Simple Minds – Alive and Kicking
An anthemic love song that soared across skies and charts
In September 1985, Scottish rockers Simple Minds released “Alive and Kicking”—the lead single from their seventh studio album Once Upon a Time. Coming off the success of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” from The Breakfast Club soundtrack, the band was riding high, and this track proved they weren’t slowing down. Written by Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, and Mick MacNeil, the song marked a shift from art-rock experimentalism toward polished, stadium-sized ambition.
Produced by Jimmy Iovine and mixed by Bob Clearmountain, the single showed off a new sonic sheen while still holding on to the band’s emotional fire.
Big sound, bigger heart
With soaring guitar lines, soulful keyboard textures, and a rhythm section that never loses momentum, Alive and Kicking delivers pure anthemic energy. Kerr’s vocals are impassioned and wide open, and the addition of Robin Clark’s rich backing vocals brings depth, warmth, and a gospel-tinged lift that takes the chorus to the skies.
It’s high-gloss production with sincere emotion at its core.
Lyrics that live and breathe
The track centers on themes of love, resilience, and emotional vitality. Kerr doesn’t preach—he pleads, inspires, and celebrates with a line like: “Stay until your love is, alive and kicking.” It’s not just romantic—it’s full of life. The song pulses with that need to stay connected, to fight for what matters, and to hold onto something real.
Video in the wild
The music video, directed by Zbigniew Rybczyński, was shot in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, near the town of Hunter, at North–South Lake. Featuring the band performing in majestic natural landscapes, including forest backdrops and sweeping lake vistas, it reinforces the track’s expansive feel. You can practically feel the wind moving through it.
Chart highs and global reach
Alive and Kicking became one of Simple Minds’ biggest hits: It reached #3 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100, their highest US charting aside from “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”. In the UK, it landed at #7, and it topped charts in Italy. Elsewhere, it hit the Top 5 in Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and cracked the Top 10 in Canada, France, Norway, and New Zealand. In Australia, it peaked at #21.
The song was certified Gold in the UK and Canada, Platinum in New Zealand and Brazil, and became a long-standing radio favorite.
Still kicking after all these years
The band re-released the track in 1992 as a double A-side with “Love Song”, and it charted again—this time hitting #6 in the UK, proving its lasting appeal. It remains a concert favorite, regularly featured in Simple Minds’ setlists and best-of compilations.
Whether echoing through mountains or stadiums, Alive and Kicking still lives up to its name. It’s vibrant, emotional, and impossible not to move to.