Westerberg didn't know that U2 frontman Bono wrote "I Will Follow" for his mother. It wasn't a blanket statement about youth.
Westerberg often wrote songs as disgruntled responses to other songs. The Stink album is bookended with such songs, opening with "Kids Don't Follow" and closing with "Gimme Noise," a response to "Music For Boys" by The Suburbs.
Before the song begins you can hear a recording of Minneapolis police busting a house party the band had thrown to raise rent money. Voices can be heard cursing out the cops. In Trouble Boys, author Bob Mehr confirms long-held rumors that one of the voices is that of Soul Asylum frontman Dave Pirner. Pirner explains they'd been hiding behind a soundboard and yelling because they knew the police couldn't identify where the voices were coming from.
The Current asked Pirner about the event. Pirner confirmed he was there and called it "the second-best Minneapolis warehouse party ever," after a warehouse party dubbed "the Cold Party" and held by Minneapolis act Man Sized Action. It was catered by White Castle.
The Replacements manager/producer Peter Jesperson was a sincere (some said fanatic) devotee of the band. He loved "Kids Don't Follow" and believed it was a groundbreaking song that had to be recorded ASAP. The band's label, Twin/Tone Records, hesitated because they still hadn't gotten their money back for Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, The Replacements' first studio album. The situation pushed Twin/Tone to demand that The Replacements sign a proper contract. The label and the band were small and hadn't entered into a formal binding agreement.
Westerberg refused the stipulations of the contract and kicked off a years-long battle between the label and the band - one that eventually brought them to court. From Westerberg's perspective, he was getting ripped off. From Twin/Tone's perspective, The Replacements hadn't produced a cent of profit and had no leverage. The band had a passionate fanbase in their native Minnesota, but nothing much outside of that. Twin/Tone needed to recoup their investment, Westerberg wanted artistic freedom and a bigger slice of the pie. The most important thing is that Stink got made, anyway.
The Replacements premiered "Kids Don't Follow" in January, 1982, while opening a Wisconsin show for their friendly rival Hüsker Dü. They'd driven to the venue in a van borrowed from the Suburbs. The three groups formed the holy trinity of the Minnesota 1970s/1980s music scene that heavily influenced punk rock's evolution into the more-melodic sound that would come to be labeled "alternative" music.
Kids Don't Follow
The Replacements Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
party's over...if you all just grab your stuff &
leave there won't be any hassle..the party's been
closed....etc.
One, two, three, four
To what you're sayin'
Kids ain't wondering
Kids ain't praying
Mo says he's worried
He says talk away
He says yeah I've been cured
I need some attention
No house of detention
I'd love some attention
Don't start again
Kids don't need that
Kids don't want that
Kids don't need nothing of the kind
Kids don't follow
What you're doin'
In my face out my ear
Kids won't follow
What you're sayin
We can't hear
Can't stop looting
Can't stop smoking
Kids ain't wondering
Can't stop choking
Kids won't stand still
Kids won't shut up
Kids won't do it
You talk to 'em now
Kids don't follow
What you're doin'
In my face and out my ear
Kids won't follow
What you're saying
We can't hear
Kids won't follow
What you're saying
In my face out my ear
Kids don't follow
What you're sayin'
We can't hear
What you say
Not tomorrow
Not today
The Replacements' song "Kids Don't Follow" captures the defiant attitude of rebellious youth who refuse to conform to societal norms or listen to authority figures. The lyrics address themes of alienation and a desire for attention, as the singer seeks validation and recognition through disruptive behavior that adults view as delinquent. The opening lines are a recording of a police officer shutting down a party, setting the stage for the confrontational tone of the song.
Throughout the song, the lyrics emphasize the disconnect between generations, highlighting the stark difference in values and beliefs between adults and teenagers. The repeated refrain of "Kids don't follow what you're saying" illustrates the resentment and disdain that young people can feel towards adults whom they view as out of touch or hypocritical. The lyrics also touch on themes of addiction and self-destructive behavior, as the singer mentions looting, smoking, and choking.
Overall, "Kids Don't Follow" is a powerful indictment of the cultural divide between generations and the tension that can arise when young people feel misunderstood and marginalized by society. The Replacements' raw, punk-influenced sound captures the rebellious spirit of youth culture in the 1980s, making this song a classic representation of a generation's frustration and anger.
Line by Line Meaning
Kids won't listen
The youth aren't interested in following adult authority figures
To what you're sayin'
They won't listen to what you have to say
Kids ain't wondering
Kids aren't wondering about anything, they're just living their lives
Kids ain't praying
They're not doing what adults associate with morality, like praying
Mo says he's worried
Mo is someone who is anxious about these things
He says talk away
Mo recognizes the talk but doesn't think there's any point in it
He says yeah I've been cured
Mo implies he's already been indoctrinated and doesn't need to be cured
I need some attention
The youth want to feel validated and cared for
No house of detention
The youth don't want to be punished for their behavior or kept in confinement
I'd love some attention
They want to feel heard and engaged with
Don't start again
They're saying don't try to control them in a way that they feel is oppressive
Kids don't need that
They don't need anything from the adults
Kids don't want that
They aren't asking for anything in particular
Kids don't need nothing of the kind
They don't need anything you're trying to give them
Kids don't follow
The youth won't follow the rules/adults
What you're doin'
What the adults are trying to do in terms of control and order
In my face out my ear
They may hear it but they're disregarding it
We can't hear
They just aren't taking in what the adults are trying to say
Can't stop looting
The youth aren't going to comply with authority figures telling them what to do
Can't stop smoking
They're going to continue with their behaviors whether adults like it or not
Kids won't stand still
They're going to keep moving forward and doing what they want
Kids won't shut up
They will keep being vocal and take up space
Kids won't do it
They won't comply with anything the adults are asking
You talk to 'em now
Good luck with that, adults
Not tomorrow
This isn't something that will change in the future
Not today
It's not going to change in this present moment either
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PAUL WESTERBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind