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"The Kids Are Alright" is a song written by Pete Townshend of The Who. It appears as the seventh track on the group's first album, My Generation (1965). This song and the album's title track would become anthems for the group and the Mod movement of England in the 1960s. It would later become the name of the documentary for the band in 1979.The song features a standard I-IV-V chord progression in the key of D while the chorus uses a II-V-IV-I-II chord progression. It has been said that Townshend heard a Henry Purcell piece on the piano, prompting him to re-work the melody and harmony for the chorus of the song.[citation needed]
The song has been covered by bands such as The Queers, Goldfinger, Eddie And The Hot Rods, The Pleasers, Dropkick Murphys, Hi-Standard, Green Day and Pearl Jam and surprisingly Belle & Sebastian who closed their set with it at the Bowlie Weekender in 1999.
In present-day live performances, The Who add a lengthy extra section to the end of "The Kids Are Alright", featuring partly improvised lyrics. After John Entwistle's death, the extra lyrics would occasionally make reference to him, and his love of old red wine, which would later inspire their song "Old Red Wine", a tribute to Entwistle.
This song was also the influence of the song The Kids Aren't Alright by The Offspring.
[edit] References
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The Who's singles discography |
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| UK Singles |
1964: " Zoot Suit" • 1965: " I Can't Explain", " Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere", " My Generation" • 1966: " Substitute", " A Legal Matter", " The Kids Are Alright", " I'm a Boy", " La-La-La-Lies", " Happy Jack" • 1967: " Pictures of Lily", " The Last Time", " I Can See for Miles" • 1968: " Dogs", " Magic Bus" • 1969: " Pinball Wizard" • 1970: " The Seeker", " Summertime Blues", " See Me, Feel Me" • 1971: " Won't Get Fooled Again", "Let's See Action" • 1972: "Join Together", "Relay" • 1973: " 5:15" • 1975: "Overture", " Squeeze Box" • 1978: " Who Are You" • 1981: " You Better You Bet", "Don't Let Go the Coat" • 1982: " Athena" • 1984: "Twist and Shout (live)" • 2004: "Real Good Looking Boy" • 2006: " Wire & Glass", " It's Not Enough", "Tea & Theatre"
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| B-sides |
1964: "I'm the Face" • 1965: " Bald Headed Woman", " Daddy Rolling Stone", " Shout and Shimmy" • 1966: "Circles" (aka "Instant Party"), "The Ox", " In the City", "The Good's Gone", "I've Been Away" • 1967: "Doctor, Doctor", " Under My Thumb", "Someone's Coming" • 1968: " Call Me Lightning", "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" • 1969: "Dogs Part II" • 1970: "Here for More", " Heaven and Hell", " Overture" • 1971: "I Don't Even Know Myself", "When I Was a Boy" • 1972: " Baby Don't You Do It", "Waspman" • 1973: "Water" • 1975: "See Me Feel Me.Listening to You", "Success Story" • 1978: "Had Enough" • 1981: "The Quiet One", " You" • 1982: "A Man Is a Man" • 1984: "I Can't Explain (live)" • 2004: "Old Red Wine" • 2006: "Mirror Door"
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| Other U.S. singles |
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