‘Knife Edge (1984 E-Zee Hire demo)’ [5:51] (Macdonald/Peters), The Alarm
Lead Vocals:Mike Peters
Lyrics
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Petrol fumes, littered street and the beauty of unemployment The writings on the walls of empty houses Going to waste I'm living on a knife edge On the breadline Taking all the hard sell Looking for a life line When you ain't got nothing in this world It makes you feel useless It gives you nothing to live for Nothing to die oh no no And I'm burning up burning up burning up I got nowhere to go I've got it all to give And no-one to give it to That's why I'm looking for you For someone to whom I can prove That I ain't through I'm alive and that's the truth I'm living on a knife edge On the breadline I'm taking all the hard sell I'm looking for a life line On the knife edge There's only one way out (Hey now) And society's doors get slammed in my face 'Cause I ain't got what they want I ain't got enough of this or that I ain't got no qualifications And I'm fired up, fired up, fired up And I can't do nothing to change it I just gotta sit back and wait for my chance to come That's why I'm looking for you For someone to whom I can prove That I ain't through Oh I'm alive and that's the truth I'm living on a knife edge On the breadline I'm taking all the hard sell I'm looking for a life line On the knife edge There's only one way out Petrol fumes, littered streets, with the beauty of unempolyment The writings on the walls of empty houses Going to waste There's cracks in the pavement There's cracks in society Cracks in that's cracking up I don't know about you But all I'm trying to do is survive I'm, I'm, I'm living on a knife edge On the breadline Taking all the hard sell Looking for a life line I'm on a knife edge I'm living on a knife edge I'm on the breadline I'm taking all the hard sell Looking for a life line On the knife edge Oh no, there's only one way out There's only one way out Memories come flooding back The bitter pain of disappointment Of once of having love but now I only feel loss There's a pointlessness about it all I've gotta force that to the back of my mind Ah the important thing now Is just I've gotta survive I'M LIVING ON A KNIGEDGE I*M ON THE EDGE OF THE LINE I'M TAKING ALL THE HARD SELL I'M LOOKING FOR A LIFE LINE I'M LIVING ON A KNIFE EDGE I'M LIVING AT THE END OF A LINE I'M TAKING TAKING ALL THE HARD SELL JUST LOOKING FOR THE LIFE LINE I'M LIVING ON A KNIFE EDGE I'M LOOKING FOR YOU NOW
Notes
:Different lyrics and longer than final versiion
Recorded 29th-30th November 1984: E-Zee Hire Studios, London. Demo tape sessions recorded by live sound engineer Nigel Luby. The band sent these tapes to America in December 1984 to legendary US record producer Jimmy Iovine who agreed to record the band in January 1985. The album was going to be titled “Absolute Reality” and a tour was booked to coincide with its projected release. Unfortunately, Iovine never came to Britain to record with The Alarm, Iovine claimed an illness in his family prevented him from travelling. However, it didn’t stop him recording “Once Upon A Time” for Simple Minds. Rumour has it that The Alarm were gazumped by Simple Minds who secured Iovine’s services for a larger advance payment.
Mike Peters Notes
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Dave Sharp Notes
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Eddie MacDonald Notes
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Nigel Twist Notes
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