The Kids Are Alright (The Who)

12 AUGUST 1966

The Who released ‘The Kids Are Alright’ during this month. It reached #41 on the UK charts, nine months after being featured on their debut album ‘My Generation’. This was one of four singles taken from that album (along with 'My Generation', 'A Legal Matter', and 'La-La-La Lies'), which is a pretty lazy creative effort while bands such as the Beatles were releasing non-album singles like 'Day Tripper' and 'Paperback Writer'. Still, the Who did have 'A Quick One' to come later that year.

This song feels very much like what it was - a straightforward 1965 powerpop track devoid of the experimentation and hints of psychedelia that was creeping into most new new rock music of later '66. It was still a very decent bit of music, however, and one of the better tracks from the album.

B-side: 'The Ox (instrumental)' (UK), 'A Legal Matter' (US) 

Recorded: 13 October 1965, IBC Studios, London 

Released: 12 August 1966 (UK), July 1966 (US) 

Highest chart position: #41 (UK), #8 (Sweden)

Length: 3:05 (UK), 2:45 (US) 

Label: Brunswick (UK), Decca (US) 

Writer: Pete Townshend

Producer: Shel Talmy