The Replacements - Let It Be

Subject: The Replacements - Let It Be Fri Aug 01, 2014 3:01 am

ABOUT: Let It Be (released in 1984) is the third studio album by American Rock band, "The Replacements". It's a post-punk album with coming of age themes. Unlike their previous albums, which consisted largely of loud and fast songs, Let It Be has more songs that are "a little more sincere" according to vocalist Paul Westerberg. Today, the album is now considered to be a classic.

LISTEN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kwokZdshF4

TRACKLIST
1. I Will Dare (3:18)
2. Favorite Thing (2:19)
3. We're Coming Out (2:21)
4. Tommy Get's His Tonsil's Out (1:53)
5. Androgynous (3:11)
6. Black Diamond (2:40)
7. Unsatisfied (4:01)
8. Seen Your Video (3:08)
9. Gary's Got a Boner (2:28)
10. Sixteen Blue (4:24)
11. Answering Machine (3:40)
Total length: 33:30

MY REVIEW:

I'm on my third listen to the Let It Be album, and at first, I really didn't like the album being that classic punk rock was something I never really got in to--the fast pace, energetic, noisy guitars coupled with the vocalists yelling out distorted lyrics that you can hardly make out always were something not too far from sandpaper to my ears, but despite my preconceived notions, I gave it a try. And after really paying attention and listening, I can better appreciate the varied musical styles and direction of this album! It turned out to be a positive listening experience.

I like the fact that this album seems well balanced with some nice slower and dramatic songs in there, providing a nice contrast to the other higher energy filled tracks.

I'm obviously not an expert at analyzing albums or anything, and this is a feeble attempt at a personal review, but I tried to listen and hopefully developed a better understanding on how this album impacted rock music in general.

Subject: Re: The Replacements - Let It Be Sat Aug 09, 2014 12:21 am

I've listened to it four times now and even more at some parts. It has a good energy and just enough with the highs and lows. At ten minutes I almost thought it was another band, but it was kind of needed and made one have a little break to sort of think about what you'd heard and what was next to come, instead of being in it all the time. Also quite nice at around 20 with the calmer moment. I'm more than ashamed over having this popping up in my head at 22.12 though:

......... A fitting ending to what feels like a little comfortable adventure in space with the countdown.
The beginning is catchy, makes one interested in hearing more.

The second track is my least favourite, mostly 'cause of how his voice sound (kind of like a child nagging on his mother to get an ice cream) - without listening to the lyrics obviously - but it kinda grows on you in the "you're my favourite thing" - part and you feel like he's worthy that ice cream. But then you sort of regret you gave it to him towards the end.

All forgotten in third track where he sounds more like the rebellian teenager, someone you wont argue with. I like the deeper sound in it, bassier than before. Fourth song, young adult - of some reason I imagine this guy with big glasses, shoulder long gold blonde hair with colourful shirt (probably patterned) walking down the sidewalk with a huge grin on his face (again, if not paying attention to the lyrics).

Track 5: Androgynous. I've listened to the beginning (10:02) about 7 times now and everytime I've heard him sing: "Here comes Dick, he's wearing a skirt". The third time I listened through the album I actually payed attention to the lyrics and found the track list, it made a little bit more sense.

Black Diamond was great. (Track 6).

I'm not unsatisfied with track #7.

Could've worked as an instrumental song. Or just not at all. Track 8 that is. First I thought it was an instrumental song, got a bit repetitive, but felt slightly better when he started singing.

Catchy song that number 9 song. Can imagine them being on a tiny stage dressed in those blazers with 15 inches big shoulders in the middle of a danzing crowd. In a good way.

Sixteen Blue is nice, very relaxing. Nice flow in it, a bit flowing but taken down with his bbq grill emberish voice.

Since I were dumb enough not to find the tracklist before I'd listened through the album 3 times, and not really listened to the lyrics either, one's opinion - or well, perspective changes a bit. I think it's a good ending. It's not too slow, still it's not like track 2 or 3. He feels very grown up and like he's been through emotional things, a love drama - since he's by an answering machine (in my imagination, here he looks like the singer in Aha!), crying/sweating, looking slightly desperate but still in a hot, sexy way. Beautiful fading out on the album. Almost a bit emotional, when one think back at the ice cream periode and everything, ending it here.

Overall I enjoyed the album very much.

I will dare~
How young are you?
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 anyplace 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?

Meet me anyplace or anywhere or anytime
Now, I don't care, meet me tonight
If you will dare, I will dare

Favourite thing ~
You're my favorite thing
You're my favorite thing
Bar nothing

I think, think, once in a while

We're coming out~
One more chance to get it all wrong
One more chance to get it all wrong
One more night to do it all wrong
(...)
One more day anyway
One more chance threw away

Tommy gets his tonsils out~
Now open wide, the doctor's here
Everything is fine, got nothing to fear
Strap 'em down, we're outta gas
Stop your bawling, you little brat

Let's get this over with, I'm off in a hour
Didn't wash up, yesterday I took a shower
Get this over with, I tee off in an hour
My Cadillac's running

Let's...
Rip, rip, we're gonna rip 'em out now
Rip, rip, we're gonna rip 'em out now
Rip, rip, we're gonna rip 'em out now
Rip, rip, we're gonna rip 'em out now

Open wide, you little snot
That's the way we knock em out
Got nothing to fear
Got nothing to be afraid of
Doctor's here, nothing to be afraid of

Androgynous~
Mirror image, see no damage
See no evil at all
Kewpie dolls and urine stalls
Will be laughed at
The way you're laughed at now
(...)
Future outcasts and they don't last
And today, the people dress the way that they please
The way they tried to do in the last centuries

Black Diamond~
Regardless a street or a country
They got you under their thumb

Unsatisfied~
Everything goes
Well, anything goes all of the time
Everything you dream of
Is right in front of you
And everything is a lie (or) And liberty is a lie

Look me in the eye
And tell me that I'm satisfied
Look me in the eye
Unsatisfied
I'm so, I'm so unsatisfied
I'm so dissatisfied

Seen your video~
All day, all night, all music video
Seen your video, the phony rock 'n' roll
We don't want to know, seen your video
Your phony rock 'n' roll
We don't want to know
We don't want to know
We don't want to know
We don't want to know...

Gary's got a boner~
Gary got a boner
Gary's got a boner
Gary's got a soft-on
Enough for more, more, more, more
Let it go

Sixteen Blue~
Brag about things you don't understand
A girl and a woman, a boy and a man
Everything is sexually vague
(...)
You're looking funny
You ain't laughing, are you?
Sixteen blue
Sixteen blue

Answering Machine~
How do you say I miss you to
An answering machine?
How do you say good night to
An answering machine?
How do you say I'm lonely to
An answering machine?
The message is very plain
Oh, I hate your answering machine
I hate your answering machine
I hate your answering machine...

^My favourite lines. Overall they sound a bit frustrated, which is very easy to relate to.