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.
Hare Krsna
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Krsna walking down the street
Touching me with lotus feet
Going to talk to Radharani
Going to ask her for her money
Hare Krsna (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Hare, Hare)
Hare Krsna (Hare Rama, Hare Rame, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare)
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rame, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna
Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama
Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna
Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Hare Krsna
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna
Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama
Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
The song "Hare Krsna" by Hüsker Dü is a punk-rock twist on the traditional Hare Krishna chant. The lyrics describe Krsna walking down the street and touching the singer with lotus feet. Krsna is then going to talk to Radharani and ask her for money. The repetition of the Hare Krsna and Hare Rama chants is a staple of the Hare Krishna movement in Hinduism.
The song can be interpreted in a few different ways. The line "touching me with lotus feet" refers to the Hindu belief in the divine nature of feet, and how touching someone with one's feet is seen as disrespectful. In this context, being touched by Krsna's lotus feet is a sign of divine blessing. The mention of Radharani, who is the consort of Krsna in Hindu mythology, suggests a romantic or intimate relationship between the two figures.
The lyrics also seem to play with the idea of money and spirituality. While Krsna is often associated with spiritual purity and detachment from material wealth, in this song he is going to ask Radharani for her money. This could be seen as a commentary on the ways in which spirituality and materialism interact in modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
Krsna walking down the street
The god Krsna is described as moving about on the street
Touching me with lotus feet
The singer imagines Krsna touching them with his divine lotus feet as he walks by
Going to talk to Radharani
Krsna is depicted as going to speak with his consort Radharani
Going to ask her for her money
The artist somewhat humorously imagines Krsna asking Radharani for money, perhaps emphasizing his playful, human-like nature
Hare Krsna (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Hare, Hare)
This is a chant often used in devotion to Krsna, with the repetition of his name
Hare Krsna
Reiteration of the chant
Hare Krsna (Hare Rama, Hare Rame, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare)
The chant shifts to include the names of both Krsna and Rama, another Hindu deity
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
The chant of devotion to Krsna continues
Hare Rama, hare Rame, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
The chant now includes the name of Rama as well
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna
Repetition of the chant focused on Krsna
Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama
Repetition of the chant with a focus on Rama now
Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the Rama-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna
Reiteration of the Krsna-focused chant
Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama
Repetition of the chant with a focus on Rama
Hare Rama
Continuation of the Rama-focused chant
Hare Rama
Repetition of the Rama-focused chant
Hare Krsna
Repetition of the Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna
Reiteration of the Krsna-focused chant
Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama
Repetition of the Rama-focused chant
Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the Rama-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Reiteration of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Reiteration of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Hare Krsna, hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Krsna-focused chant
Hare Rama, hare Rama, Rama, Rama, hare, hare
Continuation of the original Rama and Krsna-focused chant
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB MOULD, GRANT HART, GREG NORTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind