Sunday Music: But It’s Still Alright

Nathaniel Rateliff’s “And It’s Still Alright” is a tough, tough song packaged in an airy, acoustic, softly-lined shell. There’s a whole lot of brilliant writing and intense emotion going on here.

I’ll put the lyrics below, but when you listen, note the pacing and grouping of his phrases. There are parts where it feels like he’s holding back and others where the words start tumbling forward. It feels so… conversational (I think that’s it). Give the words a read and the song a listen.

ps. Just because it’s worth mentioning, I also really love that the song is called “And It’s Still Alright,” while the lyrics only ever say, “but it’s still alright.” That’s a conversation for another day. Enjoy.

It ain’t alright, the hardness of my headNow, close your eyes and spin aroundSay, hard times you could find, itAin’t the way that you wantBut it’s still alright

Late at night, do you lay around wondering?Counting all the lines, ain’t so funny nowSay, times are hard, you get this far, but itAin’t the way that you wantI’ll be damned if this old man don’tStart to count on his lossesBut it’s still alright

They say you learn a lot out thereHow to scorch and burnOnly have to bury your friendsThen you’ll find it gets worseStanding out on the ledgeWith no way to get downYou start praying for wings to growOh, baby, just let go

I ain’t alright, you keep spinning out aheadIt was cold outside when I hit the groundSaid, I could sleep here, forget all the fearIt will take time to growMaybe I don’t know

Hey, tonight if you think about itRemembering all the times that you pointed outSay, the glass is clear but all this fearStarts a-leaving a markYour idle hands are all that standsFrom your time in the darkBut it’s still alright