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.
Divide and Conquer
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we've got states and cities
Cities have their neighborhoods
And more subdivisions
There's countries divided by walls
Oceans and latitudes
And longitude, longing to find out
They're lots of area codes
And nine digit zip codes
Secret decoder ring codes
Arteries, shopping nodes
We'll invent some new computers
Link up the global village
And get AP, UPI, and Reuters
To tell everybody, news news
We'll be one happy neighborhood
Spread out across the world
Who's going to stop that burglar
From breaking in my house
If he lives that far away, wha
We'll be just like old friends
No means to your ends
The police state is to busy
The neighborhood's getting out of hand
Big Brother on every wall
Muzak plays in all the halls
Empires see the rise and fall
They divide, conquer
It's not about my politics
Something happened way too quick
A bunch of men who played it sick
They divide, conquer
It's all here before your eyes
Safety is a big disguise
That hides among the other lies
They divide, conquer, what oh oh, oh oh
Well I expect I won't be heard
'Cause my silence is assured
Never a discouraging word
They divide and conquer
They divide and conquer
Divide and conquer
They divide and conquer
Divide and conquer, listen
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na, whoa
Divide and conquer
Divide and conquer
And conquer
Divide and conquer
And conquer
Divide and conquer
And conquer, listen
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
La la la, whoa, yeh
Hüsker Dü's song "Divide and Conquer" speaks about the ways in which society is divided into smaller and smaller units, creating a sense of isolation and alienation between individuals. The first verse describes how land is divided up into states and cities, which in turn are divided into neighborhoods and subdivisions. The second verse speaks about how countries are divided by walls, oceans, latitudes and longitudes, all of which create borders and boundaries between people. Despite the many ways in which society is divided, the song expresses a desire for unity and community, with the imagined possibility of a global village where everyone is connected.
The lyrics also express a criticism of those who seek to control and manipulate society through division and conquest. The final verse describes a police state in which Big Brother is watching everyone, while "Muzak plays in all the halls." The use of the word "Muzak" (a brand of background music often played in public spaces) highlights the way that popular culture can be used as a form of social control, disguising the true nature of the systems that govern our lives.
Overall, "Divide and Conquer" is a powerful critique of the divisions and hierarchies that shape modern society, and a call for unity and solidarity in the face of oppression and exploitation.
Line by Line Meaning
Well they divided up all the land
The people in power decided to divide the land into smaller areas, creating states and cities.
And we've got states and cities
As a result of the decision by the people in power, we now have smaller areas like states and cities.
Cities have their neighborhoods
Within each city, there are smaller areas known as neighborhoods that have their unique characteristics.
And more subdivisions
There are even more smaller areas and subdivisions within the neighborhoods.
There's countries divided by walls
Countries have been separated from each other with physical walls and geographical boundaries.
Oceans and latitudes
In addition to walls, countries are separated from each other by larger geographical features like oceans and latitudes.
And longitude, longing to find out
People are curious to know more about places that are separated by longitude and distances.
Just what they're missing, whoa
People want to find out what they are missing in other places that they are not familiar with.
They're lots of area codes
There are various area codes that are assigned to different regions, providing a unique way to identify a specific area.
And nine digit zip codes
In addition, there are also nine-digit zip codes that are used to identify different locations within a specific area.
Secret decoder ring codes
There are secret codes that are used to communicate information between parties, like spy games using a secret decoder ring.
Arteries, shopping nodes
There are shopping and business areas within each region that acts as the main source of transportation and commerce.
We'll invent some new computers
In the future, technology will provide the means to connect people and places more effectively.
Link up the global village
Through technology, the world will become a more connected and interconnected community, similar to a village.
And get AP, UPI, and Reuters
The news agencies like AP, UPI, and Reuters will play an important role in providing information about what's happening around the world.
To tell everybody, news news
The news agencies will broadcast information to everyone, keeping the public informed.
We'll be one happy neighborhood
With technology and communication, the world will become a more connected and unified place.
Spread out across the world
This unity will eventually spread across the entire world.
Who's going to stop that burglar
Despite the benefits of unity, there are still challenges, like how will the remote police stop burglars from breaking into homes in distant places.
From breaking in my house
The remote location of homes in other regions may make it difficult for law enforcement to stop burglaries.
If he lives that far away, wha
It is not clear how law enforcement can act when criminals live too far away.
We'll be just like old friends
Despite differences in geography, people will be able to relate to each other and consider themselves friends.
No means to your ends
There will be no need to use others to achieve your personal goals or ends.
The police state is too busy
Despite the need for law enforcement, the police state may be too preoccupied with other priorities to address every issue.
The neighborhood's getting out of hand
There may be too much crime and chaos within some neighborhoods for local law enforcement to control.
Big Brother on every wall
The government exercises constant surveillance on citizens, even within their own homes.
Muzak plays in all the halls
Music is played everywhere, as a way to dull people's senses and distract them from larger issues.
Empires see the rise and fall
Throughout history, powerful empires have risen and eventually fallen, due to power struggles and conflicts.
They divide, conquer
The easiest way to maintain power is to divide and conquer the population, controlling it and ensuring a steady flow of obedience and submission.
It's not about my politics
This is not a political issue, but a problem with humanity, where people always seek to control others and maintain their power.
Something happened way too quick
These changes happened so rapidly that is difficult to pinpoint who or what is responsible for society's current state.
A bunch of men who played it sick
The control and power of society are held by men that are only interested in maintaining their status and control over all others.
They divide, conquer
Once again, the easiest way to maintain power is by dividing the population and controlling it through propaganda and ideology.
It's all here before your eyes
These issues are not hidden, but rather right in front of your eyes.
Safety is a big disguise
Many times, promises of safety are only a disguise for a much more dangerous agenda.
That hides among the other lies
Truly dangerous intentions are often masked by much more normal and innocent concerns.
They divide, conquer, what oh oh, oh oh
Once again, the controlling forces in society operate most effectively through division and control, as it is the easiest way to maintain power.
Well I expect I won't be heard
Many people's opinions and concerns are simply ignored or dismissed by those with greater power.
'Cause my silence is assured
Often, people remain silent rather than speak out and run the risk of being ostracized, attacked, or dismissed by those in power.
Never a discouraging word
There is never a message of hope or encouragement from those in power or from the media.
They divide and conquer
The most effective way to maintain power is to divide the population and keep people from uniting against those in power.
Divide and conquer
Once again, the controlling forces in society maintain their power by dividing the population and preventing people from working together against them.
Na na na na na na na
Nonsensical sounds in the song.
And conquer
The goal of those in power is to maintain control of society.
Divide and conquer
Those in power use division and discord to maintain their control over the population.
And conquer
The ultimate goal of those in power is to maintain control of a divided and oppressed population.
Divide and conquer
The chorus repeats the same message: those in power will maintain control by dividing and conquering the population.
And conquer, listen
The song repeats the same message, urging people to listen and become aware of the ways in which they are being manipulated and controlled.
La la la la la la la
Nonsensical sounds in the song.
La la la la la la la
Nonsensical sounds in the song.
La la la, whoa, yeh
Nonsensical sounds in the song, ending with a strong finish.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BOB MOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@willieluncheonette
THIRD SONG TODAY FROM HUSKER DU'S FLIP YOUR WIG LP IN 1985.
Not gonna say too much about this one other than it's one of the MOST GLORIOUS songs the band ever recorded. The lyrics are too great, WHAT A SONG!
Well they divided up all the land
And we've got states and cities
Cities have their neighborhoods
And more subdivisions
There's countries divided by walls
Oceans and latitudes
And longitude, longing to find out
Just what they're missing, whoa
They're lots of area codes
And nine digit zip codes
Secret decoder ring codes
Arteries, shopping nodes
We'll invent some new computers
Link up the global village
And get AP, UPI, and Reuters
To tell everybody, news news
We'll be one happy neighborhood
Spread out across the world
Who's going to stop that burglar
From breaking in my house
If he lives that far away, what
We'll be just like old friends
No means to your ends
The police state is too busy
The neighborhood's getting out of hand
Big Brother on every wall
Muzak plays in all the halls
Empires see the rise and fall
They divide, conquer
It's not about my politics
Something happened way too quick
A bunch of men who played it sick
They divide, conquer
It's all here before your eyes
Safety is a big disguise
That hides among the other lies
They divide, conquer, what oh oh, oh oh
Well I expect I won't be heard
'Cause my silence is assured
Never a discouraging word
They divide and conquer
They divide and conquer
Divide and conquer
They divide and conquer
Divide and conquer, listen
@matt_dylan3090
We'll invent some new computers
Link up the global village
And get AP, UPI, and Reuters
To tell everybody, news news
We'll be one happy neighborhood
Spread out across the world
Who's going to stop that burglar
From breaking in my house
If he lives that far away, wha
@ayykitten
Husker Du is the greatest band to ever exist. The end.
@carlscott4180
A song for 2020. Especially with that "safety is a big disguise!" line. CS
@astroboirap
and the internet
@micycledalgleish2005
This never gets old.....could never have survived the 80's without them.
@allenvestal4474
I could not survive the 2020s without them.
@willieluncheonette5843
one of their greatest songs
@hazelmotes3911
One word: prophetic.
@richardjohncrouch7617
Browsing in a record shop in 1985 I came across this album. I thought ..oh I'll give it a shot. Turned out to be a masterpiece. This is my favourite.. so prophetic
@leogilbert7220
That intro and the circular guitar riff are unmistakable. Then Bob's classic "uh huh" and "whoa oohh" are just the icing on the cake.
@chrischristi1818
Leah Wellbaum must have been influenced by this song at some point !!