The Replacements “Unsatisfied” released on Let It Be

Unsatisfied The Replacements

Writer(s): Paul Westerberg (see lyrics here) Released: October 2, 1984 (album cut) First Charted: -- Peak: 9 CO, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 2.24 video, 8.94 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The Replacements formed in 1979 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For most of their existence, they were comprised of singer/songwriter and guitarist Paul Westerberg, guitarist Bob Stinson, bassist Tommy Stinson, and drummer Chris Mars. They are considered one of the pioneers of alternative rock, thanks to acclaimed albums such as Let It Be and Tim. One of their most important songs was “Unsatisfied” from Let It Be. Medialoper.com’s Jim Connelly went so far as to say it “just might be the greatest song Paul Westerberg has ever written…it might just be the greatest song anybody’s ever written.” ML Diffuser.fm called it “an anthem for a legion of depressed and misunderstood teens and college-music fans.” WK Indeed, it could be considered the theme song for ‘80s youths who were teetering on the brink of adulthood. PopMatters.com called it “absolultely one of the most cathartic rock songs of all time.” WK The song has been viewed “as an answer or at least a variant” ML to the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “with the difference being that Mick saw his dissatisfaction as an annoyance that was going to be resolved in the near future, whereas Paul clearly saw his as the end of the fucking world.” ML He said it was as “melancholy as we want to get and [still] be alive.” WK “Paul’s nailing it with the singing, his voice rough and sad and hoarse, and every time he holds out the word ‘satisfiiiieeeeeeed’ it’s a whole universe in and of itself.” ML He “takes his dissatisfaction, and my dissatisfaction, and your dissatisfaction, and puts them all into his voice and just lets loose, pain and desperation pouring out of every single note.” ML “One of the tricks of ‘Unsatisfied’ [is] the contrast between the desperation of the choruses and the resignation of the verse.” ML In addition, the song features a rhythm guitar that has “too much distortion to be jangly, but has too much jangle to be full grunge.” ML That “raggedy feel” ML grew out of Bob Stinson’s improvised guitar lines which he added while they recorded in the studio, despite never hearing the song before. WK Resources: ML Medialoper.com (7/14/2020). “Certain Songs #1866: The Replacements – ‘Unsatisfied’” by Jim Connelly WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 7/8/2025.