Bastards of Young

Album: Tim (1985)
Play Video
  • Ah

    God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
    Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
    Dreams unfulfilled, graduate unskilled
    It beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotten

    Wait on the sons of no one, bastards of young
    Wait on the sons of no one, bastards of young
    The daughters and the sons

    Clean your baby womb, trash that baby boom
    Elvis in the ground, no way he'll be here tonight
    Income tax deduction, one hell of a function
    It beats pickin' cotton or waitin' to be forgotten

    Wait on the sons of no one, bastards of young
    Wait on the sons of no one, bastards of young
    Now the daughters and the sons

    Unwillingness to claim us, ya got no war to name us

    The ones love us best are the ones we'll lay to rest
    And visit their graves on holidays at best
    The ones love us least are the ones we'll die to please
    If it's any consolation, I don't begin to understand them

    Wait on the sons of no one, bastards of young
    Wait on the sons of no one, bastards of young
    Daughters and the sons

    Young, of young, young, young, young

    Take it, it's yours, take it, it's yours
    Take it, it's yours, take it, it's yours
    Take it, it's yours, take it, it's yours
    Take it, it's yours, take it, it's yours
    Take it, it's yours Writer/s: Paul Westerberg
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 10

  • Nick A from Minneapolis Lyrics are actually "Wait on the sons of no one" ..

    It took years for someone to pick up on the fact that the chorus is "Wait on the sons on no one", not "We are the sons of no one." I didn't even know that - I wrote it and forgot it. I actually took it from a chapter in the Bible."

    Paul Westerberg, Spin Magazine (April 2010)

    "The ones who love us least Are the ones we'll die to please" perfectly sums up The Replacements, self critical, adverse to popularity and pleasing the masses.
  • John from Los AngelesHey Jason from Tampa, I always thought they were talking about their families with "the ones that love us best," line. After all, do you really think the replacements are going to visit their fans graves on holidays? If so, I'm all for them visiting mine, but I do think this is more about how when you are young, you spend a lot of time worrying about how you are thought of by people you won't even know anymore in five years.
  • Coen from Vlissingen, NlI thought they considered themselves as bastard sons of Neil Young
  • Aaron from Illinois Unwillingness to claim us, we've got no whores to name us.... And Pete's pickin cotton and waiting to be forgotten
  • Rabbit Bunny from Westminster MdSometimes I feel misunderstood! I love the MATS! A perfect Rebel Rock song!
  • Jim from Long Beach, CaI love this song, such angst. The video had to be the cheapest I have ever seen. It is just a camera on a big stereo speaker...
  • Jason from Tampa, FlThe third verse is clearly a tribute to their fans. ("The ones who love us best are the ones we'll lay to rest
    And visit their graves on holidays at best").

  • Nick from Port Douglas, AustraliaB of Y is a great tune but hard to cover,i had a tribute replacements band,'Little Mascara' together in Sydney in the 90s as a drunken joke and we did quite well.I remember we struggled with that tune
  • Dan from Davis, CaThe Sons of Norway is a fraternal order in Minneapolis with a large building in the Uptown district. Westerberg wrote B of Y after the Mats played a gig there.
  • M Paul from Green Bay, Wiwe are the sons of no one-----income tax deduction-one hell of a function--it beats pickin' cotton and waitin' to be forgotton. westerberg is a genius
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.