The Alarm's "Rain in the Summertime": C or D?

Bleck. Not to be content with ripping off U2's early sound they went ahead and ripped off U2's Eno sound. Having said that, "Shelter" from the same album is quite good.

First time I heard it, I thought it WAS U2.

Hahaha! I was just about to start a thread for this song and for once, there already is one!

I really liked this song a lot, and some months ago I saw the LP it's from on sale for $0.99 ("Eye Of The Hurricane" - I have no idea if the rest of it is any good)and I jumped at the chance just so I could play this song again. I think this song is great not only because it has an amazing tune, but that techno/synth thing in the background just fucking WORKS. In fact, I dare say it was ahead of its time as acid house hadn't even happened yet, and strangely enough it doesn't sound dated today.

I guess I should qualify all this by noting that normally I find the Alarm to be a terribly embarassing band. I mean, sure, when I was 15 I had the "Strength" album - even got to see them live on that tour which was rather remarkable since my hometown was pretty small. I even kept the 'Spirit of '76' bandanna (or was it 'Spirit of '86' it said on it? I can't remember now). It's gathered a lot of dust in my parent's house. But I think if I ever heard that album again I'd just cringe. I never could come to grips with their earlier material either - what was that one about 'guns'? 68 Guns or something? Blech.

I even heard what they sounded like in the punk days when they were called Seventeen, and it still didn't sound all that great.

I was amused to skim the Alarm threads here, though and learn that they actually had a hit single this year in the UK! Who'd have thought?

I love Alarm, and I find them terribly underrated.

This song, however, was the beginning of the end for them. Cheap and heavily outdated late 80s digital synths backing a song that is nowhere near the quality of masterpieces such as "68 Guns", "Spirit Of 76" and "Knife Edge".

Well, any opinion is welcome, thanks Geir.

quickly becoming one of my favorite songs of the decade.

I was playing guitar a couple days ago and somehow the opening riff from "Shelter" got stuck in my head and I couldn't rest until I had played it for a hour straight.