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.
I Don't Know for Sure
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
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I don't know for sure
It could be good, and it could be bad
I don't know for sure
I guess that I'll continue on from day to day
The only way to answer that
To answer that would be to be that way
I don't know for sure
And don't ask because I don't know
I don't know for sure
I never get confused 'cause I don't really know
So I'm happy and so what
So what means that I don't know
It's too simple to explain
I don't know for sure
And words are never proper words
I don't know for sure
What is simple, what is hard
Is harder to discern
These feelings that are feeling
Like the feelings that we learn
The lyrics to Hüsker Dü's song I Don't Know for Sure suggests a lack of clarity about the future and the present. The first verse explains that the future could hold both good and bad, but there is no way to tell which will come to pass. The singer admits that they will continue to go through life day by day because that is the only path to take. The last line of the verse is particularly striking, where the singer admits that to truly know what's next, one would have to be omniscient.
The second verse follows in a similar vein, with the singer admitting uncertainty about what they want, and not knowing the answer because it is outside of their knowledge. The singer doesn't get confused by what they don't know, which seems to bring them happiness. In the chorus, the singer reiterates that they don't know for sure what is simple or hard, and that the feelings they have are similar to the feelings that everyone learns throughout life.
In essence, the song is about accepting ambiguity and not knowing what the future will hold. Despite the lack of clarity, the singer seems at peace with not knowing, suggesting that dwelling on uncertainty can lead to confusion and unhappiness. Overall, the lyrics seem to convey the message that there is no shame in not knowing what's coming next.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't tell you what's coming next
The future is uncertain and I cannot predict it
I don't know for sure
I lack complete knowledge and I'm not certain of anything
It could be good, and it could be bad
The future is unpredictable and could be either good or bad
I guess that I'll continue on from day to day
I will keep going and face whatever comes my way one day at a time
The only way to answer that
The only way to know for certain is to experience it firsthand
To answer that would be to be that way
It's impossible to understand without experiencing it oneself
I wanted this, and I wanted that
I desired specific things, but I'm not sure anymore
And don't ask because I don't know
I cannot provide a definite answer to your questions
I never get confused 'cause I don't really know
I cannot become confused as I have no fixed opinion
So I'm happy and so what
My contentment is the result of accepting uncertainty
So what means that I don't know
My ignorance leads to acceptance, which results in happiness
It's too simple to explain
Things can be too straightforward to describe
And words are never proper words
Sometimes, language can be insufficient in conveying the true meaning
What is simple, what is hard
Distinguishing between what's easy and what's difficult can be tricky
Is harder to discern
It's challenging to understand such distinctions
These feelings that are feeling
Emotions can be complex and difficult to comprehend
Like the feelings that we learn
Our emotions can be informed by our own experiences
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BOB MOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind