Replacements – Little Mascara

Great name for a song or a band…and that guitar is what I was sorely missing around this time in the 1980s. This album was in the stretch of great albums by the band. Let It Be, Tim, and Please To Meet Me. Personally, I never knew how big this song was with fans. One search on YouTube and you can find bands covering this song everywhere.

Everyone who knows me… knows I’m not a huge fan of the Top 40 in the 1980s but alternative rock is a different story. In my opinion, the two best American alternative rock bands to come out of the 80s were The Replacements and R.E.M. The Replacements were the generation’s Big Star influencing 1990s and 2000s bands. They had a secret weapon in Westerberg as a songwriter. I would safely say they were two of my favorite bands in the 80s.

This song was on their 1985 album Tim. Why was the album called Tim? There was no reference to the name on the album. The band’s manager said that he asked Paul Westerberg what the name of the album would be. Paul told him “Tim,” and the manager asked why. Paul said, “because it’s such a nice name.”

This album was their first major label release on Sire Records in 1984. This would be the last album by the original band because Bob Stinson would be kicked out a couple of years later. Stinson did a great solo in this song…very Keith Richards-like.

Tim was placed 136th on Rolling Stone’s 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and 137 in a 2012 revised list. The album peaked at #186 in the Billboard Album Chart in 1986.

I couldn’t find any footage of them originally doing this song live so here they are when they regrouped in the teens.

Little Mascara

You and I fall togetherYou and I sleep aloneAfter all, things might be betterAfter one, and there’s one that’s long gone

For the moon you keep shootin’Throw your rope up in the airFor the kids you stay togetherYou nap ’em and you slap ’em in a highchairAll you ever wanted was someone to take care of yaAll you’re ever losin’ is a little mascaraLittle mascaraLittle mascara

Afternoon, things are quietSettle back now if you canStations clip by like a rocketDon’t you worry if you wonder why he ran

All you ever wanted was someone to take care of yaAll you’re ever losin’ is a little mascaraLittle mascaraLittle mascaraThat you cry, cryThat you cryYour eyes outThat you cryThat you cryThat you cryYour eyes out

All you ever wanted was someone Ma’d be scared ofAll you’re ever losin’ isA little mascaraLittle mascaraLittle mascaraThat you cryThat you cryThat you cryYour eyes outThat you cryThat you cryThat you cryYour eyes outThat you cryThat you cryThat you cry…

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

24 thoughts on “Replacements – Little Mascara”

  2. Pingback: Replacements – Little Mascara – MobsterTiger

  4. you mention Keith Richards and I could almost think I heard a little R Stones in here. Had a chuckle this morning in car, flipped by a Classic Rock station on satelllite and Meg Griffin was there and said ‘to me, I think this is just about the ultimate example of Power Pop’ and it was BAdfinger!

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  7. Very nice- the lyrics appeal to me- a wordsmiths way of saying ‘crying’ but in a better way, I appreciate that. And also, snarly guitar, as you said.

    Hope the new year is treating you well and work ain’t swamping you?

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    1. The same to you obbverse! No I’m working from home today… we got around 4 inches of snow and that means nothing moves for at least a couple of days. The south cannot handle snow.

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      1. ‘Snowin’ Down In Deepest Tennessee’ does have a songwriters ring to it though?! Food for thought? A little finger pickin’ Country ditty for Badfinger to noodle over perhaps?

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