Ilona Knopfler made a strong imp… Read Full Bio ↴Ilona Knopfler is a French jazz singer.
Ilona Knopfler made a strong impression with her 2005 recording for Mack Avenue, Live the Life. She was born in Paris to a mother who sang and a father who was a pianist. Knopfler began singing very early, performing at the age of six at the opening of a major hotel in Hong Kong. She traveled around the world with her parents. At 15 she was working as a backup singer for a rock band in Hong Kong when she discovered jazz. She spent three years singing with a trio and occasionally with two big bands at a Hong Kong jazz club. At 18, Knopfler moved to New York City for five years where she studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Since then, she has alternated between living in Atlanta and Paris. Her debut recording for Mack Avenue, Some Kind of Wonderful, features her interpreting rock and pop songs in jazz settings, while 2005's Live the Life has her joined by an all-star jazz group performing jazz standards.
Alfie
Ilona Knopfler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it just for the moment we live?
What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, Alfie
Then I guess it′s wise to be cruel
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie
As sure as I believe there's a heaven above, Alfie
I know there's something much more
Something even non-believers can believe in
I believe in love, Alfie
Without true love we just exist, Alfie
Until you find the love you′ve missed you′re nothing, Alfie
When you walk let your heart lead the way
And you'll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie
The lyrics to Ilona Knopfler's "Alfie" are a questioning reflection on the meaning of life, framed as a conversation with the titular Alfie. The song asks if life is just about living in the moment or if there is more to it; if we are meant to be selfish or kind, and if kindness is only for fools; and if strength is the only virtue or if there is a broader moral code. This leads up to the central thesis of the song: that love is the one thing that gives life true meaning and purpose. Without it, we are merely existing.
The refrain of "What's it all about, Alfie?" serves as a reminder that these are fundamental questions that each person must grapple with at some point in their life. The song encourages Alfie and the listener to believe in something beyond themselves - something that transcends their understanding or belief in a heaven or any deity. Rather, it is love that can be universally understood and felt, no matter what one's individual beliefs may be. The song concludes with a call to follow one's heart in search of love, as it is only through this search that we can truly live.
Line by Line Meaning
What's it all about, Alfie?
What is the meaning of life, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
Do we only live for the present moment, Alfie?
What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
When you figure it out, Alfie, what's the true meaning of life?
Are we meant to take more than we give
Are we supposed to be selfish, taking more than we give to others?
Or are we meant to be kind?
Or are we meant to show compassion and kindness to others?
And if only fools are kind, Alfie
If being kind makes you a fool, Alfie
Then I guess it's wise to be cruel
Then being harsh and unkind must be the better choice, Alfie
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie
If only the strong can survive in this world, Alfie,
What will you lend on an old golden rule?
What will you rely on, the old moral principles?
As sure as I believe there's a heaven above, Alfie
I am as certain as I can be that there is a heaven above, Alfie
I know there's something much more
I am positive that there is something much greater out there.
Something even non-believers can believe in
Something that even those who don't believe in heaven can trust in, Alfie
I believe in love, Alfie
For me, love is what I believe in, Alfie
Without true love we just exist, Alfie
Without genuine love, we simply go through the motions, Alfie
Until you find the love you've missed you're nothing, Alfie
Without experiencing love, you are incomplete, Alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
When you move forward in life, allow your emotions to guide you, Alfie
And you'll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie
If you trust your heart, you will come upon love one day, Alfie, Alfie
Writer(s): Gregory Kurstin, Lily Allen
Contributed by Leo E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.