Let it Be

Let It Be (1984, reissued 2008)is The Replacements fourth studio album and is considered a "masterpiece" my many 'Mats fans. It was given a five star rating by All Music. It was also the Replacements breakthrough album in that people outside of the upper Midwest really started to pay attention to the band. I love the cover art (right top), a photograph by Daniel Corrigan, taken on the roof of Bob and Tommy Stinson's family home in South Minneapolis. It reminds me of my summers in Evanston, Illinois, where my friends and I would hang out on the roof and drink beer. According to the book, The Replacements: All Over But the Shouting, An Oral History (2007)by Jim Walsh, Corrigan actually preferred a shot he took of the band in a University of Minnesota elevator (right, bottom), which was used on the album sleeve.

I've posted songs from Let It Be earlier in this series, so instead I am going to focus on an artist who was greatly influenced by The 'Mats. Craig Finn is originally from suburban Minneapolis, and also grew up on The Replacements. He is currently the lead singer for The Hold Steady, who regular readers of My Aimz is True will recognize as one of my current favorite bands.

When Let It Be came out, I was take taking guitar lessons from Chris Osgood ["godfather of the Minneapolis music scene"], and the record started doing well, and he stopped teaching me and went over to work at Twin/Tone. I got into them the summer of eighth grade, and Let It Be came out that fall. One of my chores was to mow the lawn, and I did it early that week so I could go to Oarfolk and get it.

My dad sensed this was really important to me, and he said, "Why don't I just drive you up there." And he bought the record for me out of his money, not mine, and whoever it was behind the counter rang up the record, turned on the music [on the turntable behind the counter], and he looks at me and points at my dad and goes, "Cool dad." Then points at me and looks at my dad and goes, "Cool kid." (p. 127)

They are my favorite band, and I think about them more than I should. Them and the [Minnesota] Twins occupy an unhealthy amount of my brain. (p. 42)

To my ears, the below song was heavily influenced by The Replacements.

The Hold Steady - The Swish.mp3
Buy: Almost Killed Me (2004)