THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

394-The Alarm-Sixty Eight Guns.

1983-Number 17 single.

Best Bit-At 4.50. Before they changed their name to The Alarm, they were called ‘The Toilets.’ It was a good idea to change the name.

The earliest incarnation of what would eventually become ‘The Alarm’ containing Mike Peters, (alias Eddie Bop) were formed in Rhyl, Wales, United Kingdom, in 1977, calling themselves The Toilets, and playing Punk Rock Music. In 1978, after band member changes they renamed themselves ‘Quasimodo,’ playing covers of ‘The Who’s’ songs, and being joined by guitarist Dave Sharp. Soon after there was another name change, this time to ‘Seventeen,’ where they were joined by this songs co-writer Eddie MacDonald. As ‘Seventeen’ they released one single in 1979 called ‘Don’t Let Go,’ on the ‘Vendetta’ label. In 1981 they once again changed the band name, this time to ‘Alarm Alarm,’ named after one of their earlier songs, but after the legendary Radio 1 DJ John Peel commented that with Duran Duran, Talk Talk, and now Alarm Alarm, perhaps he should call himself John Peel John Peel, so the name was shortened to ‘The Alarm.’ The band remained together until founding member Mike Peters left to pursue a solo career in 1991. Since 2000 Peters has resurrected the name, sometimes touring and recording as ‘The Alarm MM++’ with differing musicians. The Alarm released five studio Albums between 1984-1991, and 20 singles of which seven reached the UK top 40, with this song being the highest charting.

‘Sixty Eight Guns,’ or ’68 Guns’ was co-written by Mike Peters and Eddie MacDonald and was released in August 1983, and later added to The Alarm’s debut studio Album ‘Declaration’ from February 1984. The four band members who played on the track, and the Album were Peters, Sharp, MacDonald, and drummer Nigel ‘Twist’ Buckle, who had joined the band when they were known as ‘Seventeen.’

The lyrics to ‘Sixty Eight Guns’ were written by Mike Peters after reading a book called ‘A Glasgow Gang Observed’ by the Scottish author Patrick James, first published in 1973, but written in 1968, which is why there are 68 guns in the songs title. The book tells the story of the observations made by a warden of a borstal, he went out on to the streets undercover with an inmate who was let out at weekends, and he was seeing first hand the dangers in gang culture, and the changes in society in 1968. Mike Peters has said,’ It’s was about young people at that difficult age where you’re too cool for school, but not wise enough for adult life. So it’s about people like that, like I was once, and that’s how The Alarm grew.’

‘And now they are trying to take my life away, forever young I cannot stay, hey! On every corner I can see them there, they don’t know my name, they don’t know my kind.’