Though his name is sometimes assumed to be a pseudonym due to its similarity to German composer Kurt Weill, it is in fact his birth name, as given by his parents Donna and Charles Vile.
Vile began his musical career in 2003 creating lo-fi home recordings with frequent collaborator Adam Granduciel. The duo subsequently formed the indie rock band The War on Drugs in 2005. Vile departed following the release of their debut studio album, Wagonwheel Blues, in 2008.
Vile's music has been likened to Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, and Tom Petty. His first album for Matador, titled Childish Prodigy was released in October 2009. Prior to signing with Matador, Vile released two albums, God Is Saying This To You and Constant Hitmaker, on Mexican Summer and Woodsist, respectively. He plays both solo shows as well as shows with a backing band called The Violators.
Smoke Ring For My Halo, released in March of 2011, is Kurt Vile's fourth album and second official release for Matador Records. Uncut placed the album at number 14 on its list of "Top 50 albums of 2011" and garnered Vile the iTunes #Rewind2011 Singer/Songwriter Album of the Year. Vile followed up the widely acclaimed album with the six-song EP release, So Outta Reach, in November of the same year. The EP was composed of tracks originating from the same sessions that birthed Smoke Ring for My Halo. So Outta Reach includes the single 'The Creature', acknowledged as one of Vile's best, and a driving rock cover of Bruce Springsteen's 'Downbound Train'.
He's Alright
Kurt Vile Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I swear i thought i was the only one
Each time i stop to get air well i'm still over there
The silhouette kid's swinging on a swing
Scrapes his knee and blooded brains
He shows his friends he's alive as he brags and he jives
Hey. He's alright. Yeah
They say makin up for lost time
Ain't makin up for much at all
Sometimes i think gettin older's oh so last year, yeah
But other times i grab the bull by the horns
Rip em off with calloused hands
Sometimes you cry like a child still get up in the mornin
I was a geezer just last night
Watchin TV no not understandin anything
I scrape my face on the clouds every time i get out
But that's day time
Some people they use up all their cash
Records and such just sit around but i don't care about that
People say i'm to blame i guess i think it's a shame
Oh, but I don't care. Yeah
In "He's Alright," Kurt Vile paints a picture of a beautiful, yet melancholic world where he finds himself feeling detached from the people around him. He opens the song referring to a place far away, "way over there where the wind comes from," which perhaps could be interpreted as a different emotional state. He then describes feeling alone in this place until he sees a silhouette kid swinging on a swing, who perhaps represents the carefree nature of childhood that Kurt Vile feels he has lost. The kid scrapes his knee and shows off the marks to his friends as a sign of his invincibility, which suggests a sense of pride in just being alive.
The chorus of the song, "hey, he's alright," could possibly be implying that while Kurt Vile himself doesn't feel okay, he can still appreciate the innocence and vibrancy of the world around him. The second verse juxtaposes the rush of feeling alive with the mundanity of getting older, which Kurt Vile sees as "oh so last year." He talks about how sometimes you have to face your challenges head-on, "grab the bull by the horns," and other times you can't help but feel like a child, crying but still getting up in the morning.
The last verse of the song presents a more nihilistic view of life, talking about people who waste their money on records and such. Kurt Vile seems to feel disconnected from these people, and they don't understand him either. He's resigned to people saying he's to blame, but he doesn't care. The song ends on this note, as a sort of self-affirmation that while he may feel isolated from the world around him, he's still okay with that.
Line by Line Meaning
Way over there where the wind come from
In a distant place where the wind blows, where he felt lonely and left behind.
I swear i thought i was the only one
Feeling hopeless and alone, he believes he's the only one experiencing these negative emotions.
Each time i stop to get air well i'm still over there
He tries trying to breathe, but his fears and doubts overwhelm him.
The silhouette kid's swinging on a swing
A young kid swings gently, providing a symbol for the joys of life.
Scrapes his knee and blooded brains
The kid falls and injures himself, showing how life is painful and unfair at times.
He shows his friends he's alive as he brags and he jives
Despite being hurt, the kid doesn't let it get him down and instead celebrates his life.
Hey. He's alright. Yeah
Despite setbacks, it's important to enjoy life and stay positive.
They say makin up for lost time
Many people believe that they can make up for time they've already lost.
Ain't makin up for much at all
However, in reality, it's difficult to make up for lost time, as it doesn't change the present.
Sometimes i think gettin older's oh so last year, yeah
Growing older can be discouraging and unfulfilling though sometimes.
But other times i grab the bull by the horns
However, sometimes he takes charge and faces life head-on.
Rip em off with calloused hands
He approaches life with rough, tough hands, refusing to let it beat him down.
Sometimes you cry like a child still get up in the mornin
Experiencing challenges in life doesn't need to stop you from moving forward with your day.
I was a geezer just last night
He sees himself as old and feeling disconnected from life.
Watchin TV no not understandin anything
He is confused and lost, unable to understand what's going on around him.
I scrape my face on the clouds every time i get out
Despite his struggles, he continues to reach for a better life.
But that's day time
This is only true while he's awake during the day.
Some people they use up all their cash
Other people spend all their money on things that bring them temporary pleasure.
Records and such just sit around but i don't care about that
He doesn't care for materialistic things, as they don't hold meaning to him.
People say i'm to blame i guess i think it's a shame
He's blamed by others for some reasons but it doesn't affect him at this point.
Oh, but I don't care. Yeah
He is indifferent to the negative opinions people might have about him.
Contributed by Jason R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jaygraham2467
Kenny powers brought everyone to this moths fuckin party
@bradsuske846
jay graham
@bradsuske846
Kenny fuckin Powers
@Lauren_MUFC16
I fell in love with this song when i heard it on eastbound and down...i swear i have listened to it at least 400 times, and it never gets old....it has such an awesome melody....reminds of fall, and the leaves coming down having a big bonfire with my friends,...great song!!
@ovmeygat
PunkRockGirl24 I probably haven't listened any song more than this beauty. It s been 6 years past after you wrote this comment but I wonder if you are still listening this one or you forgot this song already.
@Jordan-uc3rk
Anyone still here.. are yall dead, have you lost the account? Are we happy?
@Pyrethryn
Just checking in from 2023, this song is still amazing.
@Lauren_MUFC16
@@ovmeygat I still love this song 😃
@Lauren_MUFC16
@@Pyrethryn yes it is! 🙂
@SlyRy
Sometimes it's really hard to like Kenny Powers, yano? But when deep and serious, this show can hit you. It captures lifes bittersweetness. We can relate to him because we all make mistakes and people won't like us the same for them. Things don't end up the way we hope. But We're Alright.