From album
The Who
The Who · 1980 · Track 12
Details
TonalidadA#
Compás4/4
Tempo92 BPM
Duración4:57
CompositorPete Townshend
ÁlbumThe Who
Año1980
ISRCGBUM72500345
Credits
Music Pete Townshend
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The story behind
When you dive into The Kids Are Alright, you encounter an energy that feels very connected to the spirit of the times. The piece, written by Pete Townshend, first appeared on The Who's debut album, My Generation, in 1965. Although it wasn't immediately released as a single, its impact was felt gradually, reaching the charts in the UK and the United States about six months after the LP's release. It didn't reach the top spots, but along with the song that gives the album its name, it became an emblem for the band and for the mod movement in 1960s England.
The song's harmonic structure is quite straightforward in its main part, using a standard progression in the key of D major. However, the chorus introduces an interesting twist with a chord sequence that gives it a distinctive character. The version most people know is the one included on the singles, which differs slightly from the one that appears on the original album. Later, a fragment of this song is heard at the end of Helpless Dancer, on the album Quadrophenia. The piece also inspired the title of a documentary about the band released in 1979. Over time, The Kids Are Alright has been reinterpreted by a large number of artists, from Goldfinger and Green Day to Dropkick Murphys and Pearl Jam. Even Belle & Sebastian used it to close a show in 1999. In current The Who performances, an improvised section is often added at the end, sometimes paying tribute to John Entwistle and his fondness for red wine, something that would later inspire the song Old Red Wine.
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