The Replacements was the greatest rock band that nearly wasn’t. Exciting and strongly unpredictable, The Mats was a band that tried to self-sabotage itself at every step, yet, thankfully, failed.

It wasn’t just the incredible energy that the band delivered but also the incredible songs of Paul Westerberg, one of the finest songwriters in rock history.

I am counting down the best songs of one of rock’s most famously volatile groups, The Replacements, and celebrating how predictable the group was about releasing great songs.

The 10 Greatest Songs by The Replacements

10. “Portland”

The Replacements, notoriously, crashed their shows often, nearly always inebriated. While their Minneapolis rivals, Husker Du, took a relatively serious position on performing and reaching new fans, The Mats were known for filling whole shows with poorly performed covers. Then again, they might surprise you and be the best band on the night.

“Portland” is about getting the drunk version of the band. The story is hilariously written. And although there’d be consequences, it must’ve been mighty entertaining to witness this.

9. “I’ll Be You”

The great irony, of course, is that The Replacements were eventually convinced to sign to a major label and even make a music video. While this compromise was finally supposed to make the group global stars, it didn’t quite work this way.

In fact, “I’ll Be You” is the greatest song from that corporate-embracing experiment. While it’s a great song, The Replacements sound bored, whereas before, they sounded excited.

8. “Here Comes a Regular”

Who knew Paul Westerberg had it in him? After all, he had joined some kids playing Yes covers and had turned them into a fast-paced punk band.

In disguise and shy about it, Westerberg was an excellent, thought-provoking songwriter. Songs like “Androgynous,” “The Ledge,” and “Here Comes a Regular.”

A song about witnessing drunks pull into their favourite watering hole, “Here Comes a Regular,” dares to ask how easily this could turn into a vision of the future.

7. “Swingin Party”

Remember the drunken covers I told you about? I was lying. The Replacements were pretty good at them. But they were especially good at pulling practical jokes on fans.

“Swingin Party”, with its lounge-jazz vibe, feels like one of those. The joke was on Westerberg. Fans thought it was a well-written song.

And since the “Tim” song got covered by Lorde and Kindness, it’s become the band’s most streamed song on Spotify. Who knew?

6. “Kiss Me on the Bus”

The Replacements were troubled kids. But they got off on the sound of an electric guitar and young love. And Westerberg wasn’t beyond telling fans this.

“Kiss Me on the Bus” captures the exhilaration of living for the moment and shows just what the band’s songwriter could do with a good rock n’ roll groove.

5. “I Will Dare”

The Replacements had recorded a couple of punk-rock albums before “Let It Be” (named that way because they chose the title of the first song that came on the radio), but it was “I Will Dare” that got them noticed nationally.

“I Will Dare” is the sound of pure innocence turned to unfiltered mischief. It’s one of the reasons why I call rock n’ roll a great thing. And people need to hear it to believe in its force.

4. “Left of the Dial”

A lifetime spent on the road, in bad motels, eating terrible food – that’s what the rock musician career promised The Replacements and others like them. It’d seemed like the sweetest deal. It had gotten Westerberg, Tommy and Bob Stinson, and Chris Mars out of their hometown. Now what?

“Left of the Dial” is a song about the excitement of being featured on college radio stations. It’s also about the burden of it.

The song is a love letter to someone also playing in a band. The lovers might get to hear each other on the college radio before the letters ever arrive.

3. “Can’t Hardly Wait”

Westerberg did everything to conspire against his own talent. But, damn, he was aware of it! “Can’t Hardly Wait” is as good a song as anyone’s written.

It’s another tune about being stuck in the endless cycle of travelling from town to town in order to play music. But it’s also about the pure excitement of seeing home again, of finding a place to rest and be understood. I am not surprised that it is one of the songs by The Replacements that has aged best.

2. “Alex Chilton”

The Replacements turned themselves into a great rock band despite their amateurish attitude. And Westerberg could pen a good song about anything, even one of his heroes.

Written about the cult-hero singer of Big Star, “Alex Chilton” has one of the largest, hookiest songs that the band ever delivered. The fact that it’s an ode to a similar kind of misfit only makes it better.

1. “Bastards of Young”

In many ways, The Replacements were on a mission. The four musicians were ready to do anything to escape their lives. Playing rock music had offered them that. But in “Bastards of Young,” they confirmed they were neither naive nor ready to forgive those who had wronged them.

“Bastards of Young” is one of the great rock anthems of all time. It’s about facing up to yourself, living for the moment. It delivers it all with a brilliantly loud, snotty chorus.