Without A Fight is a song by The Alarm MMVI which first appeared on the Under Attack album released on 20th February 2006.
I show Steve the beginnings of a couple of new songs. ‘Cease And Desist’ and ‘Without A Fight’. Both these songs are up-tempo and by that I mean FAST. Something we learned from Steve Brown on the last sessions was that as we get ‘older’ we start to slow down. I can vividly remember pushing along all the ‘slow’ songs I wrote for the early ‘Alarm’. A slow one in those days was ‘Blaze Of Glory’…… We all want to make this album feel ‘energized’ and to do that the tempos have to be UP. We play faster and harder when we are on stage and we want to make this record sound like a band with a capital B. – Mike Peters Under Attack’ Recording Diary Entry #5
We decide to record another new song ‘ Without A Fight’. We run through the song in rehearsals, Steve is familiar with it from the first weeks jam session and Craig and James soon start to pick it up. It is sounding good, especially the intro. We keep going upstairs to listen and I am a bit disappointed that the chorus doesn’t seem to take off the way I thought it would. While James is taking a phone call, Craig and I go back to the rehearsal room. I am expressing my doubts about the chorus to Craig when I am reminded that when I wrote the song I had another different chorus with similar chords in mind but again wasn’t sure how it would work. When I play it back to Craig in this form it sounds much better than I thought it would. We experiment with trying to make both choruses work together. We end up with a bit of both choruses going at the same time and all of a sudden it starts to make sense. We get James off the phone and with Steve on the drums we the song comes together. We need an ending and I am again reminded of a guitar chord sequence that I think might fit. We give it a shot and the song is now complete. We record a guide take and Steve moves straight into the live room to record his master drum takes. We all leave Steve to it with Martin recording and they get a final drum track by about 8.00 p.m Mike Peters Under Attack’ Recording Diary Entry #13 Wednesday 8th June 2005
Steve and Martin do some work on editing / tidying up the drums on ‘Without A Fight’ before Steve leaves us for a weekend of gigs with ‘Stiff Little Fingers’. Myself, James and Craig are going to concentrate our energies on recording the guitar parts to the tracks we have already done. James Stevenson has just acquired a 1970’s Gibson Les Paul bass guitar which Craig is eager to try out on the album. The problem is we can’t find the right strings for it as it is a medium scale instrument. We finally track a set down but they won’t be here until the morning so Craig lays a guide bass part onto the track. James has also brought up a Vox A.C. 10 which I fancy trying out for my guitar part on ‘Without A Fight’. We set up the amp at the back of the control room in a cupboard which we have turned into an overdub booth. My guitar (1970’s Fender Telecaster) in the Vox A.C. 10 sounds great even though one of the valves is rattling slightly, technically we should clean it up but that’s not very punk rock so we decide to give it a go. My idea for the song was always for it to start out with a dirty chugging sound and this what we have before the main heavy guitar parts explode into life. The song sounds great and we are all very excited especially with the chorus. Job done. Mike Peters Under Attack’ Recording Diary Entry #14 Thursday 9th June 2005
2005 Under Attack album recording
Running length 3:34
Written by The Alarm MMVI
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Vocals, Electric Guitar
James Stevenson – Electric Guitar, Backing vocals
Steve Grantley – Drums, Backing vocals
Craig Adams – Bass Guitar, Backing vocals
Recorded at The Chapel Studios, Dyserth Wales, The Doghouse Studios, Henley-on-Thames, England
Recorded and engineered by Martin Wilding & George Williams
Produced by Martin Wilding, George Williams & The Alarm MMVI
Mixed by Pete Walsh at Abbey Road Studios, London
Mastered by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios, London
Click on image for official promotional video of The Alarm MMVI Under Attack Video Collection.
Without A Fight starts at around xx min xx seconds. This video was included on the CD/DVD version of the album in 2006
Under Attack (2006) album is available on Spotify
Alternative studio / session / podcast recordings
2017 Parr Studios Liverpool, Vans Warped Tour recording
(v) 10th June 2017. The Alarm – Vans Warped Tour Medley [1982-2017]
Running length 2:13
Musicians & Credits
Mike Peters – Lead Vocals, Electo-Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica
James Stevenson – Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
Steve “Smiley” Barnard – Drums, Backing Vocals
J.J. Haggar – Backing Vocals
Lucas Labrow – Backing Vocals
Andy Labrow – Backing Vocals
Produced by Mike Peters
Engineered and mixed by Tony Draper
Album appearances and discography of studio recordings
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
20th February 2006 : The Alarm MMVI – Under Attack
Released on CD by Liberty EMI Records UK, catalogue no 0094635146325
Released on CD/DVD by Liberty EMI Records UK, catalogue no 0094635146424
2005 original Under Attack album recording
(v) 25th February 2021 : The Alarm – Vans Warped Tour Medley [1982-2017]
Released on CD by The Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C127
2017 Parr Studios Liverpool, Vans Warped Tour recording
January 2023 : The Alarm MMVI – Under Attack (Remastered)
Released on Red Vinyl by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number ARCCLP006
Released on White Vinyl by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number ARCCLP006
Released on Black cover CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C130
Released on White cover CD by Twenty First Century Recording Company, catalogue number 21C130
2005 original Under Attack recording, remastered 2022
Officially released DVD – Studio ~ Session ~ Live
All the following are Worldwide releases except where stated
20th February 2006 : The Alarm MMVI – Under Attack
Released on CD/DVD in Europe by Liberty EMI Records UK, catalogue no 0094635146424
2005 original recording
Officially released live recordings – Audio
Lyrics – Under Attack
Try to stop me
I will carry on
Try to oppose me
I will prevail
My life has been shot down
I’m not ready to fall
Whenever you condemn me
You only make me strong
I get my strength from life itself
I get my water from the well.
I’ll never fall at your feet
I’ll never bow down if our eyes should meet
I’ll never give it up without a fight
Whenever you are called
Whenever you’re doubted
Whenever you are named
Whenever you are down
I still bleed when I get cut
I still get accused of being things I’m not
I’ll never fall at your feet
I’ll never bow down if our eyes should meet
I’ll never give it up without a fight
(to be verified)
Alternative lyrics ~ 2017 Parr Street, Liverpool Vans Warped Tour Medley
Try to stop me
I will carry on
Try to oppose me
I will prevail
My life has been shot down
I’m not ready to fall
Whenever you condemn me
You only make me strong
You only make me stronger
I’ll never give it up without a, without a, without a fight
never give it up without a, without a, without a fight
I’ll never give it up without, a fight
Whenever you are called
Whenever you’re doubted
Whenever you are named
Whenever you are down
All the way down
I’ll never give it up without a, without a, without a fight
Never give it up without a, without a, without a fight
I’ll never give it up
Never give it back
Without a fight
Without a fight
Fight back
Fight back
With all of you’ve got
With all that you are
With all that you can be
Fight back
Fight back
Oh oh oh oh
I’ll never give it up
Oh oh oh oh
Without a fight
Oh oh oh oh
I’ll never give it up
(Written by The Alarm MMVI)
(Page updated 19/10/2026)