Answering Machine

Album: Let It Be (1984)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg wrote this song about a love interest who wasn't always there to answer his calls.

    The book Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements explains that the love interest lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Westerberg lived in Minneapolis and was touring most the time, so their relationship was long distance. He often got her answering machine when he called on the telephone, a common thing in pre-cellphone 1984.

    "I'm not a modern person," Westerberg says in Trouble Boys. "Technology irritates me."
  • After performing this song live, Westerberg often shouted out area codes. It was usually 313 for the Ann Arbor woman, but sometimes New York's 212 or some others.
  • Westerberg considers this one of his best songs. It was one of his favorites to play live.
  • Westerberg recorded this song solo, playing guitar and percussion. He started freezing out his bandmates starting with the Let It Be album, which created friction between him and Replacements guitarist Bob Stinson. After playing on the next album, Tim, Stinson was out of the band for good.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And Scandals

Top American Idol Moments: Songs And ScandalsSong Writing

Surprise exits, a catfight and some very memorable performances make our list of the most memorable Idol moments.

Victoria Williams

Victoria WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

Despite appearances on Carson, Leno and a Pennebaker film, Williams remains a hidden treasure.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Steve Morse of Deep Purple

Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."