really about the most simple, yet most important things like family, friends and loved ones who help you in the hours of need and an appreciation of life’s fundamental gifts such as being able to breathe, talk and to walk.”

Filmed on Moel Hiraddug, a mountain in North Wales which “is literally right outside my front door in the village of Dyserth where I was born and raised,” the video carries a bit of symbolism in addition to portraying his uphill struggle with cancer. Carrying a retro relic of the ‘80s – the Sony Watchman, a suitcase and a mylar star balloon, Peters struggles amidst adverse conditions to make it up the summit to a television tower.

“All this carried me up the mountain towards an old abandoned tower that I have always been fascinated by,” he explains. “Often, when I look up to the mountain at night, I can sometimes see a light coming from inside the building and wonder who is up there and obviously using the place as a shelter. I tied my silver star (which is a symbol of the new record), to my suitcase of life belongings, and headed for the shelter. The snow was beginning to fall as I walked ever higher, and then with the wind picking up it literally felt like I was climbing through the life storm of recent times. I had brought an old Sony Watchman with me which was another symbol connecting the past to the future. Was this really the first portable screen I had owned, and precursor to the modern screens of devices that feed us news, information and psychobabble 24-7?” – Mike Peters March 27 2023 Wales UK

Click image for the Whatever video from official The Alarm YouTube channel



Forwards album recording details
Running length 3:20
Written by Mike Peters

Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Acoustic and Baritone Guitars
James Stevenson – Acoustic, Baritone Guitars, Backing Vocals
Steve ‘Smiley’ Barnard – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Jules Jones-Peters – Piano, Organ, Strings, Backing Vocals
George Williams – Additional Instrumentation

Recorded at Rock Hard Studio and Alycat Studio, Blackpool, England, Sunshine Corner Studios, England, Crusader Studios, Wales
Produced and Mixed by George Williams


Album appearance and discography of studio recordings


All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated

16th June 2023 : The Alarm – Forwards
Released on CD, Vinyl and Digital Download by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C131CD (CD), 21C131LP (White Vinyl) 21C131LPG (Green Vinyl)
2023 Forwards album recording

Single Appearance


28th March 2023 : Digital Download/Stream – Forwards
2023 Forwards album recording
Click Image to stream on Spotify

Lyrics : Forwards Single/Album Version

Hey hey yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah oh

There’s no where else I’d rather be
Than behind closed doors just you and me
No planes fly in the sky
There’s no where we can drive

Whatever gets you through this life
It’s alright (it’s alright)
Whatever gets you through these times
It’s alright (it’s alright)
It’s alright
Alright by me
Oh yeah
Alright

Every time the sun goes down
I say a little prayer
For when the morning comes
I count all my blessings and I say thank you
For the simple things in life

Whatever gets you through this life
It’s alright (it’s alright)
Whatever gets you through these times
It’s alright (it’s alright)
It’s alright
Whatever gets you through another hour
Whatever gets you through another moment

Whatever gets you through this life
It’s alright
Whatever gets you through these times
It’s alright
It’s alright
Alright by me
Yeah, oh yeah
(oh oh oh oh oh)
Alright
It’s alright
(oh oh oh oh oh)
It’s alright, alright
(oh oh oh oh oh)
It’s alright, alright, alright, alright
(oh oh oh oh oh)
It’s alright, alright, alright, alright
(oh oh oh oh oh)
It’s alright, alright by me
Whatever gets you through the moment
(oh oh oh oh oh)
Whatever gets you through the day
Whatever gets you through life
It’s alright

(Transcription verified 22/08/2023)

Audio & Visual Sources – 1 x Video


Click image for the Whatever video from official The Alarm YouTube channel

(Page Updated 22/08/2023)

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