"68 Guns" is a song written by Mike Peters

Mike Peters (musician)

Mike Peters is a Welsh musician, best known as the lead singer of The Alarm. He currently lives in Dyserth, North Wales with his family. After The Alarm split up in 1991, Peters wrote and released solo work, which he has been releasing under the name "The Alarm" since 2000...

 and Eddie MacDonald.

It is the most famous song from Welsh band The Alarm

The Alarm

The Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...

.

Released in September 1983, the single was the fourth released by the band.

The track was recorded at Good Earth and mixed at Abbey Road.
"Thoughts of a Young Man" was recorded at Redham and mixed at The Townhouse..

Background and writing

The single was released on 7" vinyl and 12" vinyl.

It was included on the later album "Declaration".

The lyrics were inspired by a book that Peters read on the 1960's street gangs of Glasgow.

Track listing

All songs written by Mike Peters

Mike Peters (musician)

Mike Peters is a Welsh musician, best known as the lead singer of The Alarm. He currently lives in Dyserth, North Wales with his family. After The Alarm split up in 1991, Peters wrote and released solo work, which he has been releasing under the name "The Alarm" since 2000...

 and Eddie MacDonald unless otherwise indicated.

Credits

Bass - Eddie MacDonald

Drums - Twist

Guitar - Dave Sharp , Mike Peters

Keyboards - Ian Kewley

Photography - Harry Murlowski

Piano - Alan Shacklock

Trumpet - Arthur Fairlie

Vocals - Mike Peters

Charts

Chart (1983)	Peak position
Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...	-
Irish Singles Chart	-
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	17
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	-
U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...	-

Other releases

The song appeared on several other 'Alarm' releases:

As a live track on the maxi-version of the single Spirit of '76

As a live studio version on the single 45 RPM

45 RPM (The Alarm 45RPM)

"45 RPM" is a song written by Mike Peters and Steve Grantley.-Background and writing:This was the first official release by The Alarm since 1991, although it was advertised as "The Poppy Fields".The single was released on 7" vinyl and two CD editions....

 released by The Alarm

The Alarm

The Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...

under the name The Poppy Fields.

A further live version of note appears of Live [From a Broadcast] by Mike Peters. It includes an additional verse that was dropped during the early stages of writing.