This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I got rice cooking in the microwave
I got a three day beard I don't plan to shave
It's a goofy thing but I just gotta say, hey,
I'm doing alright
Yeah I think I'll make me some home-made soup
I'm feeling pretty good and that's the truth
It's neither drink nor drug induced, no,
I'm just doing alright
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good
It's been fifteen years since I left home
I said good luck to every seed I'd sown
Gave it my best and then I left it alone
I hope they're doing alright
Now I look in the mirror and what do I see
A lone wolf there staring back at me
Long in the tooth but harmless as can be
Lord I guess he's doin' alright
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good
Sometimes it's lonely, sometimes it's only me
And the shadows that fill this room
Sometimes I'm falling, desperately calling
Howling at the moon, ah-ooh, ah-ooh
Well, I might go get me a new tattoo
Or take my old Harley for three day cruise
Might even grow me a fu man chu
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good, ah-ooh, oh yeah
I got a three day beard I don't plan to shave
It's a goofy thing but I just gotta say, hey,
I'm doing alright
Yeah I think I'll make me some home-made soup
I'm feeling pretty good and that's the truth
It's neither drink nor drug induced, no,
I'm just doing alright
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good
It's been fifteen years since I left home
I said good luck to every seed I'd sown
Gave it my best and then I left it alone
I hope they're doing alright
Now I look in the mirror and what do I see
A lone wolf there staring back at me
Long in the tooth but harmless as can be
Lord I guess he's doin' alright
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good
Sometimes it's lonely, sometimes it's only me
And the shadows that fill this room
Sometimes I'm falling, desperately calling
Howling at the moon, ah-ooh, ah-ooh
Well, I might go get me a new tattoo
Or take my old Harley for three day cruise
Might even grow me a fu man chu
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good
And it's a great day to be alive
I know the sun's still shining
When I close my eyes
There's some hard times in the neighborhood
But why can't every day be just this good, ah-ooh, oh yeah
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
It's a Great Day to Be Alive Lyrics as written by Darrell Scott
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Darrell once commented before playing this song that he wrote it after being laid up for 3 days with a bad back from clearing some brush on his property. After 3 days of feeling sorry for himself, he finally realized things weren't so bad.
I love the way Darrell sings it, too. He has so much more emotion than the popular cover versions.