Hüsker Dü was a punk band from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, active from… Read Full Bio ↴Hüsker Dü was a punk band from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, active from 1979 to 1987. The band consisted of Bob Mould (guitars, vocals), Greg Norton (bass) and Grant Hart (1961 – 2017) (drums, vocals). Mould and Hart split the song-writing duties. The band was never widely popular, but had an impact much larger than sales might indicate. "Husker Du" is Danish/Norwegian for "Do You Remember" (also a popular children's game as Hūsker Dū?). Hüsker Dü first gained notice as a hardcore band, with thrashing tempos & screamed vocals, but also with a melodic, soulful edge that became more pronounced in the band's mid-career, as they drifted away from their early sound. They were also a striking trio on stage — far different from the typical hardcore band of the time — with Mould's hulking, doughy presence shouting angrily at stage left, offset by the generally unkempt, long-haired Hart flailing on the drums, and the lanky, good-natured Norton, who sported a waxed handlebar moustache for most of the band's career.

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.

Terms of Psychic Warfare
Hüsker Dü Lyrics

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I see you walking down the road
And the thoughts within my mind explode
But having to hold back taught me a lot about control
And letting it all loose at once when it was time to let you know
You occupied my space and you occupied your mind
By jumping off the roof to the first conclusion you can find

Now all the silver you can steal

Can't buy a piece of what I feel
It's sad but the means they just don't justify the ends
To be forever haunted by the ghosts of all your friends
Painful, yeah that's the way you've chosen it to be
C'mon can't you think of anyone besides me?

Now don't think you're the only one who harbours a self hate
I'm just as guilty of selling what my sweet soul creates

And don't feel bad the next time my memory comes creepin'
You've got your own bed now, I suggest that's the one you sleep in

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Hüsker Dü's song Terms of Psychic Warfare explore the complications that come with letting someone go. The opening lines describe the physical reaction that the singer experiences when they see the person walking down the road. Their thoughts, overwhelmed with emotions, explode within their mind. However, they have learned the importance of holding back and the power of control. They've been biding their time until they can't hold it back any longer, until they can let this person know how they feel.

The lyrics go on to describe the complicated relationship between these two people. The other person occupies the singer's space and their mind, but they've made rash and premature decisions that were not well thought out, jumping to the easiest conclusion. The singer, on the other hand, feels that what they have is priceless and cannot be bought, even by all the silver that the other person can steal. They recognize that the means to an end are not justified and the idea of being forever haunted by other people's ghosts is not attractive.

The lyrics take a self-reflective turn as the singer acknowledges their own self-hate and their willingness to sell out, all for the sake of creating something that feels authentic. They urge the other person not to feel bad about the feelings that the memory of them brings. The singer encourages them to sleep in their own bed, indicating that they should move on from the situation and not linger in it.

Line by Line Meaning

I see you walking down the road
I am visually observing you walking on the path

And the thoughts within my mind explode
You bring up intense emotions and thoughts within me

But having to hold back taught me a lot about control
Restraining myself has taught me a valuable lesson in self-discipline

And letting it all loose at once when it was time to let you know
I held in my emotions until it was time to express them all at once

You occupied my space and you occupied your mind
You took up physical and mental space in my life

By jumping off the roof to the first conclusion you can find
You were quick to make assumptions and draw conclusions without considering all possibilities

Now all the silver you can steal
No matter how much material wealth you accumulate

Can't buy a piece of what I feel
You cannot purchase or obtain the emotions that I possess

It's sad but the means they just don't justify the ends
Unjust methods or actions do not justify achieving desired outcomes

To be forever haunted by the ghosts of all your friends
You will always bear the burden of the memories and influences of your past relationships

Painful, yeah that's the way you've chosen it to be
The pain and suffering you are experiencing is a result of your own choices

C'mon can't you think of anyone besides me?
Have you considered the impact of your actions on others besides me?

Now don't think you're the only one who harbours a self hate
You are not the only one who struggles with self-loathing

I'm just as guilty of selling what my sweet soul creates
I am also complicit in exploiting my own creativity for personal gain

And don't feel bad the next time my memory comes creepin'
Do not feel guilty or ashamed when memories of me resurface

You've got your own bed now, I suggest that's the one you sleep in
You have moved on and created your own life, and it is best to stay there instead of dwelling on the past

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRANT VERNON HART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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