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.
Let's Go Die
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why should I stay
And give my life away
You've picked my number
First thing I've ever won
But that's just my luck
Now you got me
Stuck in a rut with
A knife in my gut
You've cut the odds
My chances have dwindled
Nobody wants me now
Gotta get out
Gotta get away
Escape to die
Some other day
Now I'm getting really confused
I wish I were you
Then I'd sit around and decide
Just who wins
And just who dies
The lyrics to Hüsker Dü's song "Let's Go Die" seem to express the feelings of despair and hopelessness that come from feeling trapped in a situation that seems to provide no way out. The opening lines, "Don't run away, why should I stay, and give my life away?" suggest that the singer is considering whether to flee from a difficult circumstance, perhaps a dead-end job or a problematic relationship, and leave everything he knows behind, or to stay put and accept his fate. The subsequent lines, "You've picked my number, the first thing I've ever won, but that's just my luck, now you got me, now I'm stuck," suggest that the singer has somehow been thrust into a situation that he did not choose but that he is now bound to, much like winning a lottery he never entered. The lines "Stuck in a rut with a knife in my gut" are particularly evocative, suggesting a sense of physical and psychological pain that the singer cannot escape.
The chorus of the song, "Gotta get out, gotta get away, escape to die some other day," further reinforces the idea that the singer feels trapped and hopeless, but is still looking for a way out. He wishes he were someone else who could make the decision about who lives and who dies, suggesting a feeling of powerlessness and a lack of control over his own life.
Overall, "Let's Go Die" is a song about feeling powerless in the face of difficult circumstances, and the struggle to find a way out of them. Its lyrics are poignant and expressive, and its themes will likely resonate with anyone who has ever felt trapped or hopeless.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't run away (3x)
Please don't leave me alone in this terrifying situation.
Why should I stay
I don't have any reason to continue living in this hopeless situation.
And give my life away
I feel like my life is being taken from me against my will.
You've picked my number
I feel like the universe has singled me out for misery and misfortune.
First thing I've ever won
This is the only good thing that's ever happened to me.
But that's just my luck
Unfortunately, even my one moment of happiness is marred by the unfairness of life.
Now you got me
I am trapped in this difficult situation.
Now I'm stuck
I feel completely helpless and unable to change my fate.
Stuck in a rut with
I am trapped in a cycle of misery and hopelessness.
A knife in my gut
This situation is causing me intense emotional pain.
You've cut the odds
The chances of anything good happening to me have been severely reduced.
My chances have dwindled
I have almost no hope left of escaping this situation.
Nobody wants me now
I feel unloved and unwanted by the world.
Gotta get out
I must escape this painful existence.
Gotta get away
I need to leave everything behind and start fresh somewhere else.
Escape to die
I feel like I can only find peace and freedom in death.
Some other day
Maybe someday in the future I will find the courage to end my suffering.
Now I'm getting really confused
I am overwhelmed by the complexity and unfairness of life.
I wish I were you
I envy those who are not suffering like I am.
Then I'd sit around and decide
If I were in control of the universe, I would make things more fair and just.
Just who wins
I would give happiness and success to those who deserve it most.
And just who dies
I would spare those who have already suffered so much in life.
Contributed by John F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.