25 Years after Declaration: The Alarm are still Marching On

Was it really 25 years ago that The Alarm punched out the Declaration album. It is still one of my favorite albums and The Alarm in the newer form still are my favorite band. Twenty-five years! That is half of my life. I remember buying this at a record shop in Brockton, Massachusetts the first day it was released. I could find a lot of their EPs and other singles at that store. I am not sure I was in sync with the band's hairdos but the music was thrilling and to this day I can say that these are some great songs that have held up real well over the years. Songs like Sixty Eight Guns, Marching On, Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke, We Are the Light, Shout to the Devil, Howling Wind, and Blaze of Glory are all classic Alarm songs. Take a look at the songs on the album.

Declaration
Marching On
Where Were You Hiding When the Storm Broke?
Third Light
Sixty Eight Guns
We Are the Light
Shout to the Devil
Blaze of Glory
Tell Me
The Deceiver
The Stand (Prophecy)
Howling Wind

Here is a great and energetic video of Declaration and Marching On performed live by The Alarm.



Declaration

...We're the young who stand up
We must never be silenced
We've gotta speak up now
For all our sakes
And lift our voices higher
`Let's sing our song
Keep on marching marching
And never forget
About the power on the right side
Fights the power on the left
We have got to stand together
Forget the east and west
'Cause there's another voice crying in the ghetto
Another mouth to feed
Another heart beating in the ghetto
Another soul to set free

(And we'll go)
MARCHING ON
Hear our sound hear our voice
We're growing stronger
(And we'll go)
MARCHING ON
We're not alone and we're keeping on, we're going
MARCHING ON '''


Here is the classic video of Sixty Eight Guns.



Every alarm concert should end with Blaze of Glory



Even Bono sings along (wasn't this song written about U2?)



Blaze of Glory

It's funny how they shoot you down
When your hands are held up high
And you open up your heart and soul
But that's not enough for most.

I remember this much
There is nothing
You shouldn't speak of
If you got something to say
And there is no one
To be scared of
Just get them out of the way

GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
My heart is open wide
You can take anything that you want from me
there is nothing left to hide

GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
my hands are held up high
I'm learning how to hit back
I'm learning how to fight

The law of the jungle says
You look after yourself
But I remember this much
I love as I've been loved myself.

Don't forget what I told you now
When the question keeps on coming
And it's "How much more can you take"
When they've ripped your clothes to pieces
"Shouldn't you be gone by now"

But you keep on
GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
Setting your sights for the sky.
They can offer you anything at all
But your dreams must not be sold.
GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
No price is high enough
I'm fighting back with feeling
I'm fighting back with love

When the nails are biting into your hands
And the cross is heavy on your heart
Now is the time to really make a stand
MY HANDS ARE HELD UP HIGH.

(Going out)
IN A BLZE OF GLORY
(Going out)
IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
(Going out)
IN A BLAZE OF GLORY

GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
My heart is open wide
You can take anything that you want from me
But you cannot take my soul

GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
My hands are held up high
I'm learning how to hit back
Yes I'm learning how to fight

GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
Going out with my heart wide open
Going out with my hands held high

GOING OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
(repeat)

Fighting back with love
Fighting back with LOVE!
No price is high enough
To take my soul, to take my soul
To take my soul

It's funny how they shoot you down
when your hands are held up high

(Keep on going with my hands held high)


Here is a 1986 video of Howling Wind:



Howling Wind

Love on this wasteland holds no dominion
I refuse to lay me down
On the grapevine comes the saying
"Son, you'll reap whatever you sow"
I sow the seeds of my love
Deep undying true love I sow

There is beauty out there somewhere
I will leave no stone unturned
There's a guitar and a bugle
I hear the sound of distant drums
Fire and water rage through my mind
(Love on)
Love on this wasteland
I cannot find

And there is a HOWL HOWL HOWLING WIND
A ringing around my ears
And a wild wild wind is a blowing
Tearing down my tears

There is virtue truth abounding
Peace will come to everyman
And there's a landmark on the skyline
There is a sign standing in the road
Sail on my brother
Sail on through the night
(Love on)
Love on this wasteland is waiting on down the line

And there is a HOWL HOWL HOWLING WIND
A ringing around my ears
And a wild wild wind is a blowing
Tearing down my tears

Forty days in the desert sand
Forty nights on my hands and knees
Forty days in the howling wind
In the howling wind

Love on this wasteland holds no dominion
I refuse to lay me down
On the grapevine comes the saying
"Son, you'll reap whatever you sow"
I sow the seeds of my love, my love
Deep undying true love's what I sow

There's a HOWL HOWL HOWLING WIND
A ringing around my ears
And a wild wild wind is a blowing
Tearing down my tears

And there's a HOWL HOWL HOWLING WIND
A ringing around my ears
And there's a wild wild wind is a blowing
Tearing down my tears


Great stiff indeed even after one-fourth of a century!