Hüsker Dü broke with the anti-traditionalist ethos of most early hardcore bands. Their early songwriting shows the influence of folk, 1960s pop music, blues, and other forms (although often buried under a thick layer of angst and aggression), and has a strong melodic sense. The lyrics made astute, sharp, personal and social commentary, showing a great deal of vulnerability and sympathy for their subjects. Hüsker Dü's songwriting was widely admired, and their live shows were often a venue for brilliant improvisational playing. (A feedback-laden solo guitar performance from an early-'80s soundcheck tape merited release via the avant-garde Telus Magazine.) Hüsker Dü were also, however, widely regarded as somewhat unusual-sounding in their early prime, due to the instruments' non-standard tones: Mould's guitar is described below, while Hart's drums were considered 'thumpy' (and he consistently played slightly behind the beat); Norton played bass fairly laconically even at fast tempos, using his fingers rather than a pick. The band's sound can be considered an organic synthesis of these elements -- a unit that was quite powerful in combination, yet perhaps difficult to parse singly.
A particular strength of the group was the two powerhouse singer/songwriters, Mould and Hart. The tension between their musical styles (Mould was generally the angrier songwriter, Hart the more melodic one), and their willingness to collaborate, made the sum of their contributions greater than their parts. Another strength was Mould's unique, resonant guitar sound, described by a critic at the time as "molten metal pouring from the speakers." Mid-period Hüsker Dü songs are immediately recognizable via Mould's incandescent guitar tone, achieved by splitting the signal in the studio between amplified and direct tones and adding a light stereo chorus effect. Mould's technique involved playing resonant drone notes on the high strings. Although a trio, Hüsker Dü generally sounded extremely large on record and live.
The group is also notable as one of the first 1980s American underground rock bands to contract with a major record label, a move that blazed the trail for the rise of alternative rock a few years later. Another key Minneapolis band who served as an alternative rock icebreaker was The Replacements, who had a friendly rivalry with Hüsker Dü.
Mould has gone on to release other albums, including a recent solo double album release called Body of Song. Prior to that he took a stint as a writer for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) scripting scenarios and fights.
Grant Hart died from cancer on September 14, 2017.
Blah Blah Blah
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like something to me
Just go ahead and spit it out
It's all the same, you see
What's that, it doesn't make sense
Are you talking in tongues?
Or is your brain out of gear
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
Got something to say
Like something to me
Just go ahead and spit it out
It's all the same, you see
It's coming out better
But it doesn't make sense
Is that a head on your shoulders
Or something you use for ornamentation
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
Got something to say
Like something to me
Just go ahead and spit it out
It's all the same, you see
What's that, it doesn't make sense
Are you talking in tongues?
Or is your brain out of gear
I can hear it rattle in your head
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
I can see your lips move
Blah, blah, blah
But all I hear is
The lyrics to Hüsker Dü's song Blah Blah Blah convey a sense of frustration towards someone who is incessantly talking without really saying anything meaningful or coherent. The singer encourages the talker to speak up, but at the same time dismisses their words as irrelevant, sarcastically asking if they are "talking in tongues" or if their brain is "out of gear." The repetition of the phrase "Blah, blah, blah" emphasizes the singer's disdain for the talker's words, suggesting that they are pointless and empty.
The tone of the song is one of aggression and impatience, as the singer makes it clear that they have no interest in listening to the talker's ramblings. The repeated line "I can see your lips move, but all I hear is..." emphasizes the emptiness of the talker's words, and perhaps also implies that they are speaking simply to hear themselves speak, rather than to communicate anything of substance.
Line by Line Meaning
Got something to say
You have a message to convey
Like something to me
Perhaps directed at me
Just go ahead and spit it out
Please express it directly
It's all the same, you see
It's not surprising or unique
What's that, it doesn't make sense
Your words are unclear or confusing
Are you talking in tongues?
Are you speaking in an unfamiliar or incomprehensible language?
Or is your brain out of gear
Could it be that your mental faculties are not functioning properly?
I can hear it rattle in your head
I can hear your thoughts chaotically clattering
I can see your lips move
I see your mouth forming words
Blah, blah, blah
However, the content of your speech is meaningless
But all I hear is
What I receive is not a complete message, because
It's coming out better
Your message is becoming clearer or more understandable
Is that a head on your shoulders
I question the capacity or function of your brain
Or something you use for ornamentation
Is your head or brain purely decorative?
I can see your lips move
I see your mouth forming words
Blah, blah, blah
But your words are nonsensical
But all I hear is
What I receive is not a complete message, because
I can see your lips move
I see your mouth forming words
Blah, blah, blah
However, the meaning I receive is insignificant
But all I hear is
What I receive is not a complete message, because
Got something to say
You have a message to convey
Like something to me
Perhaps directed at me
Just go ahead and spit it out
Please express it directly
It's all the same, you see
It's not surprising or unique
What's that, it doesn't make sense
Your words are unclear or confusing
Are you talking in tongues?
Are you speaking in an unfamiliar or incomprehensible language?
Or is your brain out of gear
Could it be that your mental faculties are not functioning properly?
I can hear it rattle in your head
I can hear your thoughts chaotically clattering
I can see your lips move
I see your mouth forming words
Blah, blah, blah
However, the content of your speech is meaningless
But all I hear is
What I receive is not a complete message, because
I can see your lips move
I see your mouth forming words
Blah, blah, blah
However, the meaning I receive is insignificant
But all I hear is
What I receive is not a complete message, because
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB MOULD, GREG NORTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind