We're Not Who You Think We Are
Album: Dead Man’s Pop
Year: 1989
. . .
Take your honor fast
When “Date to Church” first surfaced as the b-side of “I’ll Be You,” I really didn’t think that much of it.
I believe that we knew that Tom Waits was on it, but outside of the prominent Hammond B-3 — a right and proper sound on a gospel tune — there didn’t seem to that much Waits on it.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1898: The Replacements – “Date to Church (Matt Wallace Remix)”
Album: Dead Man’s Pop
Year: 1989
. . .
The rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting drunk
The third and fourth times I saw The Replacement were a couple of days apart in May, 1989. The fourth time was the first time I ever hit the road to see them: a drive up to a club in Santa Clara called One Step Beyond with Doc, Mike and Nikki, and the ‘Mats were really really great, of course, as a glance at the setlist would show. But otherwise uneventful.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1897: The Replacements – “Asking Me Lies (Matt Wallace Mix)”
Album: Dead Man’s Pop
Year: 1989
. . .
Your time has come
“Darlin’ One” was the final track on Don’t Tell a Soul, but for the Dead Man’s Pop remix, Matt Wallace moved it to just after “Achin’ To Be,” and so shall we.
That said, when Don’t Tell a Soul originally came out, I actually liked “Darlin’ One” at the end of the album, even though it forced me to listen to “Rock ‘n’ Roll Ghost,” a song that I’ve never liked, either musically or melodically, an admission I’m no doubt gonna get flagellated for.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1896: The Replacements – “Darlin’ One (Matt Wallace Mix)”
Album: Dead Man’s Pop
Year: 1989
. . .
What comes out a mystery
I know, this is all very confusing.
Before we got to the Don’t Tell a Soul / Dead Man’s Pop, it was probably relatively easy to understand the order in which I was doing these: chronological by album and within the album, first track to last track. Even worse, after declaring that I definitively like the Dead Man’s Pop mixes better, I immediately launch into the original version of “I’ll Be You.”
And where the hell is “Talent Show?” Is a question someone else might be asking. Asking me lies.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1895: The Replacements – “Achin’ To Be (Matt Wallace Mix)”
Album: Don’t Tell a Soul
Year: 1989
. . .
Left a rebel without a clue
So, while like all right-thinking people, I much prefer Matt Wallace’s original mix of Don’t Tell A Soul that didn’t get released for 30 years than the mush-filled job that Chris Lord-Alge did.
With one exception, that is: the single, which was slick enough to get the Replacements on the radio where they’d never been on the radio and yet rough and sloppy enough to sound like a great ‘Mats song, which it well and truly was, from the opening bell, which featured an spidery guitar hook from Slim Dunlap, a chugging beat from Chris Mars and twinkling piano which was noticeable but never dominant, all of which leads into the first verse, Paul’s rhythm guitar leaving space right and left.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1894: The Replacements – “I’ll Be You”
Album: Nothing For All
Year: 1988
. . .
It’s too late to turn back, here we go
Near the end of their 1987 tour, the Replacements played a gig in Portland, Oregon with the Young Fresh Fellows that was so drunken and debauched even by their standards, Paul Westerberg felt compelled to write an apology song about it.
Naturally, the song was acoustic and mellow, the other side to “Wake Up” in a strange, but also featured a melody line so strong that when the decided not to record it for the second round of sessions for Don’t Tell a Soul, he repurposed the chorus for the outro of “Talent Show.”
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1893: The Replacements – “Portland”
Album: Nothing For All
Year: 1988
. . .
Wake up and wonder where you are
While its importance has been somewhat muted by the various reissues, the 1997 release of All For Nothing / Nothing For All was a huge deal in ‘Mats land. While the All For Nothing disc was a pretty solid “best-of” overview of the Sire years — nearly all of the songs on on that records will be featured here — but it was the Nothing For All disc that well and truly got me.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1892: The Replacements – “Wake Up”
Album: Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films
Year: 1988
. . .
The 1980s was an interesting time for esoteric multi-artist tribute albums. And perhaps the most esoteric were put together by legendary producer Hal Wilner — who passed away earlier this earlier thanks to COVID-19 — who followed up on his tributes to Theolonious Monk and Kurt Weill with Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films, a double album full of reinterpretations of songs from Disney films which climaxed with Ringo Starr singing “When You Wish Upon a Star,” because of course it did.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1891: The Replacements – “Cruella De Vil”
Album: Pleased to Meet Me
Year: 1987
. . .
Ain’t you had enough of this stuff?
“Can’t Hardly Wait” just might be the greatest song Paul Westerberg has ever written.
I’ve already written about the version they cut for Tim, and how putting it and “Nowhere is My Home” on that record (instead of “Dose of Thunder” and “Lay It Down Clown” would made it absurdly great instead of just great.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1890: The Replacements – “Can’t Hardly Wait”
Album: Pleased to Meet Me
Year: 1987
. . .
There wasn’t a damn thing I could do or say
I’ve lived in California my whole life. And while there are places in California where it snows, none of the places I’ve lived — Fresno, The Bay Area and L.A. — are those places.
[Read more…] about Certain Songs #1889: The Replacements – “Skyway”