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

Cheerleaders In Music Videos

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

Ian Anderson of Jethro TullSongwriter Interviews

The flautist frontman talks about touring with Led Zeppelin, his contribution to "Hotel California", and how he may have done the first MTV Unplugged.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.