Alright (Jamiroquai song)

"Alright"
Single by Jamiroquai
from the album Travelling Without Moving
Released	28 April 1997 (1997-04-28)
Length	4:25 (album version) 3:39 (radio edit)
Label	Sony Soho Square
Songwriter(s)	Jamiroquai Toby Smith
Producer(s)	Rick Pope
Jamiroquai singles chronology
"Cosmic Girl" (1996) "Alright" (1997) "High Times" (1997)
Music video
"Alright" on YouTube
Audio sample
file help

"Alright" is a song by British funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released as the third single from their third studio album, Travelling Without Moving (1996). The song, written by Jamiroquai, contains samples from Eddie Harris' "It's All Right Now" and Idris Muhammad's "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This". "Alright" was released on 28 April 1997 via Sony Soho Square in the United Kingdom, peaking at number six on the UK Singles Chart and at number two in Iceland. It is the group's only single to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 78, becoming their biggest US hit. The music video, directed by Vaughan Arnell, features the band performing the song at a party.

Critical reception

Shaun Carney from The Age stated that "speedier workouts" such as 'Alright' "succeed".^[1] J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun commented, "So when the bassline in 'Alright' slips into a pattern reminiscent of the Yarbrough and Peoples oldie 'Don't Stop the Music', the reference comes across less as theft than as a "gosh, that sounds familiar" reminder. Obviously, credit for some of that belongs with the band itself, which clearly has enough ideas of its own not to need to borrow."^[2] Paul Verna of Billboard magazine named 'Alright' a highlight of the album, describing it as "upbeat".^[3] Dennis Kelly from The Morning Call felt the band's "mimicking of '70s disco, funk, soul and jazz fusion is well executed" on tracks like 'Alright'.^[4]

A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, constating that "with its delicious retro funky grooves and pleasing chorus, this latest gem from Travelling Without Moving will land Jay Kay and co with one of their biggest hits to date."^[5] Ted Kessler from NME declared it as a "bittersweet" gem, with Kay's "fairy-lit disco". He added further that We'll spend the night together/Wake up and live forever is "the epitome of Jay's romantic lyrical vision."^[6] Sam Taylor from The Observer remarked its "effortless swank".^[7] Aidin Viziri from Salon said the singer "keeps the party alive with unbridled enthusiasm" exploring lust.^[8]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Alright" was directed by British director Vaughan Arnell,^[9] and takes place at a luxury party. Jay Kay is filmed singing in an elevator with the rest of Jamiroquai. Then, they perform the song, and at the end of the clip, the crowd were singing the chorus taken from live footage in Argentina. The video starts as a sequel of "Cosmic Girl", with Jamiroquai appearing in sports cars, and Kay was driving the same Lamborghini while parking it at the entrance of the party.^[10]

Legacy

In a 2016 retrospective review, Justin Chadwick from Albumism named 'Alright' the "strongest song" on Travelling Without Moving, describing it as "headnod-inducing" and a "bass-fueled reverie that celebrates the myriad possibilities of newfound love", with a "refreshingly optimistic" Jay Kay proclaiming to the object of his affection". He added, "Without question, it's still my personal favorite, not just from Travelling, but across the band's entire recorded repertoire."^[11] In 2017, Billboard magazine ranked it number 73 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997". Billboard editor Andrew Unterberger wrote, "Sure, 'Virtual Insanity' is the Jamiroquai hit people remember, but that's 80% because of the brilliant domestic suffocation and dope-ass choreography of the music video; real Jay Kay heads know that the disco-funk of follow-up single 'Alright' was really where it's at. Sadly, the song's popping bass and squelching synths got it stuck somewhere in between Top 40 and alternative radio at the time; a half-decade later, it would prove the falsetto-laden model for any number of watered-down Maroon 5 smashes."^[12]

Track listings

• UK CD1

1. "Alright" (radio edit) – 3:40
2. "Alright" (version – vocal) – 6:04
3. "Alright" (dub – vocal) – 5:34
4. "Alright" (D.J. – Version Excursion) – 6:47

• UK CD2

1. "Alright" (full-length version) – 4:23
2. "Alright" (Tee's in House Mix) – 7:20
3. "Alright" (Tee's Digital Club) – 7:15
4. "Alright" (Tee's Radio Jay) – 3:27

• 2006 digital EP

1. "Alright" (Fred Falke & Alan Braxe Remix) – 6:10
2. "Alright" (Todd Terry's in House Remix) – 7:20

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[13] 84 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[14] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 38 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[16] 13 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[17] 35 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[18] 13 Germany (GfK)[19] 98 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[20] 2 Italy (Musica e dischi)[21] 6 Scotland (OCC)[22] 8 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 6 UK Dance (OCC)[24] 3 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[25] 1 UK Club Chart (Music Week)[26] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[27] 78 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[28] 7 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[29] 39 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[30] 84

Year-end charts Chart (1997) Position UK Club Chart (Music Week)[31] 25

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	28 April 1997	12-inch vinyl CD	Sony Soho Square	[32]
Japan	28 May 1997	CD	Epic	[33]
United States	21 July 1997	Alternative radio	Work	[34]

References

1. Carney, Shaun (3 October 1996). "Recordings". The Age.
2. Considine, J.D. (16 January 1997). "CD Reviews". The Baltimore Sun.
3. Verna, Paul (1 February 1997). "Travelling Without Moving". Billboard.
4. Kelly, Dennis (1 February 1997). "Disc Reviews". p. A34. The Morning Call.
5. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 March 1997. p. 8. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
6. Kessler, Ted. "Jamiroquai – Travelling Without Moving". NME. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
7. Taylor, Sam (20 October 1996). "Pop". p. 11. The Observer.
8. Viziri, Aidin (17 January 1997). "Sharps and Flats". Salon.com. Archived from the original on 2 September 2000. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
9. "Robin Brown - United Agents". United Agents. p. 2. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2014.
10. "Jamiroquai - Alright (Video)". YouTube. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
11. Chadwick, Justin (7 September 2016). "Jamiroquai's 'Travelling Without Moving' Turns 20: Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
12. Unterberger, Andrew (29 June 2017). "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 143.
14. "Jamiroquai – Alright" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
15. "Jamiroquai – Alright" (in French). Ultratop 50.
16. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 3384." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
17. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 20. 17 May 1997. p. 11. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
18. "Jamiroquai: Alright" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
19. "Jamiroquai – Alright" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
20. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (05.06.1997 – 11.06.1997)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 6 June 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
21. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 21. 24 May 1997. p. 14. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
24. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
25. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
26. "The Club Chart 2.11.97" (PDF). Music Week, in RM. 22 February 1997. p. 7. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
27. "Jamiroquai Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
28. "Jamiroquai Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
29. "Jamiroquai Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
30. "Jamiroquai Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
31. "The Club Top 100 of 1997" (PDF). Music Week, in RM (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 10 January 1998. p. 5. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
32. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 26 April 1997. p. 33. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
33. "オールライト | ジャミロクワイ" [Alright | Jamiroquai] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
34. "Be on the Lookout". Gavin Report. No. 2164. 18 July 1997. p. 48.