It's Going To Happen by The Undertones

Album: Positive Touch (1981)

Charted: 18

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Songfacts®:

This song is about the Irish Republican Army (IRA) hunger strikes of 1981. The message is to the British Government: "It's going to happen, happen, 'til you change your mind."
This song was performed on the British TV show Top Of The Pops on the day Bobby Sands died as a result of the hunger strike. The band wore black armbands for the recording of the program. >>
Suggestion credit:
Lewys - Mold, Wales, for above 2

Comments: 6

El Hombre Malo from GlasgowHere's the bloke who wrote the song talking about Bobby Sands - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edk3Gj-0w4c
Jd from New ZealandOutstanding song, and for many reasons I think the Tones best or peak. That brass! That guitar! The vocal...
No doubt inferential of Bobby Sands' death.
What a band. What days we lived through.
Mick T from ScotlandSpend a bit more time on youtube Robbo, you will see the songwriter himself tell you he wore black armband on totp, and song was about hunger strikes.
John from Derry, IrelandThe guitar player wore a black armband on his right arm when they performed on TOTP. The lyrics were originally about the hunger strikes but they were changed. Best undertones song ever.
Mike from Bristol, EnglandThere was a BBC documentary about the Undertones called 'Here Comes The Summer', and they confirmed this song was inspired by the Hunger Strikes. They were going to wear black armbands on the TOTP performance, but most of the band didn't in the end.
Robbo from Auckland, New ZealandThe Top of the Pops clip is on YOutube and no, they're not wearing armbands.

Never knew what this song was supposed to be about but the Bobby Sands thing, or anything to do with the IRA, always sounded a bit far fetched to me.

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