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.
Makes No Sense at All
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It makes no sense at all
Sell yourself short, but you're walking so tall
It makes no sense at all
Is it important? You're yelling so loud
It makes no sense at all
Walking around with your head in the clouds
Makes no difference at all
Yeah, it makes no sense at all
Makes no difference at all
Well I don't know why you wanna tell me
When I'm right or when I'm wrong
It's the same thing, in your mind,
The only time I'm right is when I play along
When I play along
Walking around with your head in the clouds
It makes no sense at all
Sell yourself short, but you're walking so tall
It makes no sense at all
Is it important? You're yelling so loud
It makes no sense at all
Walking around with your head in the clouds
It makes no sense at all
Makes no difference at all
Yeah, it makes no sense at all
Makes no difference at all
You concern yourself with evidence
It's evident to me
Well you say you've got the tiger by the tail
But I don't see these things that way
See these things that way
Walking around with your head in the clouds
It makes no sense at all
Sell yourself short, but you're walking so tall
It makes no sense at all
Is it important? You're yelling so loud
It makes no sense at all
Walking around with your head in the clouds
It makes no sense at all
Makes no difference at all
Yeah, it makes no sense at all
Makes no difference at all
Walking around with your head in the clouds
It makes no sense at all
The lyrics of Hüsker Dü's "Makes No Sense at All" invite the listener to contemplate the disconnect between our perceptions and reality. The repeated line, "walking around with your head in the clouds, it makes no sense at all," highlights the idea that one can be oblivious to what is really happening around them, even as they present themselves as confident and assertive. The idea is that we tend to miss the point when we are too focused on our own beliefs, leading us to miss what is actually occurring.
The song's opening verse suggests that there's a gap between how some people present themselves and how they actually are. It implies that some people overcompensate for their lack of confidence by acting as if they're self-assured, leading to contradictions in their behavior. The line "sell yourself short, but you're walking so tall" emphasizes this idea that one can be both insecure and overbearing simultaneously.
The second verse deals with the frustration that comes from trying to reason with someone who is too focused on their own point of view. The singer is facing a person who believes they are always right and insists on seeing things their way. It's the worst when the only way to avoid conflict is to agree with their interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking around with your head in the clouds
Being unaware of what's happening around you
It makes no sense at all
It's illogical and absurd
Sell yourself short, but you're walking so tall
Underestimating oneself but pretending to have confidence
Is it important? You're yelling so loud
Questioning the significance of something despite someone being excessively vocal about it
Makes no difference at all
It's irrelevant and won't have any impact
Well I don't know why you wanna tell me
When I'm right or when I'm wrong
It's the same thing, in your mind,
The only time I'm right is when I play along
When I play along
Feeling frustrated and powerless when dealing with someone who never admits to being wrong and always wants to be in control
You concern yourself with evidence
It's evident to me
Well you say you've got the tiger by the tail
But I don't see these things that way
See these things that way
Not agreeing with someone who is overly focused on facts and proof, and who sees things differently from oneself
Walking around with your head in the clouds
Being unaware of what's happening around you
It makes no sense at all
It's illogical and absurd
Makes no difference at all
It's irrelevant and won't have any impact
Walking around with your head in the clouds
Being unaware of what's happening around you
It makes no sense at all
It's illogical and absurd
Makes no difference at all
It's irrelevant and won't have any impact
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BOB MOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@michaelf7093
The feels. So many great shots of old Minneapolis.
@Artaud1957
Another one of those songs that reminds me of how great it was to be young during a certain period of time in the late 20th century.
@tedmartinez5457
Yes!!!❤👊🏽
@blutausbeherit
Yup and then the same generation having fun were the ones that ruined it all lol
@stevegraham5936
I still say to this day Husker DU are one of the greatest Punk bands ever!
@voddynblack
warehouse songs n stories , candy apple grey 2 of the most invigorating albums in my life
@ericknutson8679
the Replacements till Bob got kicked out
@andymorphic67
to inconsistent
@PMantle
@@andymorphic67 Husker Du is
@rodneyhughes1384
I'm not sure about the greatest because everyone has their own taste. But Husker Du was one of my favorites period.