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.
Little Mascara
The Replacements Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You and I sleep alone
After all, things might be better
After one, and there's one that's long gone
For the moon you keep shootin'
Throw your rope up in the air
For the kids you stay together
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
A little mascara
A little mascara
Afternoon, things are quiet
Settle back now if you can
Stations clip by like a rocket
Don't you worry if you wonder why he ran
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
A little mascara
A little mascara
That you cry, cry
That you cry,
Your eyes out
That you cry,
That you cry,
That you cry
Your eyes out
All you ever wanted was someone
Ma'd be scared of
All your ever losin' is
A little mascara
A little mascara
A little mascara
That you cry,
That you cry,
That you cry,
Your eyes out
That you cry,
That you cry,
That you cry
Your eyes out
Cry, cry, that you, cry
The song "Little Mascara" by The Replacements begins with the lines "You and I fall together/You and I sleep alone." The first line implies that the singer and the person they are addressing have been through something difficult together, while the second line suggests that they are currently alone. The following lines "After all, things might be better/After one, and there's one that's long gone" suggest that after the difficult event, things may improve, although someone is no longer present. This could imply that the relationship between the singer and the person they are addressing has ended due to the difficult event.
The next set of lines is "For the moon you keep shootin'/Throw your rope up in the air/For the kids you stay together/You nap 'em and you slap 'em in a highchair." These lines suggest that the person being addressed is a caretaker, shooting for the stars, staying committed for the sake of the children they are looking after, and taking care of them even when they misbehave. The following lines "All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya/All you're ever losin' is a little mascara" suggests that the person being addressed is constantly looking for someone to take care of them, but in the grand scheme of things, the only thing they ever lose is a little bit of makeup.
The third stanza begins with "Afternoon, things are quiet/Settle back now if you can." These lines suggest that the time of day is later, and it is quiet. The next line is "Stations clip by like a rocket/Don't you worry if you wonder why he ran," which could imply that the person being addressed is on a train or in a bus station, and something has happened that has caused them to wonder why someone left them. The song ends with a repetition of "All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya/All you're ever losin' is a little mascara," and "That you cry/That you cry/That you cry/Your eyes out."
Line by Line Meaning
You and I fall together
We both experience misfortunes together
You and I sleep alone
Despite being together, we still feel lonely
After all, things might be better
In the end, things can turn out OK
After one, and there's one that's long gone
After losing one person, another one has left and is never coming back
For the moon you keep shootin'
You keep trying to achieve the impossible
Throw your rope up in the air
Attempt to seize opportunities even if they seem impossible
For the kids you stay together
You are staying together for the sake of the children
You nap 'em and you slap 'em in a highchair
You care for the children, but perhaps in a harsh, authoritarian way
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
You have always desired someone to depend on
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
You don't have much to lose, just a superficial layer of makeup
Afternoon, things are quiet
It's a peaceful, lonesome time
Settle back now if you can
Try to relax and enjoy the peace
Stations clip by like a rocket
Time seems to move quickly
Don't you worry if you wonder why he ran
It's OK to question why someone left, but don't let it consume you
That you cry, cry
You cry
That you cry, Your eyes out
You cry excessively
All you ever wanted was someone Ma'd be scared of
You want someone to fear and respect you
All your ever losin' is A little mascara
You don't have much to lose, just a superficial layer of makeup
Cry, cry, that you, cry
Keep crying
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL WESTERBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
HighDefJunkies
Breaks my heart:
For the moon you keep shootin'
Throw your rope up in the air
For the kids you stay together
You nap 'em and you slap 'em in a highchair
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
Little mascara
Little mascara
Afternoon, things are quiet
Settle back now if you can
Stations clip by like a rocket
Don't you worry if you wonder why he ran
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
Little mascara
Little mascara
That you cry, cry
That you cry
Your eyes out
morrisonreed1
You and I fall together
You and I sleep alone
After all, things might be better
After 1, and there's one that's long gone
For the moon you keep shootin'
Throw your rope up in the air
For the kids you stay together
You nap 'em and you slap 'em in a highchair
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
Afternoon, things are quiet
Settle back now if you can
Stations clip by like a rocket
Don't you worry if you wonder why he ran
All you ever wanted was someone to take care of ya
All you're ever losin' is a little mascara
That you cry (3x)
Your eyes out
All you ever wanted was someone
Ma'd be scared of
All your ever losin' is
A little mascara
That you cry
georgeharrison70
Tim is one of the best albums of the 1980s, if not of all time. Tim is a timeless classic.
T- man
Thanks George, the Beatles and the Replacements are two of my favorite bands of all time!
dj
@T- man they both are goated!!!
John Smith
1985? Unbelievable, Tim STILL sounds good, after all these years. Tim is one of the greatest albums of all time; it is a timeless classic. Paul Westerberg is freakin' awesome.
Acne Superstar
yeah, and 9 years later it's still a masterpiece.
Daniel Montgomery
My dad introduced me to this music. We love to put it on in the car and sing along on the way to the grocery store. I also love to listen to his old CDs.
Jonathan Straka
Here's what makes a great songwriter....instead of just coming right out and saying the girl is crying, she's "losin' a little mascara". Then the chorus let's loose with her obvious sadness. Brilliant, seminal. The best rock band ever.
rodriguez reyes
Jonathan Straka I just think the replacements were just too great of a band and that too many of people were just too stupid to figure it out! I really hope this was not the case!
Leach
Well to be fair he does come out and repeat it a million times in the end.
warship satin
i mean its good writing but its pretty obvious