The Kids Aren't Alright
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| "The Kids Aren't Alright" | ||
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| Single by The Offspring | ||
| Released | August 31, 1999 | |
| Format | CD | |
| Genre | Punk rock | |
| Label | Columbia Records | |
| Producer(s) | Dave Jerden | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| The Offspring singles chronology | ||
| "She's Got Issues" (1999) | "The Kids Aren't Alright" (1999) | "Original Prankster"(2000 |
| Alternate covers | ||
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| Import CD Single Cover | ||
"The Kids Aren't Alright" is the fourth single from The Offspring's album Americana. Its title is a reference to the Who song/documentary "The Kids Are Alright" (from My Generation).
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[edit] Meaning and Composition
The lyrics are inspired by a visit Dexter Holland made to his old neighborhood, Garden Grove in Orange County, California. Seeing that most of his friends met tragedy (car accident, nervous breakdown), he wrote the song, that details the ruined lives of a group of childhood friends. The four kids -- Jamie, Mark, Jay, and Brandon -- all had the potential to have extraordinary lives but each of them ending up throwing it away in a different fashion (Jamie got pregnant and dropped out of high school to raise children, Mark stays home playing guitar and smoking marijuana, Jay committed suicide, and Brandon "OD'D and died").
This fits well with the concept of the album: unpleasant realities of American life. In this case, children are promised they are growing up to a future of unlimited potential, but in reality, most of that potential is never realized.
The chord progression and lead guitar melody show a similarity to the song "String Bean Jean" by Belle and Sebastian. In addition, the song's introduction bears a striking similarity to the introduction of Welcome to the Jungle, by Guns N' Roses. This is believed to be a result of the feud between Dexter, and Axl Rose.
[edit] Music Video
The music video, released a month before the CD single [1], received heavy airplay on MTV. Directed by Yariv Gaber, the video features a lot of computer-generated imagery and was nominated for Best Direction on the MTV Video Music Awards.
[edit] Alternate Versions
- A live version of the song appears on the Hit That single. This version comes from a session recorded for BBC Radio 1, and features more subdued instrumentation than the original.
- The song is featured in the film The Faculty.
- An instrumental version of the song is occasionally played by the Spirit of Troy Marching Band of the University of Southern California.
[edit] Track listing
- "The Kids Aren't Alright"
- "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy) (Live)"
- "Walla Walla (Live)"
Some versions include the video for "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)". Others include a live version of "Why Don't You Get A Job?".
[edit] Trivia
- The song had two covers. The first depicted a scarecrow falling into the tentacles shown prominently in other single and album covers from Americana. This art also appeared in the accompanying booklet for the album. The second, alternate cover shows a young child reaching for a gun, with ominous blood near to it.
