The band's best known lineup consisted of Paul Westerberg (vocals, guitar), Bob Stinson (guitar), Tommy Stinson (bass) and Chris Mars (drums). They were infamous for their abrasive, hard drinking lifestyles and their ragged stage performances, notorious for coming to some shows too drunk to play very well at all. Sometimes, they just performed entire sets of covers, their picks showing their debt to 70s hard rock outfits.
The sound of this band showed off what their many fans saw as the very best of independent rock n' roll. More than possibly any other band since The Rolling Stones and the the Ramones, the Replacements embodied the spirit of rock, from their raucous performances, drug addictions, charismatic and romantic frontman, and wild, sometimes basic and sometimes powerfully confessional songs. At any given time, almost any list of 'The Best Rock Albums Of All Time' will include either the album 'Let It Be' or 'Tim', sometimes both.
Their sound started off as a classic rock influenced shade of punk, mutating to a melodic hardcore sound reminiscent of local buddies Hüsker Dü. They also progressed into a relatively straightforward but heartfelt rock style, with a number of highly soulful ballads from the heart of Westerberg to round out the mix.
The band broke up in 1991. Bob Stinson, who was fired from the band in 1986 (and was subsequently replaced by Slim Dunlap), died in 1995. Westerberg and Mars both have solo careers, and Tommy Stinson formed several bands, like Perfect and Bash and Pop, and now plays bass for Guns and Roses and Soul Asylum.
In 2012, Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reformed the Replacements and recorded an EP, "Songs for Slim" as a benefit for former member Slim Dunlap, who had suffered a stroke. The band played their first show since 1991 on August 24, 2013 at RiotFest in Toronto, and has since played at several festivals since. The band also currently includes Josh Freese on drums and Dave Minehan on guitar. The band played its final show in June 2015.
I Will Dare
The Replacements Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How old am I?
Let's count the rings around my eyes
How smart are you?
How dumb am I?
Don't count any of my advice
Oh, meet me any place or anywhere or anytime
Now I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I might dare
Call me on Thursday, if you will
Or call me on Wednesday, better still
Ain't lost yet, so I gotta be a winner
Fingernails and a cigarette's a lousy dinner
Young, are you? Ooh-ooh-ooh
Come on
Meet me any place or anywhere or anytime
Now, I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare
Meet me any place or anywhere or anytime
Now, I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare
How young are you?
How old am I?
Let's count the rings around my eyes
How smart are you?
How smart are you?
How dumb am I?
Dumb am I?
Meet me any place or anywhere or anytime
Now I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare
Meet me any place or anywhere or anytime
Now I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare
The lyrics of "I Will Dare" by The Replacements are all about daring to take a chance on love, even though it might not be the wisest choice. The opening lines of the song - "How young are you? How old am I? Let's count the rings around my eyes" - suggest a sense of weariness and world-weariness, a feeling of having been around the block a few times. The singer seems to be questioning the age and wisdom of both himself and his potential lover, wondering whether they are really ready to take a chance on each other.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the phrase "meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime", suggests a sense of desperation and urgency, a need to find love and connection no matter what. The phrase "If you will dare, I will dare" suggests an equal willingness to take risks and make things happen despite the odds.
The final lines of the song, which repeat the opening lines, suggest a sense of being caught in a cycle of longing and searching, of trying to find something elusive and hard to grasp. The overall effect is one of melancholy and longing, tempered by a sense of reckless abandon and willingness to take chances.
Line by Line Meaning
How young are you?
Let's establish the age difference between us
How old am I?
Let's determine my age
Let's count the rings around my eyes
Let's use the wrinkles around my eyes as a way to measure my age
How smart are you?
Let's determine your intelligence
How dumb am I?
Let's measure my own intelligence against yours
Don't count any of my advice
Don't take my guidance on this matter
Oh, meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime
Let's be spontaneous and meet up wherever, whenever
Now I don't care, meet me tonight
I'm not concerned about the details, just meet with me tonight
If you will dare, I might dare
If you're willing to take a risk, maybe I will too
Call me on Thursday, if you will
If you want to contact me, try Thursday
Or call me on Wednesday, better still
Actually, Wednesday might be a better day to call
Ain't lost yet, so I gotta be a winner
I haven't failed yet, so I must be succeeding in some way
Fingernails and a cigarette's a lousy dinner
My current situation is not ideal or healthy
C'mon meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime
I'm urging you to take the risk and meet with me spontaneously
If you would dare, I would dare
I'm willing to take risks if you are
How smart are you?
Let's revisit the topic of your intelligence
How dumb am I?
Once again, let's compare our intellects
Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime
Let's reiterate the spontaneity of our meeting plans
If you will dare, I will dare
I'm encouraging you to be bold and take risks with me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Westerberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind