Androgynous (song)
| "Androgynous" | |
|---|---|
| Song by the Replacements | |
| from the album Let It Be | |
| Released | 1984 |
| Studio | Blackberry Way Studios, Minneapolis |
| Length | 3:11 |
| Label | Twin/Tone |
| Songwriter | Paul Westerberg |
| Producers |
|
"Androgynous" is a song by the Replacements, from their 1984 album Let It Be. The song has been described as "decades ahead of its time"[1] and "a total miracle."[2] It describes in positive terms a romantic relationship between two gender non-conforming individuals and expresses hope that in the future such people and their personal relationships will be more accepted.[citation needed] When performing the song live, the band would often wear dresses on stage.[3]
Near the end of the song, Paul Westerberg sings the words "Jefferson's Cock." This is the name of an informal side project of the band, fronted by Replacements roadie Bill Sullivan.[4]
An alternate version, with different vocals and restored piano notes in the opening, appears on the deluxe remastered edition of the "Let It Be" album released on October 24, 2025.[5] This version of the song includes a different vocal take and the full piano introduction.[6]
Relevance
[edit]The song is notable for its themes of acceptance, tolerance, and respect, and its challenging of gender conformity.
Best Fit calls the song "one of the late 20th century's most poignant alternative anthems" and describes it as "questioning gender norms and promoting acceptance in a way that music had rarely done in the early 1980s."[7] According to Slate, the song is "an open attack on gender roles."[8]
The UK's Far Out Magazine says the song seeks to break down barriers. "The ideas are about tolerance between different opinions on gender norms. Although the couple in this song may have an androgynous approach to what they do, Westerberg reminds his audience that they are just ordinary people and should be treated with the same respect as anyone else."[9]
A New York Times music journalist, on the release of the alternate version in 2025, said about the song: "Four decades later, when drag queens and transgender people are demonized for political gain, Paul Westerberg’s neighborly, live-and-let-live attitude — 'See no damage, see no evil at all' — is bracing."[10]
Personnel
[edit]Personnel taken from Let It Be liner notes[11]
- Paul Westerberg – vocals, piano, sandblock percussion, production
Covers
[edit]The song was covered by Crash Test Dummies and released as the third and final single from their debut album, The Ghosts That Haunt Me (1991). The music video shows the band performing at a fair attended by many genderqueer individuals.
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts covered the song on the albums Naked (2004) and Sinner (2006). Their music video shows Jett in a library, singing the song to a group of children from a book, with the story of Dick and Jane as told in the lyrics portrayed in the video. Musician John Doe plays Dick, the author of the book, and Jett portrays Jane. U.S. Bombs singer Duane Peters also has a cameo as young Jane's father.
Jubilee covered the song as the B-side on their first single, "Rebel Hiss" (2008).[citation needed]
In 2012, punk rock band Against Me! performed the song live at Terminal 5 in New York City, with Joan Jett as a guest.[12]
In 2015, Joan Jett covered the song again, with Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! and Miley Cyrus, for Cyrus's Backyard Sessions video series to support the Happy Hippie Foundation, an organization that supports homeless LGBT youth. In the YouTube video of their performance, Cyrus sings backing vocals, and Grace and Jett both have solos.[13]
In 2015, Ezra Furman covered the song. Furman discovered the song after Patrick Stickles, the frontman of Titus Andronicus, declared that it was his favourite song.[14] The cover was released in 2019 on her album Songs by Others, a Record Store Day exclusive extended play.
In 2017, the lead singer of Beach Slang, James Alex, released a cover of the song under the moniker Quiet Slang, the "acoustic alter ego of Beach Slang". The cover appeared on the EP We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags along with a cover of "Thirteen" by Big Star, and two other songs.[15]
In 2022, Nation of Language covered the song and released it as a standalone single.[2]
In 2026, Jenny On Holiday, who is Jenny Hollingsworth from Let's Eat Grandma, covered the song as part of her album Quicksand Heart: Extra Baggage.[16]
Charts
[edit]Crash Test Dummies version
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[17] | 198 |
| Canadian RPM 100 | 73 |
References
[edit]- ↑ Ozzi, Dan (8 May 2015). "Watch Miley Cyrus, Laura Jane Grace, and Joan Jett Cover The Replacements' "Androgynous"". Vice Media.
- 1 2 Breihan, Tom (1 June 2022). "Nation Of Language – "Androgynous" (The Replacements Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Bendix, Trish (20 September 2017). "25 Songs About Gender Identity". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Bealmear, Bart (20 April 2018). "Jefferson's Cock: This rarely discussed Replacements side project was fronted by their roadie". Dangerous Minds. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Marchese, Joe (20 August 2025). "They Will Dare: The Replacements' 'Let It Be' is Their Latest Deluxe Reissue". The Second Disc. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Monroe, Jazz (20 August 2025). "The Replacements Announce Let It Be Reissue, Share Unreleased Version of "Androgynous": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ ""The song's message feels more relevant than ever": Jenny On Holiday covers The Replacements for her Best Fit session". The Line of Best Fit. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Wickman, Forrest (11 June 2012). "Against Me! and Joan Jett Cover "Androgynous"". Slate. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Coffman, Tim (23 October 2023). "'Androgynous': The Replacements song that predicted the future". Far Out Magazine. Archived from the original on 5 June 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Pareles, Jon (22 August 2025). "13 New Songs You Need to Hear: Doja Cat, Laufey, Wolf Alice and More". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 November 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Let It Be (liner notes). The Replacements. 1984.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ↑ Singh, Amrit (9 June 2012). "Watch Against Me! & Joan Jett Cover The Replacements' "Androgynous"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ↑ Payne, Chris (8 May 2015). "Miley Cyrus, Joan Jett & Laura Jane Grace Cover the Replacements' 'Androgynous': Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ↑ Garaas, Leah (2 September 2015). "Song Premiere: Ezra Furman covers the Replacements' 'Androgynous'". Retrieved 18 June 2026.
- ↑ Varias, Chris (27 October 2017). "Beach Slang is so punk-rock, bringing the noise". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
- ↑ Breihan, Tom (16 April 2026). "Jenny On Holiday – "Androgynous" (The Replacements Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
- ↑ "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing July 6, 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Archived from the original on July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
