Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 25, 1981 | |||
Recorded | July 1980, March–June 1981 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 36:47 | |||
Label | Twin/Tone | |||
Producer | Paul Westerberg, Peter Jesperson, Steven Fjelstad | |||
The Replacements chronology | ||||
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Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash is the first studio album by the American band The Replacements. It was released on August 25, 1981 by Twin/Tone Records. Squarely inspired by punk rock, the album stands in contrast to the more creatively diverse power pop and indie rock styles on later albums.
The beginning of Johnny Cash's performance live at Folsom Prison can be heard at the beginning of the track "Rattlesnake"
The track "Somethin' to Dü" is a reference to the band Hüsker Dü, contemporaries of The Replacements and their Saint Paul counterparts. [1] The track "Johnny's Gonna Die" is a reference to influential guitarist Johnny Thunders of the Heartbreakers and New York Dolls. The song refers to his increased heroin addiction and resultant sloppy live performances. Thunders died, possibly of drug-related causes, in 1991. [2]
Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash was released on August 25, 1981 by the independent record label Twin/Tone Records. [3] Before settling on a title for the album, Westerberg considered the names Unsuitable for Airplay and Power Trash. [4]
The song "I'm In Trouble" was released as a single on August 7, 1981, containing an outtake, "If Only You Were Lonely", as its B-side. [5] The album was remastered and reissued by Rhino Entertainment on April 22, 2008, with 13 additional tracks and liner notes by Peter Jesperson.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, on October 22, 2021, Rhino Entertainment released a deluxe edition of the newly remastered album. Featuring 100 tracks spread across 4CDs and 1LP, it includes unreleased demos, alternative takes/mixes, and a previously unreleased 27-track live concert recorded on January 23, 1981 at 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis. [6]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Pitchfork Media | 9.4/10 [7] |
Punknews.org | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Village Voice | B+ [9] |
In a 1982 Trouser Press review, Robert Payes described the "I'm in Trouble" single, which was taken from the album, as "(p)ower pop with the emphasis on power, roaring guitars and energy galore." [10] Retrospectively, AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine considered Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash to be "one of the best LPs the entire scene produced in the early '80s." [3] In a very positive review, Punknews.org praised the album for being different from its counterparts of the hardcore punk scene, stating that the album "never sacrificed its pop appeal for throat-searing screams and whiplash speed." [8]
All tracks are written by Paul Westerberg, except where noted
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Takin' a Ride" | 2:23 | |
2. | "Careless" | 1:08 | |
3. | "Customer" | 1:29 | |
4. | "Hangin' Downtown" | 2:06 | |
5. | "Kick Your Door Down" | 3:11 | |
6. | "Otto" | 2:09 | |
7. | "I Bought a Headache" | 2:24 | |
8. | "Rattlesnake" | Westerberg, Bob Stinson, Tommy Stinson, Chris Mars | 1:48 |
9. | "I Hate Music" | Westerberg, B. Stinson, T. Stinson, Mars | 1:50 |
10. | "Johnny's Gonna Die" | 3:32 | |
11. | "Shiftless When Idle" | 2:18 | |
12. | "More Cigarettes" | 1:20 | |
13. | "Don't Ask Why" | 1:57 | |
14. | "Somethin' to Dü" | 1:41 | |
15. | "I'm in Trouble" | 2:10 | |
16. | "Love You Till Friday" | 1:53 | |
17. | "Shutup" | 1:23 | |
18. | "Raised in the City" | 1:59 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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19. | "Raised in the City" (demo) | 2:16 | |
20. | "Shutup" (demo) | 1:39 | |
21. | "Don't Turn Me Down" (demo) | 1:54 | |
22. | "Shape Up" (demo) | 2:11 | |
23. | "You Ain't Gotta Dance" (demo) | 2:24 | |
24. | "Get on the Stick" (demo) | 1:39 | |
25. | "Oh Baby" (demo) | 1:18 | |
26. | "Like You" | 1:44 | |
27. | "Get Lost" | 2:27 | |
28. | "A Toe Needs a Shoe" | Bob Stinson | 2:09 |
29. | "Customer" (alternate take) | 2:09 | |
30. | "Basement Jam" | Westerberg, Stinson, Stinson, Mars | 3:32 |
31. | "If Only You Were Lonely" (from "I'm in Trouble", 1981) | 2:53 |
Technical
The Replacements were an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979. Initially a punk band, they are one of the main pioneers of alternative rock. The band was composed of the guitarist and vocalist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bass guitarist Tommy Stinson, and drummer Chris Mars for most of its existence. After several acclaimed albums including Let It Be and Tim, Bob Stinson was kicked out of the band in 1986, and Slim Dunlap joined as lead guitarist. Steve Foley replaced Mars in 1990. Towards the end of the band's career, Westerberg exerted more control over its creative output. The group disbanded in 1991 and the members eventually found various projects. A reunion was announced on October 3, 2012. Fans affectionately refer to the band as the 'Mats, a nickname which originated as a truncation of "The Placemats".
Paul Harold Westerberg is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for The Replacements. Following the breakup of The Replacements, Westerberg launched a solo career that saw him release three albums on two major record labels.
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