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Cover of Don’t Tell a Soul by The Replacements
Cover: Don’t Tell a Soul

Song · The Replacements

“Achin' To Be” by The Replacements

From the album Don’t Tell a Soul (1989)

“Achin' To Be” by The Replacements appears on 20 radio countdowns from 5 stations between 1989 and 2023. It was first released in 1989 on the album Don’t Tell a Soul. Its best result is #61 on the 91X Top 91 Songs of 1989. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #114 alternative song of 1989 and #1,230 alternative song of all time.

20countdowns
5stations
#61best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1989–2023years charted

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The Replacements - Achin' To Be (Video)

Video from YouTube (The Replacements). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Achin' to Be" is one of the gentler moments on the Replacements' Don't Tell a Soul, released at the start of 1989, and it's Paul Westerberg at his most tender. He wrote it alone, words and music, and the band co-produced the album with Matt Wallace, with Chris Lord-Alge mixing.

The sound is clean and soft: chiming guitars, an unhurried pace and Westerberg's raspy voice leaning in close instead of shouting. It's a quiet, aching song, and it has hung around on rock radio's countdowns for decades.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1989 81 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1989 107
1989 61 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1989 90

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1999 1352 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
2000 1352 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 1354 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 1353 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 888 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 1338 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 967 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 1338 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 1339 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2007 755 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 718 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 737 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 753 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 782 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 810 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 845 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2021 278 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2023 481 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909

Also listed as: Achin' to Be.

Charting alongside it in 1989

Best songs of 1989 →
  1. 1Love SongThe Cure
  2. 2StandR.E.M.
  3. 3Here Comes Your ManThe Pixies
  4. 4She Drives Me CrazyFine Young Cannibals
  5. 5Love ShackThe B-52's
  6. 6Personal JesusDepeche Mode

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