I Feel Alright

Seems to written from the perspective of a drug user or maybe a dealer. I can't tell if he feels alright because he's using, or because he's not using for a change. Great song, and very catchy.

i think it's talking about how he was into drugs at one point. The last like "Because I've been to hell and now I'm back again" is saying how he's clean now.

This song was also played during the season 2 finale of The Wire, and Steve Earle plays a character during the 1st and 5th seasons as a recovering drug abuser.

I think that at least some of this is kind of a personification of drugs and/or the use of them. For example:

Now some of you would live through me Lock me up and throw away the key Or just find a place to hide away Hope that I'll just go away

Some people use drugs to live a different life, some would like to attack the drugs (War on Drugs), and most people just ignore the problem. If you aren't living on the corner, then you aren't dealing with the consequences. Just ignore the drug problem and hope that it'll just go away.

He continues with the personification here:

I got every thing you want or need Your darkest fear, your fondest dream I ask you questions, tell you lies Criticize and sympathize

That sounds to me the viewpoint of the drugs, especially from someone who's used: there are both highs and lows that come from drugs and they can get in your head with criticisms and sympathy.

Anywho, that's just my 2 cents. It's a great song and a great fit to the end of the Wire season 2, especially when Nick is realizing the negative aspects that the drugs have brought him after living with all the highs.