I know much more about The Replacements than Paul’s solo career but I’ve been listening and I’ve liked what I’ve heard. This song has catchy guitar riffs running through it and is accessible. It’s a good one to introduce him solo on here. During the 1980s Westerberg’s songwriting was second to none. I’m finding a lot of his solo work the same.
This song was used in the 1992 movie Singles and appears on the soundtrack along with tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Chris Cornell, The Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, and more. Another Westerberg song, Waiting For Somebody, is also on it. The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Album Charts. Dyslexic Heart peaked at #4 on the Billboard Alternative Charts. The album helped open up grunge to the mainstream.
Cameron Crowe (a huge Replacements fan) had asked Westerberg to contribute a couple of songs to the soundtrack. He made this song right after the Replacements disbanded. The following year, he would release his first solo album called 14 Songs.
The Replacements started out as a punk band. They eventually switched over to a more rock approach with rock songs and ballads. Westerberg remained a true punk in spirit with his irrelevant attitude.
The Singles soundtrack played a key role in popularizing grunge, and some even referred to Paul Westerberg as the “Godfather of Grunge.” Westerberg responded to this label with humor and humility:
“I don’t know… I guess I wore a plaid shirt, and yes, I played real loud, but… what is grunge? I don’t know. I don’t hear a lot of melody in what they’re doing on the West Coast. Nirvana, I suppose, has some hooks, I can see that, but a lot of it sounds to me like Boston with a hair up its ass. The Ramones probably have more to do with it than we did. Play Ramones records on 16 and you’ve got grunge!”
That response is one of the reasons I’m such a fan of him.
Here is a fuzzy video of him live in 1993.
Dyslexic Heart
You shoot me glances and they’re so hard to read
I misconstrue what you mean
Slip me a napkin and now that’s a start
Is this your name or a doctor’s eye chart?
I try and comprehend you but I got a dyslexic heart
I ain’t dying to offend you, I got a dyslexic heart
Thanks for the book, now my table is ready
Is this a library or bar?
Between the covers I thought you were ready
A half-angel, half-tart
I try and comprehend you but I got a dyslexic heart
I ain’t dying to offend you, I got a dyslexic heart
Do I read you correctly, you need me directly
Help me with this part
Do I date you? Do I hate you?
Do I got a dyslexic heart?
You keep swayin’, what are you sayin’?
Thinking ’bout stayin’?
Or are you just playing, making passes?
Well, my heart could use some glasses
Are you stayin’?
What are you sayin’?
Well are you swayin’?
Are you just playing, making passes?
Well, my heart could use some glasses
I try and comprehend you, I got a dyslexic heart
Do I read you correctly, I need you directly
Help me with this part
Do I love you? Do I hate you?
I got a dyslexic heart?
…
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Ok, I knew I had heard this song and yup it was because of the Singles soundtrack when those were worth buying. Dazed and Confused from that time was another good soundtrack.
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I liked The Dazed and Confused sountrack and movie.
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Cool song and very creative concept. Didn’t know anything about his solo work.
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Well you know I’m a super fan of him and his writing…but I didn’t know much about his solo songs either. Graham has posted his top 10 before…he has some very good non Replacement songs.
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I liked the non-fuzzy version. Very catchy with a somewhat weird but wonderful video
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I mainly know what I know about The Replacements because of your previous posts. I haven’t listened to Westerberg’s solo work. This is a “pretty happy song” – almost power popish!
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Yea he could put these out and I think he was trying to fit more in the mainstream…it worked with this one.
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I liked the second version much better.
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I like the live version…just wish it wasn’t as fuzzy.
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Ramones on 16 and you’ve got grunge! That’s good. I guess I’ve heard this one, but I don’t remember it, though I have seen ‘Singles’ and think I had the CD for some reason though I didn’t spend a lot of time listening to it. I really like his ‘Love Untold’, which curiously got a fair bit of radio play in Toronto unlike anything by the Replacements except ‘Alex Chilton’.
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The Replacements pissed too many off but a lot of people would have loved their music…hell a lot do now since they sold out 10,000-20,000 seat arenas on their reunion tour…kinda like the Dead in that way…their music has got around.
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As you say, I think he got a little closer to mainstream…even if mainstream was ‘alternative’…on his own in ’90s, and from my scant knowledge to go on, it did him good. ‘Love Untold’….for a few months it was really big on CFNY, alongside the Nirvana and our Lady Peace, and I really dug that tune
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I think two ways about it. One I wish they would have picked their battles but still retained the artistic side….but after seeing those reunion tour totals…hell they finally got paid for the eighties and more.
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Decent tune and lyrically full of fun twists.
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As you do I believe…I do love his songwriting. This is more of a light song by him but some of it still comes through. People look at me funny when I say he may have been my favorite songwriter of the 80s…yea even over Bruce for that period.
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Pretty much like everything he does. Lots of great stuff in those solo records. Pull them out regularly
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I’m starting to CB…I took a while to catch up on the Replacements stuff I forgot about…now I’m following him…I’ve listened to his Soundcloud recordings…they are great. He is a one off…personality and music.
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Great tune. Love the title.
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Yea that title…not many would write a song called that.
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After reading a biography of The Replacements I really wanted to punch Paul Westerberg in the face, but I cannot deny that he has composed some terrific songs.
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I read that as well… yea they should have picked their battles better…but they/he just pissed off everyone. It’s one thing to be a punk…but not an ass.
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I sure miss Paul and wish he would resurface.
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He is on SoundCloud a lot…in his basement…recording songs and posting them…he probably is set for life with the reunion tour…
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That’s a good quote. I like a lot of Westerberg solo stuff, the ones from the early 21st century that he recorded by himself in his basement have some great moments.
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I have a SoundCloud account and I’ve noticed he is on there releasing different songs…some I’ve heard are really good.
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