A Quiet Assurance Amid Cosmic Questions
“It’s Alright” by The Osmonds, a modest gem tucked into their ambitious 1973 concept album The Plan, delivers a soothing, gentle assurance amid a record steeped in doctrinal wonder and existential longing.
This track does not carry the weight of a career-defining single: The Plan itself peaked around #58 on the Billboard Top LPs chart, and its singles — like “Goin’ Home” and “Let Me In” — only achieved moderate success. Yet, in the larger tapestry of The Osmonds’ evolution, “It’s Alright” plays a vital, unexpected role — a whispered lullaby in the midst of cosmic ambition.
By 1973, The Osmonds were several albums into their career, having made their mark with teen-pop hits and soulful harmonies. But with The Plan, they attempted something radically different: a concept album rooted in their Mormon faith, exploring the “Plan of Salvation” — an idea central to Latter-day Saint theology. They envisioned a work on a scale akin to rock’s great conceptual journeys, even though, as Alan Osmond once admitted, the commercial risk they were taking was enormous.
Amid tracks of spiritual searching — from “War in Heaven” to “Are You Up There?” — “It’s Alright” arrives as a moment of grounded comfort. Clocking in at just 2:36 on the LP, it’s one of the shorter, more understated moments. Rather than a grand proclamation, its simplicity is its strength: a lilting melody, soft harmonies, and lyrics that repeat a refrain of reassurance (“Alright, oh, it’s alright”) with a childlike earnestness.
The Osmonds — particularly Alan, Merrill, and Wayne, who penned most of The Plan — crafted this song not as a pulpit sermon, but as a domestic benediction. As noted in contemporary reflections, “It’s Alright” has been characterized as “a cheerful, silly shuffle” in contrast to the weightier, more theatrical pieces on the album. It’s this contrast that makes it quietly revolutionary: amid epic spiritual drama, it speaks in the voice of a brother or friend, not a prophet.
Lyrically sparse though it may be, “It’s Alright” carries emotional ballast. The repeated promise of “alright” works on multiple levels: as reassurance of personal safety, as affirmation of faith, and as a gentle cradle for doubt. In the context of The Plan, which navigates themes of mortality, redemption, and purpose, this track becomes a sanctuary — a space where grand theology yields to human vulnerability.
Musically, it’s not overproduced: the arrangement feels intimate, almost conversational, with subtle backing rather than bombastic orchestration. That restraint underscores the song’s role in the album: not a climactic finale, but a soft interlude, inviting listeners to pause, breathe, and center themselves.
From a cultural standpoint, “It’s Alright” demonstrates The Osmonds’ willingness to be more than pop idols. They weren’t just singing bubblegum melodies for teenage fans — here, they let their faith inform art in a way that respected both. For many listeners, especially Latter-day Saints, The Plan has deep personal resonance; “It’s Alright” offers a moment within that framework that feels less doctrinal and more deeply human.
Though “It’s Alright” was never a chart-topping single, its legacy lies in what it represents: a band experimenting with maturity, spirituality, and musical identity. The Plan may not have brought The Osmonds their biggest commercial triumph, but over time it has earned respect among listeners who appreciate its sincerity and ambition.
In the grand narrative of The Osmonds, “It’s Alright” stands as a humble but profound affirming whisper — a reminder that even amid cosmic questions or spiritual striving, sometimes the greatest comfort is the simplest reassurance: “It’s alright.”