Courtney Barnett is an Australian singer/songwriter originally from Sydney,… Read Full Bio ↴Courtney Barnett is an Australian singer/songwriter originally from Sydney, New South Wales; later moving to Hobart, Tasmania[/placeform] where she began performing music in 2006 before relocating to Melbourne in 2010.

Barnett puts a lot of effort into sounding effortless. Her songs are wild and wooly and wordy, her lyrics plainspoken and delivered like she’s making them up on the spot.

Barnett was originally a part of several bands, including Immigrant Union and The Olivettes before focusing on her solo work. In 2012, Barnett started her own record label, Milk! Records, and recorded her debut EP I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris in a friend's lounge room and released it later that year. Late 2012 also saw the release of a new single, "History Eraser," which was backed with Jen Cloher's "Mount Beauty" for a split seven-inch release.

In 2013, Barnett released her second EP, How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. Along with "History Eraser," the EP spawned a second single, "Avant Gardener." Her second EP received international acclaim, taking her and the band, Dave Mudie (drums), Bones Sloane (bass) and Dan Luscombe (guitar) all around the world.

Barnett would later combine those two EP releases into one for The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, which was released internationally on 20 May 2013 via House Anxiety/Marathon Artists. It was named the album of the week by Stereogum.

Barnett's debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, she won four awards from eight nominations. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and International Female Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards.

In 2017, she released Lotta Sea Lice, a collaborative album with Kurt Vile.

Barnett's second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, was released in 2018.

Are You Looking After Yourself
Courtney Barnett Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Are you working hard, my darling
We're so worried, always thinking of you
And we just want you to be so happy, keep on going
I don't want no 9 to 5
Telling me that I'm alive and 'Man, you're doing well!'
Have you got some money saved up for those rainy days
You should start some sort of trust fund just in case you fail
My friends play in bands, they are better than everything on radio

Did you see that special on TV the other eve
No my TV, it stopped working when we got here (It's been four years)
Are you eating? You sound so thin
I don't know what I was thinking, I should get a job

I don't know what I was drinking, I should get a dog
Should get married, have some babies, watch the evening news

Overall Meaning

"Are You Looking After Yourself" by Courtney Barnett is a song that provides an insightful glimpse into the struggle of chasing dreams and the pressures that exist in modern-day society. The song begins with the singer addressing someone, possibly a loved one, inquiring if they are working hard and expressing concern over their well-being. Barnett goes on to lament the societal norm of a typical 9-5 job, asserting that such a life is not for her.

She then touches upon the idea of saving money for rainy days and the possibility of failing. The singer points out the reality that most people face in society, the need for a safety net in case of failure. Barnett then comments on her friends who play in bands and how they are better than everything on the radio, highlighting the beauty of creativity and the potential of the individual.

The song ends with the pressure of getting married, having babies, and watching the evening news, drawing attention to the societal expectation of settling down and conforming to the norm.

Overall, "Are You Looking After Yourself" is a compelling song that questions the societal expectations and norms that exist, and implores individuals to find and follow their dreams bravely.

Line by Line Meaning

Are you working hard, my darling
Is your job taking up most of your energy, dear?

We're so worried, always thinking of you
We care about you a lot and constantly fret over your well-being.

And we just want you to be so happy, keep on going
We hope that you're content with the path you're taking and that you don't falter along the way.

I don't want no 9 to 5
I don't want a typical 9 to 5 job as they're too restrictive and dull.

Telling me that I'm alive and 'Man, you're doing well!'
I don't want a job to define me and determine my worth as a person.

Have you got some money saved up for those rainy days
Do you have any savings in case of rough times ahead?

You should start some sort of trust fund just in case you fail
It might be sensible to create a financial cushion in case things don't go as planned.

My friends play in bands, they are better than everything on radio
My friends' bands are extremely talented and much more worthy of attention than the mainstream music industry.

Did you see that special on TV the other eve
Did you happen to catch that particular program on TV the other night?

No my TV, it stopped working when we got here (It's been four years)
My TV hasn't been functioning since we arrived here, which has been around four years now.

Are you eating? You sound so thin
Are you taking good care of yourself? You sound quite slim.

I don't know what I was thinking, I should get a job
I realize now that I need to become employed.

I don't know what I was drinking, I should get a dog
I'm not sure why I was imbibing, but maybe getting a pet dog would be sensible.

Should get married, have some babies, watch the evening news
Maybe settling down, having kids, and keeping up with current events on TV would be the best course of action.

Contributed by Nolan P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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