Go out and sit in a field sometime ... 14 SONGS by PAUL WESTERBERG

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I've been listening to a lot of my old CDs lately, finding that I've got a lot of albums that haven't aged well from the 1990s (I coulda swore that No Alternative sounded a lot better back then than it did a week ago.)

But one album that still seems as good today as it was in 1994 (for better or for worse) is 14 Songs by Paul Westerberg. After coming up with those two great songs on the Singles soundtrack and then putting this one in the basket, Westerberg really was never as good again afterward. This album shows a performer free from having the responsibilities of a band behind him and just rocking out in his sort of silly way.

"Knockin' On Mine" is one of those great Track One's. "Even Here We Are" and "Things" are still such sweet little songs. "A Few Minutes of Silence" has one of his best grooves. "Black Eyed Susan" correctly showed that Westerberg should release more home recordings. And "Silver Naked Ladies", well, that one still sucks.

Still one of my favorites. I voted for "Seein' Her".

Poll Results

Option	Votes
First Glimmer	3
Runaway Wind	3
Down Love	2
Things	2
Something Is Me	1
Someone I Once Knew	1
Knockin' On Mine	1
World Class Fad	1
Silver Naked Ladies	0
Even Here We Are	0
Black Eyed Susan	0
Dice Behind Your Shades	0
Mannequin Shop	0
A Few Minutes Of Silence	0

― Pleasant Plains, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 14:47 (seventeen years ago)

I remember liking "World Class Fad" but I never listened to the whole album. I was bummed about the direction the Replacements took on their last 2 albums.

― Shushtari (res), Wednesday, 17 September 2008 14:55 (seventeen years ago)

I liked this album at the time. Not heard it in years.

― Pfunkboy Formerly Known As... (Herman G. Neuname), Wednesday, 17 September 2008 14:58 (seventeen years ago)

Voted 'First Glimmer' - is it just me or can I see Prince doing a bang up cover of that, complete with video of him 'hopping on (his purple) bike' and speeding around Lake Minatonka (sp?) ...

― BlackIronPrison, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 15:07 (seventeen years ago)

"Things", though "Runaway Wind" and "First Glimmer" were close. This album is a great mix of quiet and loud songs.

Things I'm bound to tell you like that dress looks great on ya
I could use some breathing room but I'm still in love with you

Love those lines.

Lyrics here if anyone needs a refresher before voting.

― scampering alpaca, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 15:45 (seventeen years ago)

I busted this out for the first time in years awhile back, and thought it aged very well. First Glimmer is still my favorite, followed by Down Love and Black Eyed Susan.

The new one, .49, is really good too.

― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 17 September 2008 16:16 (seventeen years ago)

three months pass...

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 00:01 (sixteen years ago)

another "first glimmer" vote. one of his best sad-eyed-romantic moves, nostalgia and all.

Wore my jacket and I wore your sweater
Underneath the bridge was an indian summer
Purple mascara, safety pins kickin' the dirt

i like this album a lot. probably more than the last two replacements records.

― tipsy mothra, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 00:12 (sixteen years ago)

At that point in his career, Westerburg had sort of used up his quota of sad eyed romantic ballads, and I was hoping for more stuff like Valentine or Alex Chilton.

― redmond, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 00:32 (sixteen years ago)

Hey, you, someone I once knew...sit your butt down.

― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 01:57 (sixteen years ago)

Actually, "Silver Naked Ladies" isn't that bad... The one major complaint I have with this record is that you can tell he wanted the drummer to sound like the drum machine he used to record the demos with.

Purple mascara, safety pins kickin' the dirt

Ha, I always thought the lyrics were "safety pins, God, did they hurt!"

― өөө (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 30 December 2008 04:18 (sixteen years ago)

he does sing that, the second time through. (or 'god did it hurt'? always figured it was a virginity reference.)

― tipsy mothra, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 05:01 (sixteen years ago)

So it wasn't me fudging another set of Westerberg lyrics, whew.

I used to think he was saying in "I'll be you" pull a bullet right out of my skull instead of well I'm bored right out of my skull.

― өөө (Pleasant Plains), Tuesday, 30 December 2008 05:07 (sixteen years ago)

really was never as good again afterward

Has no one called Plains out on this madness?

― If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 05:48 (sixteen years ago)

Convince me that its madness

― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 06:02 (sixteen years ago)

yeah i'm inclined to agree. (like i said here.)

― tipsy mothra, Tuesday, 30 December 2008 06:17 (sixteen years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Wednesday, 31 December 2008 00:01 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcfCBb-amUc

― hellzapoppa (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 9 March 2010 13:09 (fifteen years ago)

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