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.
Dead Set On Destruction
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I can't stand anymore missing you
And I can't stand the pain
Cause I can't get home 'cause of a hurricane
Dead set on destruction
There's no flights home today
And no services out on the motorway
And I can't find a place now to put her down
The Atlantic winds are high
There's only one virgin and she don't fly
And they can't land the plane
And they can't get home 'cause of a hurricane
In "Dead Set on Destruction," Hüsker Dü portrays a person's struggles to return home after being separated from a loved one. The singer is standing in a queue, weighed down by the pain of missing the person they love. A raging hurricane has stranded them and they are unable to find a way home. The feeling of powerlessness is heightened by the fact that there are no flights or services available.
The lyrics are a metaphor for the inability to control the forces of nature and circumstances that have a significant impact on our lives. The singer seems to be resigned to their fate, with no choice but to bear the pain and fear until the situation resolves. The use of the phrase "Dead Set on Destruction" reinforces the idea that the hurricane is not just a natural disaster, but also a threat to the singer's emotional well-being.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm standing in the queue
The singer is currently waiting in line.
And I can't stand anymore missing you
The singer is deeply missing someone they love and the wait is becoming unbearable.
And I can't stand the pain
The emotional pain of missing someone is too much for the singer to handle.
Cause I can't get home 'cause of a hurricane
The artist is unable to leave due to dangerous weather conditions.
Dead set on destruction
The hurricane is powerful and destructive.
There's no flights home today
All flights are cancelled due to the hurricane.
And no services out on the motorway
The roads are closed and transportation services have stopped due to the hurricane.
And I can't leave the ground
The artist is unable to depart due to the hazardous weather conditions.
And I can't find a place now to put her down
The artist is unable to land the plane safely in the dangerous weather conditions.
The Atlantic winds are high
The winds coming from the Atlantic are strong.
There's only one virgin and she don't fly
There is only one airplane that might be able to fly but it is not capable of landing in the dangerous conditions.
And they can't land the plane
The pilots are unable to make a safe landing in the hurricane.
And they can't get home 'cause of a hurricane
The people in the airplane, similar to the singer, are stuck due to the storm.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: LORENZ HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind