I had heard many Replacements songs on the college radio station I listened to in high school, and I knew the name Paul Westerberg, who had a solo album that was big when I was a teenager (I guess around the time of the movie Singles?) but I don't think I made any connection. But I do know the first, oh, 8000 times I listened to "Androgynous," it was the 1991 Crash Test Dummies version. I didn't even know it was a cover until a few years later. I am trying to not feel embarrassed about that now -- I actually listened to that CTD album for the first time since 1993 just last week, and I really enjoyed it. But the original Replacements version of "Androgynous" has been my go-to for 25 years. I don't think it's hyperbole to say it's one of my all-time favorite songs. "Future outcasts and they don't last," is such a pithy and gentle way to put bigots and 'phobes in their place -- it hits 'em right in the [lack of] intellect.
CTD's cover of this song made me so happy when I bought "The Ghosts that Haunt Me" on cassette (in around 1992). I love the original, and their cover of it is sweet.
Phenomenal song, and a phenomenal write-up of it. It's a song that means so much to so many, even more so because it came so long before the time that gender would be discussed openly.
Fantastic piece, Jami. I remember hearing “Androgynous” back when it came out and relating to it, even as a straight white boy. It spoke to anyone (like me) who felt they didn’t belong to any group, and showed how such binary labels are confining and imprisoning. Love how you much you pack into every essay without it ever seeming dense or busy.
Well said Steve and thank you for the kind words. The songwriting is so heartfelt and insightful. I can imagine that it made millions of people feel seen. What a gift Westerberg gave us all.
No idea if this song inspired the gender role riff in the flick *Trainspotting* a dozen or so years later, but it was definitely in the punk zeitgeist....
>>Diane was right. The world is changing, music is changing, drugs are changing, even men and women are changing. One thousand years from now there'll be no guys and no girls, just wankers. Sounds great to me.
You see if you ask me we're heterosexual by default, not by decision. It's just a question of who you fancy. It's all about aesthetics and it's fuck all to do with morality. But you try telling Begbie that.<<
Love this tribute to the Replacements but I feel like a real old fart not knowing there'd been this whole 2015 thing. Guess I wasn't listening to those artists then. Trip down memory lane though revisiting the song''s origin. The story about Peter Buck was great!
Chiming in to share this great cover of the song from Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and his kids Spencer and Sammy, played on their Covid-stay-at-home-era livestream "The Tweedy Show."
I used to listen to "Androgynous" every morning before school in 11th grade (1991) just to be able to get through the day. The jazzy drums and piano, the lonely vocal, the wry lyrics, all made me feel gratified that there was a world beyond my small town redneck high school, somewhere with people who might be able to understand me. And I was enamored of androgyny.
I had heard many Replacements songs on the college radio station I listened to in high school, and I knew the name Paul Westerberg, who had a solo album that was big when I was a teenager (I guess around the time of the movie Singles?) but I don't think I made any connection. But I do know the first, oh, 8000 times I listened to "Androgynous," it was the 1991 Crash Test Dummies version. I didn't even know it was a cover until a few years later. I am trying to not feel embarrassed about that now -- I actually listened to that CTD album for the first time since 1993 just last week, and I really enjoyed it. But the original Replacements version of "Androgynous" has been my go-to for 25 years. I don't think it's hyperbole to say it's one of my all-time favorite songs. "Future outcasts and they don't last," is such a pithy and gentle way to put bigots and 'phobes in their place -- it hits 'em right in the [lack of] intellect.
I only just recently discovered this song and it’s quickly become one of my favorites of all time.
CTD's cover of this song made me so happy when I bought "The Ghosts that Haunt Me" on cassette (in around 1992). I love the original, and their cover of it is sweet.
Phenomenal song, and a phenomenal write-up of it. It's a song that means so much to so many, even more so because it came so long before the time that gender would be discussed openly.
Thank you Mallie! The lyrics floored me. It was truly a flash of genius.
Such a great song and band. If you haven't read the book "Trouble Boys: The True Story of The Replacements" I highly recommend it.
Thanks Brad! I came upon the book in my research and enjoyed the parts I read. I’d put it on my list to finish for sure.
Fantastic piece, Jami. I remember hearing “Androgynous” back when it came out and relating to it, even as a straight white boy. It spoke to anyone (like me) who felt they didn’t belong to any group, and showed how such binary labels are confining and imprisoning. Love how you much you pack into every essay without it ever seeming dense or busy.
Well said Steve and thank you for the kind words. The songwriting is so heartfelt and insightful. I can imagine that it made millions of people feel seen. What a gift Westerberg gave us all.
Really interesting post. I wasn't familiar with this song and need to explore the Replacements a bit more. Thanks for this deep dive!
Amazing piece, all the more reasons to love all of the artists mentioned!
Wonderful read -- thank you!
No idea if this song inspired the gender role riff in the flick *Trainspotting* a dozen or so years later, but it was definitely in the punk zeitgeist....
>>Diane was right. The world is changing, music is changing, drugs are changing, even men and women are changing. One thousand years from now there'll be no guys and no girls, just wankers. Sounds great to me.
You see if you ask me we're heterosexual by default, not by decision. It's just a question of who you fancy. It's all about aesthetics and it's fuck all to do with morality. But you try telling Begbie that.<<
Love this tribute to the Replacements but I feel like a real old fart not knowing there'd been this whole 2015 thing. Guess I wasn't listening to those artists then. Trip down memory lane though revisiting the song''s origin. The story about Peter Buck was great!
Chiming in to share this great cover of the song from Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) and his kids Spencer and Sammy, played on their Covid-stay-at-home-era livestream "The Tweedy Show."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re2G7-c0kvk
Feels somehow extra in keeping with the song's existing excellence to see it played by a dad and two sons?
I used to listen to "Androgynous" every morning before school in 11th grade (1991) just to be able to get through the day. The jazzy drums and piano, the lonely vocal, the wry lyrics, all made me feel gratified that there was a world beyond my small town redneck high school, somewhere with people who might be able to understand me. And I was enamored of androgyny.
Lucinda William - “Metal Firecracker”