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The Replacements — I'll Be You
Album: Don't Tell A Soul
Avg rating:
6.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1114








Released: 1989
Length: 3:26
Plays (last 30 days): 0
If it's a temporary lull
why'm I bored right outta my skull?
Man I'm dressin' sharp an' feelin' dull

Lonely, I guess that's where I'm from
If I was from Canada
then I'd best be called lonesome

And if it's just a game
Then I'll break down just in case
Oh yeah, we're runnin' in our last race

Well laughed half the way to Tokyo
I dreamt I was Surfer Joe
And what that means, I don't know

A dream too tired to come true
Left a rebel without a clue
And I'm searching for somethin' to do

And if it's just a game
Then we'll hold hands just the same
So what, we're bleeding but we ain't cut

And I could purge my soul perhaps
For the imminent collapse
Oh yeah, I'll tell you what we could do
You be me for a while
I'll be you

A dream too tired to come true
Left a rebel without a clue
Won't you tell me what I should do?

And if it's just a lull
why'm I bored right outta my skull?
Oh yeah, keep me from feeling so dull

And if it's just a game
Then we'll break down just in case
Then again, I'll tell you what we could do
You be me for a while
You be me for a while
and I'll be you
Comments (93)add comment
 OhCanada67 wrote:


No, this is a Bryan Adams song.  But they are very close to Canada .



 newbolddrive wrote:

Would love to hear a wee bit more Replacements on RP



ME TOO!
 Oxen1morale wrote:

Are these guys really from Canada?



No, this is a Bryan Adams song.  But they are very close to Canada .
Good tune! ...but, not their best!
 ace-marc wrote:


I speak for the experienced listener who has good taste and expects better from RP.



Shut up, idiot!!!   
 ace-marc wrote:
I speak for the experienced listener who has good taste and expects better from RP.

Your presumption has lapped your arrogance.  (Though it could be the other way 'round, I suppose.)
 ace-marc wrote:


I speak for the experienced listener who has good taste and expects better from RP.

No, you speak for someone that has your taste. It's your taste and yours alone. 
 macadavy wrote:

Speak for yourself.
 

I speak for the experienced listener who has good taste and expects better from RP.
More of the MINNEAPOLIS sound!!!!!  Such a deep catalouge of great songs from both The Replacements as well as Westerberg and Stinson individual projects.  Thanks for keeping this in rotation! 
 kylieh wrote:
Love The Replacements!  Wish you played them more often on RP.
 

Totally! And there is plenty of room if some of the Cougar/Crows/Crap  gets REPLACED ! Ha Ha
Would love to hear a wee bit more Replacements on RP
 ace-marc wrote:
Nice work Bill.
So how can such a great station also play John Cougar and Counting Crows?
I think most of us tune in ( and pay  money ) to listen to music like The Replacements, not top 40 radio fodder.
 
Speak for yourself.
Nice work Bill.
So how can such a great station also play John Cougar and Counting Crows?
I think most of us tune in ( and pay  money ) to listen to music like The Replacements, not top 40 radio fodder.
There is a new remixed version of this album coming out. Part of a box set
 nutrod42 wrote:
Was there an earlier version of this song? When this came out in '89, I was sure I'd heard the song before. I've never been able to find any reference to an older version.

 
I don't think so.  Pretty sure Westie wrote I'll Be You for the "Don't Tell a Soul" LP sometime in 1988.

There was an earlier version of "Can't Hardly Wait", which officially came out in 1987 on "Pleased to Meet Me" but was written and first recorded in '84.  I first heard it in early '85 on this lo-fi "masterpiece" (or P.O.S., depending on how you looked at it):

The Replacements The Shit Hits the Fans Cassette tape original Twin Tone records





The Replacements
The Shit Hits The Fans
Twin/Tone Records
TTR 8443 (1985)


Paul Westerberg - Rhythm guitar, vocals
Bob Stinson - Lead guitar
Tommy Stinson - Bass
Chris Mars - Drums

 


Released by Twin/Tone on January 25, 1985 in cassette form only. The project is a copy of a live tape recorded (bootleged by a fan) at The Bowery, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - November 11th, 1984. Chris Mars provided the art work.

 

Was there an earlier version of this song? When this came out in '89, I was sure I'd heard the song before. I've never been able to find any reference to an older version.
 Cynaera wrote:
"So what?  We're bleeding but we ain't cut..."  I still love this song, and this CD. {#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana}  
 
 

WOOO-HOOOO!!!  : )   REAL ROCK
I psd'd and got this, HOW GOOD IS THAT.  It must be Friday.  
 segueman wrote:
Loved seeing them open for Tom Petty when this came out.  They hit the stage and started into their first song before the crew could get the house lights down.

 
Woah - I had the same experience at the Shoreline in the SF Bay Area. Broad daylight and I was 4th row. No one cared who they were but it was my second time seeing them.
Very much didn't overwhelm the crowd, but I was happy.


 Oxen1morale wrote:
Are these guys really from Canada?

 
Minneapolis
Are these guys really from Canada?
Retro=Refreshing thank you
aaargh turn it off!!!
 JHZ wrote:
 Disagree: the reason that ratings for these bands are high is that they are f-ing great!
 
Right on.
Little trip down mix tape lane. 
Hahaha, agreed, make it stop PLEASE! {#Moon}

 bb_matt wrote:
Wow, this is bad, as in bad, not good. How the hell it got this rating is beyond me.

 


 Sasha2001 wrote:

The Replacements are like the Velvet Underground in the respect that they influenced a lot of disaffected kids with guitars to start rock bands. They're often judged more for their influence on the underground and post-punk alternative 80's music scene more then their relatively small catalog of good songs (small when compared to their legendary status). American popular music was such a radio wasteland in the 80s that bands like the Replacements with their stripped-down sound and raw-voiced lead singer were a breath of fresh air if you were lucky enough to live near a college with a decent radio station.

  Disagree: the reason that ratings for these bands are high is that they are f-ing great!

Still a treat 25 years later!
 kylieh wrote:
Love The Replacements!  Wish you played them more often on RP.

 
Hear, here.
Love The Replacements!  Wish you played them more often on RP.
 bb_matt wrote:
Wow, this is bad, as in bad, not good. How the hell it got this rating is beyond me.

 
The Replacements are like the Velvet Underground in the respect that they influenced a lot of disaffected kids with guitars to start rock bands. They're often judged more for their influence on the underground and post-punk alternative 80's music scene more then their relatively small catalog of good songs (small when compared to their legendary status). American popular music was such a radio wasteland in the 80s that bands like the Replacements with their stripped-down sound and raw-voiced lead singer were a breath of fresh air if you were lucky enough to live near a college with a decent radio station.
Great tune. PWIG.

Listen to The Replacements - it's good for the soul. 
paul,,,,always liked his voice
Quite appropriate to hear the 'Mats playing the morning after the announcement of their big reunion gigs after 22 years. 
love the mats! tour announced!
Wow, this is bad, as in bad, not good. How the hell it got this rating is beyond me.
no one has replaced these guys yet. Some of the truest rock of the 80's.
good tune!
Never get tired of this song!
What a cruel Kid-Birthday-Song! The music have changed massiv the last 18 months here.
Nice to hear - takes me back...
 chadlymn wrote:
Thanks for playing.... need more Replacements around here!
  yes


Thanks for playing.... need more Replacements around here!
Love the concept — you be me for a while and I'll be you.  
Can't believe I have not commented on this one......love!{#Hearteyes}
Loved seeing them open for Tom Petty when this came out.  They hit the stage and started into their first song before the crew could get the house lights down.
 ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Upped from 6 to 7. Sounded good today.
 
Hmm. Still a 7 but I was surprised to note that I was actually happy to hear it come on. Usually stuff from the last two albums just makes me a little sad. There's something to be said for repetition, I suppose. Even that Tim Buckley song I don't like has crept up a couple of grades over the years.

"So what?  We're bleeding but we ain't cut..."  I still love this song, and this CD.  {#Dancingbanana_2}{#Bananajam}{#Dancingbanana}  
Upped from 6 to 7. Sounded good today.
Not live and not high =not fun
I love this song. I love the Replacements. Perfect for the kind of week I'm having...

Why does RP ignore the "Twin/Tone years" in The Replacements' catalog (see below)?

Save for their inclusion of  "I Will Dare", there's 47 other Westerberg (occasionally w/the rest of the boys) cuts to groove to from this period (48 if you count the KISS cover!).  At least a few of 'em would certainly be worthy of a spin here or there.

THIS AGGRESSION (against early 80's 'Mats) WILL NOT STAND!

(pardon my "Dude-ism")

 

  • "Takin' a Ride" - 2:23
  • "Careless" - 1:08
  • "Customer" - 1:29
  • "Hangin' Downtown" - 2:06
  • "Kick Your Door Down" - 3:11
  • "Otto" - 2:09
  • "I Bought a Headache" - 2:24
  • "Rattlesnake" (Chris Mars/Bob Stinson/Tommy Stinson/Paul Westerberg) - 1:48
  • "I Hate Music" (Chris Mars/Bob Stinson/Tommy Stinson/Paul Westerberg) - 1:50
  • "Johnny's Gonna Die" - 3:32
  • "Shiftless When Idle" - 2:18
  • "More Cigarettes" - 1:20
  • "Don't Ask Why" - 1:57
  • "Somethin' to Dü" - 1:41
  • "I'm in Trouble" - 2:10
  • "Love You Till Friday" - 1:53
  • "Shutup" - 1:23
  • "Raised in the City" - 1:59
  • "Kids Don't Follow" - 2:50
  • "Fuck School" (Westerberg/Stinson/Stinson/Mars) - 1:26
  • "Stuck in the Middle" (Westerberg/Stinson/Stinson/Mars) - 1:48
  • "God Damn Job" - 1:19
  • "White and Lazy" - 2:06
  • "Dope Smokin' Moron" (Westerberg/Stinson/Stinson/Mars) - 1:31
  • "Go" - 2:29
  • "Gimme Noise" (Westerberg/Stinson/Stinson/Mars) - 1:41
  • "Hootenanny" (Westerberg, Bob Stinson, Tommy Stinson, Chris Mars) - 1:52
    "Run It" (Westerberg, Mars) - 1:11
    "Color Me Impressed" - 2:25
    "Willpower" - 4:22
    "Take Me Down to the Hospital" - 3:41
    "Mr. Whirly" (mostly stolen) - 1:53
    "Within Your Reach" - 4:24
    "Buck Hill" (Westerberg, Stinson, Mars) - 2:09
    "Lovelines" (Westerberg, Stinson, Stinson, Mars, C.P. Readers) - 2:01
    "You Lose" (Westerberg, Stinson, Stinson, Mars) - 1:41
    "Hayday" - 2:06
    "Treatment Bound" - 3:16
    "Favorite Thing" (Westerberg, Tommy Stinson, Bob Stinson, Chris Mars) - 2:19
    "We're Comin' Out" (Westerberg, Stinson, Stinson, Mars) - 2:21
    "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" (Westerberg, Stinson, Stinson, Mars) - 1:53
    "Androgynous" - 3:11
    "Black Diamond" (Paul Stanley) - 2:40
    "Unsatisfied" - 4:01
    "Seen Your Video" - 3:08
    "Gary's Got a Boner" (Westerberg, Stinson, Stinson, Mars) - 2:28
    "Sixteen Blue" - 4:24
    "Answering Machine" - 3:40




     Seahunt wrote:
    BTW - What the he!! happened to the Replacements.  What was their demise?
     
    WHFS went off the air.
    Been in a major Replacements kick since I watched "Adventureland" a month or so ago...
     Stefen wrote:
    I don't know which is worse: the police helicopter circling nearby or this song.
     

    LOL!

     

    Must be me.  This sucks!  Comes across like a bad version of Bryan Adams.

     



    Seriously I think somebody has their wizzee in my ear and i for one don't like it.

    not as good as the stuff off of "Tim" but still worthy. . .

     robco1 wrote:


    Ahhh, HFS. Their story sums up the sad-ass state of corp. radio. The first place I heard Paul Westerburg and the boys, back in the "Incredible Music" bumper-sticker days when Weasel and Damien lived up to that tagline.
     

    Ya know it's been reincarnated as WRNR in Annapolis - That is, owned by Damien Einstein's dad.  Great station.

    BTW - What the he!! happened to the Replacements.  What was their demise?
    I try so hard to like them, but holy hell do they suck.
     rockstarbro wrote:
    Hated 'em in the 80s....
    Hate 'em in the 00s...

    {#Frustrated}

     
    Yeah, I feel that way sometimes.

    But never about a band as talented as The 'Mats. How's that working out for you? {#Stupid}
     lmic wrote:
    Like Being There-era Wilco meets True Stories-era Talking Heads.
     
    You're so good it's scary (in a good way)! {#Notworthy}

    Amazed,
    Your humble servant,
    PJB
    Like Being There-era Wilco meets True Stories-era Talking Heads.
     segueman wrote:
    Saw these guys open for Tom Petty when this song was out. They immediately impressed my wife and me when they walked out on stage and started playing before they could get the house lights off.

    Tom later played "Should I Stay or Should I Go" while sitting on the edge of the side speakers. Good memories from that whole show.
     

    I saw that same tour...it was at the shed at Poplar Creek (R.I.P.) in suburban Chicago.  You could tell they were pissed that none of Petty's fans really gave a rats ass about their set. 

    Later, they (or at least the music press) claimed TP swiped their "Rebel Without a Clue" line for his Into the Great Wide Open song which came out in the early 90's.  Tom claimed he never watched the 'Mats play, and it was just a great "coincidence".

    Hated 'em in the 80s....
    Hate 'em in the 00s...

    {#Frustrated}

    reminds me of high school (oops) college. thought this was on tim...

     lilmisskaleena wrote:
    umm, love the mats... favorite song by them? "unsatisfied"

    paul's solo stuff seems like it should be shaking up these playlists every few hours... i wonder why it's not...
     
    agreed. i keep bringing this up too. but still nothing except on LRC.
    actually for me not their normal greatness, thats why it only gets a 9. but it is the replacements therefore it gets no less than a 9.
    Now that's a great rock and roll song!
    I don't know which is worse: the police helicopter circling nearby or this song.
    Replacements/ Westerberg my facorite song writers of the 80's. Under rated and badly missed.
    Saw these guys open for Tom Petty when this song was out. They immediately impressed my wife and me when they walked out on stage and started playing before they could get the house lights off. Tom later played "Should I Stay or Should I Go" while sitting on the edge of the side speakers. Good memories from that whole show.
    bokey wrote:
    I knew that WHFS ,my old local hippy music station was gone for good the weekend some DJ I never heard of called these guys The Placemats.
    Ahhh, HFS. Their story sums up the sad-ass state of corp. radio. The first place I heard Paul Westerburg and the boys, back in the "Incredible Music" bumper-sticker days when Weasel and Damien lived up to that tagline.
    i recall this was their last big MTV hit...or something like that. They were really too cool for the VJ's though. Westerberg is an American treasure!
    I hear a lot of the most underrated early 90s band Material Issue in this song. Or maybe I hear a lot of the Replacements in Material Issue...
    sharkartist wrote:
    I suspect I may have missed these guys in their heyday but when I got hip to 'em in the early 90's, I must say that I found them to be the most refreshing thing I'd heard in a long while. Good to finally hear it here.
    yeah, they're awesome, aren't they? go see paul westerberg if he's ever in your area. great show.
    umm, love the mats... favorite song by them? "unsatisfied" paul's solo stuff seems like it should be shaking up these playlists every few hours... i wonder why it's not...
    I suspect I may have missed these guys in their heyday but when I got hip to 'em in the early 90's, I must say that I found them to be the most refreshing thing I'd heard in a long while. Good to finally hear it here.
    I knew that WHFS ,my old local hippy music station was gone for good the weekend some DJ I never heard of called these guys The Placemats.
    Yesssss! Love me some Replacements. Please play more 'Mats. "I dreamt I was Surfer Joe/ And what that means I don't know"
    The last true 'Mats attempt at a "hit" single...of course it failed, but it's still a great cut, and it hasn't been played on RP in over 3 YEARS!!! >...a damn, dirty shame.
    Pretty pathetic lyrics.
    I can\'t stand all the comments on bands that say \"I like their old stuff better; the new stuff is lame, etc.\" That being said, this is from after the flameout. We should work on getting some of the Godlike stuff in Bill\'s hands.
    One of the best bands of all time . . .
    Now how about some of Paul Westerberg\'s solo stuff? Sure adds to the mix!
    One of my favorite songs! This song played really loudly got me through some rough times.
    They were clever/naieve power poppers. Gotta like that. Note for future stream of consiousness play lists: 'Hey We're the Replacements', TMBG; 'I'll Be You', Replacements; 'Running Up That Hill', Kate Bush
    Originally Posted by dmax: Don't Tell a Soul, but play enough of these tunes and I think you've got yourself a Hootenanny, all night long.
    :D
    Crank it up!!!
    Well, Color Me Impressed! I Will Dare to say that if you look Left of the Dial in Portland, you will find a pilgrim who Can\'t Hardly Wait for the next Replacements tune. Thanks, Bill.
    Ah, memories of the 80s.