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.
Achin' to Be
The Replacements Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sittin' on the floor
Never finishes what she abandons
Never shows a soul
And she's kind of like a movie
Everyone rushes to see
And no one understands it
She opens her mouth to speak and
What comes out's a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be
Well, she dances alone in nightclubs
Every other day of the week
People look right through her
Baby doll, check your cheek
And she's kind of like a poet
Who finds it hard to speak
Poems come so slowly
Like the colors dyed in sheets
She opens her mouth to speak and
What comes out's a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be
I've been achin' for a while now, friend
I've been achin' hard for years
Yeah, she's kind of like an artist
Who uses paints no more
You never show me what you're doing
Never show a soul
Well, I saw one of your pictures
There was nothin' that I could see
If no one's on your canvas
Well, I'm achin' to be
She closes her mouth to speak and
Closes her eyes to see
Thought about and only loved
She's achin' to be
Just like me
The Replacements' song Achin' to Be is a poignant and introspective look at loneliness, misunderstood creativity, and the struggle to be seen and heard. The singer describes a woman who has many talents but seems to lack the ability to finish and showcase her work. She's like an artist who sits on the floor with unfinished paintings and a poet whose words come slowly. The woman dances alone in nightclubs, but people look right through her. The singer identifies with her and admits that he's been "achin'" for years.
The lyrics are full of imagery and metaphors. The woman is compared to a mysterious movie that no one understands, a poet who finds it hard to speak, and an artist who no longer uses paints. The repeated line of "she opens her mouth to speak and what comes out's a mystery" highlights her struggles with communication and being understood. The singer sees himself in her, and the closing lines of "she closes her mouth to speak and closes her eyes to see, thought about and only loved, she's achin' to be, just like me" show a deep connection between the two characters.
Overall, Achin' to Be is a song that speaks to anyone who has ever felt unseen or misunderstood. It's a reminder to keep creating and to keep striving for connection with others.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, she's kind of like an artist
She possesses the soul of an artist and can be compared to one
Sittin' on the floor
She spends her time sitting on the floor as opposed to the conventional use of furniture
Never finishes what she abandons
She leaves behind unfinished creations
Never shows a soul
She keeps to herself and doesn't exhibit her work to anyone
And she's kind of like a movie
She can be compared to a movie as she is complex and intriguing
Everyone rushes to see
People show eagerness to know her better
And no one understands it
She is hard to comprehend for people around her
Sittin' in their seats
People sit in their chairs trying to figure her out
She opens her mouth to speak and
Whenever she speaks
What comes out's a mystery
The words that come out are enigmatic in nature
Thought about, not understood
Her utterances are pondered over but not completely grasped
She's achin' to be
She yearns to be understood and appreciated
Well, she dances alone in nightclubs
She prefers to enjoy herself solo, in clubs
Every other day of the week
She is there frequently and consistently
People look right through her
Others disregard her and do not notice her presence
Baby doll, check your cheek
You might have something on your face, baby doll
And she's kind of like a poet
She bears traits of being a poet
Who finds it hard to speak
She struggles with finding the right words
Poems come so slowly
When she formulates poetry, it takes a while
Like the colors dyed in sheets
As slow as the process of colors being transferred onto fabric
I've been achin' for a while now, friend
I (the singer) have also been yearning for a long time
I've been achin' hard for years
I have experienced an enduring, persistent yearning for years
Yeah, she's kind of like an artist
Again, she can be compared to an artist
Who uses paints no more
She seems to have stopped painting altogether
You never show me what you're doing
You don't show me your creations
Never show a soul
She does not exhibit or display her work to anyone
Well, I saw one of your pictures
I saw a creation of yours
There was nothin' that I could see
It was difficult to understand or recognize what it was
If no one's on your canvas
If no one has recognized or looked at your work
Well, I'm achin' to be
Then, I am yearning to be that person
She closes her mouth to speak and
Contrarily, whenever she does not speak
Closes her eyes to see
She perceives more accurately without the interference of words
Thought about and only loved
Only thought about in admiration and nothing further
She's achin' to be
Just like me, she yearns for someone to understand and appreciate her properly
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miranda L
Well, she's kinda like an artist
Sittin' on the floor
Never finishes, she abandons
Never shows a soul
And she's kinda like a movie
That everyone rushes to see
But no one understands it
Sittin' in their seats
Well, she opens her mouth to speak and what comes out a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be
Well, she dances alone in nightclubs
Every other day of the week
People look right through her
Baby doll, check your cheek
And she's kinda like a poet
Who finds it hard to speak
Poems come so slowly
Like the colors down in a sheet
Well, she opens her mouth to speak and what comes out a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be
I've been achin' for a while now, friend
I've been achin' hard for years
...
Well, she's kinda like an artist
Who uses paints no more
Never show 'em what you're doing
Never show a soul
Well, I saw one of your pictures
There was nothing that I could see
If no one's on your canvas
Well, I'm achin' to be
She closes her mouth to speak and she closes her eyes to see
Thought about and only loved
She's achin' to be...just like me
Pete Mourilyan
Achin' to Be
The Replacements
Well she's kind of like an artist
Sittin' on the floor
Never finishes, she abandons
Never shows a soul
And she's kind of like a movie
Everyone rushes to see
And no one understands it
Sittin' in their seats
She opens her mouth to speak and
What comes out's a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be
Well she dances alone in nightclubs
Every other day of the week
People look right through her
Baby doll, check your cheek
And she's kind of like a poet
Who finds it hard to speak
Poems come so slowly
Like the colors down a sheet
She opens her mouth to speak and
What comes out's a mystery
Thought about, not understood
She's achin' to be
I've been achin' for a while now, friend
I've been achin' hard for years
Well she's kind of like an artist
Who uses paints no more
You never show me what you're doing
Never show a soul
Well, I saw one of your pictures
There was nothin' that I could see
If no one's on your canvas
Well, I'm achin' to be
She closes her mouth to speak and
Closes her eyes to see
Thought about an' only loved
She's achin' to be
Just like me
Songwriters: Paul Westerberg
Alabaster Adams
The Replacements were (and still are) a huge part of my life. Both musically and emotionally. Saw them on their last tour at the Beacon Theater before they broke up. Paul cried a bit and said, "This is gonna hurt" as they transitioned from Unsatisfied to Sadly Beautiful. And that it was.
Oppothumbs M
Interesting segway from clever Paul.
Scott Hamel
Great, criminally under rated band
Sady Maher
One of the best songs ever written .
Rex Chiquine
It is,,,,
Lars G Persson
The worlds most underrated band. absolute fab. a mats classic
Oppothumbs M
Most underrated to the nth degree.
Ted Conroy
My
KissOff
Lol calm down
MYmusic
How can you call them underrated they were one of the pioneers of alternative and indie rock & roll music in North America. People back then didn't know who they were. There music is somewhat melancholy. Is it Rock, Folk, Country or something else. Remember the band came out around the late 70's. People weren't informed well. Before the internet. Plus radio was biased.