Wayne riffs on the debut studio album by The Alarm entitled “Declaration” on the charts in August of 1984 (Declaration / Marching On / The Stand / Sixty-Eight Guns). ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: the Main Theme from the motion picture “Red Dawn.” STAFF PICKS: “Lights Out” by Peter Wolf — Brian. “Round and Round” by Ratt — Bruce. “Only When You Leave” by Spandau Ballet — Rob. “Midnite Maniac” by Krokus — Wayne. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK: “It's More Than You” by Stevie Wonder. **(NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.)
Welsh band The Alarm formed in 1981 out of a previous punk band called The Toilets. After extensive touring, the band would release their debut studio album entitled Declaration — released in February 1984 in vinyl and cassette, and the release on then-new compact disc (CD) format was in June of 1984. The album was on the charts in August when we feature it.
The band consisted of Mike Peters on lead vocals, harmonica, and acoustic guitar, Dave Sharp on backing vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, Eddie MacDonald on bass guitar and vocals, and Twist (aka Nigel Buckle, aka Nigel Twist) on percussion and vocals. Early on in their career the band members had Peters, Sharp, and Macdonald all playing acoustic guitars, but as the band gained popularity they decided it was in their best interest to differentiate into parts, with Peters on lead, Sharp on guitar, and MacDonald on bass.
The Alarm toured North America in 1984 as the opening act for U2 on the "War" tour, and there is a noticeable similarity between The Alarm and U2. Declaration dealt with the struggles of teen life from a politically and socially different perspective. This record sees the world of European youth in the early 1980's, not in black and white, but rather shades of grey and brown. These are not songs of suburbia, but the inner city filled with smokestacks and the ghetto filled with crying babies and laundry hung from string draped across the street from window sill to window sill.
While the band broke up in 1991, they reformed in 2004 and are both touring and still releasing albums as of 2022.
Declaration
This short song leads off the album, serving as an intro to the next song, the album, and the band. “Take this song of freedom. Put it on and arm yourself for the fight. Our hearts must have the courage to keep on marching on and on.”
Marching On
The punk roots of the band show on this post punk song about youth. The lyrics encourage the young to not let the world and their circumstances keep them from accomplishing great things. It is a song with a sense of hope.
The Stand
The Alarm was inspired to write the song from Steven King's book of the same name. Many of the characters from the novel are mentioned in the song, and it follows the Christian concept of the Rapture, as does the novel. It is off this album as reprise, but this version is actually from their previous EP.
Sixty-Eight Guns
This hit went to number 17 on the UK singles chart, and reached number 39 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States. The lyrics were inspired by a book that Peters had read about the 1960's street gangs of Glasgow. Peters said in a Songfacts interview that it was about young people at a difficult age then "you're too cool for school, but not wise enough or eligible enough for adult life."
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main theme from the motion picture “Red Dawn”
Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, and a well known cast of young actors were featured in this action movie about an invasion of heartland America where local teens form a guerilla force behind enemy lines in their home town.
STAFF PICKS:
Lights Out by Peter Wolf
Brian starts out the staff picks with this solo effort from the front man of The J. Geils Band. This is the title track to his debut album after Wolf split with The J. Geils Band. The band wasn't interested in moving in the pop rock direction that Peter Wolf desired.
Round and Round by Ratt
Bruce features a hard rocking hit from Ratt's album "Out of the Cellar." This is the band's biggest hit, going to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. It re-appeared on the Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales Chart at number 18 in 2020 after being used in a Geico commercial. The video featured Milton Berle, who was the uncle of Ratt's manager, Marshall Berle.
Only When You Leave by Spandau Ballet
Rob's staff pick is from Spandau Ballet's fourth album. Spandau Ballet had a smooth, almost crooner sound with New Wave roots. They were the first band that Bob Geldof approached for his Live Aid concert. Only When You Leave was the band's last song to be a hit in the United States.
Midnite Maniac by Krokus
Wayne rocks out with Swiss metal band Krokus. AC/DC inspired this band, though they take a little more progressive rock bent. They hit the Billboard Hot 100 with this song, becoming the first Swiss act to do so. The name comes from a flower common to much of Europe.
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
It's More Than You by Stevie Wonder
Wonder closes us out with this instrumental number from the motion picture "The Lady in Red," which was released this month with a soundtrack featuring a number of songs written by Stevie Wonder.