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.
Too Far Down
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
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And I don't know how to tell you
But maybe this time I can't come back
Because I might be too far down
I wish for real
That I could turn it on and off
Like hot and cold and up and down
I'm too far down
I couldn't begin to smile
Because I can't even laugh or cry
Because I just can't do it
If it was so easy to be happy
Why am I so down?
All I can do is sit and wonder if it's going to end
Or if I should just go away forever
When I sit and think
I wish that I just could die
Or let someone else be happy
By setting my own self free
And you don't want the emotion
Because the taste it leaves is for real
But nothing's ever real until it's gone
And I might be too far down
And is this just another thrown away
Or is this the end of the whole stupid road
But you wouldn't want to know how I feel anyway
Because the darkest hole is at the end of the road
I'm down again
And I guess I'm not the only one who dreams
That there's not any way to tell you
Because I might be too far down
"Too Far Down" by Hüsker Dü is a poignant and emotional exploration of the depths of depression and the possibility of being beyond help. The song begins with the singer admitting that they are down again and they don't know how to tell someone, possibly a loved one, that they may not be able to come back because they are too far gone. The lyrics express a feeling of helplessness and hopelessness, seeming to suggest that depression has become a pervasive and inescapable part of the singer's life.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the depth of the singer's depression, as they sing that they are "too far down" and unable to even smile or cry. The lyrics suggest that happiness is not an easy state to achieve and that depression has a way of continually pulling the singer down, no matter how hard they try to fight it.
In the second verse, the singer wishes for the release of death or the ability to set themselves free and make someone else happy. The lyrics convey a sense of guilt and hopelessness, as the singer feels as if they are burdening those around them and that they are unable to find a way out of their depression.
Finally, the song ends with a sense of resignation, as the singer suggests that they may be beyond help and that no one can truly understand how they feel. The final lines of the song express a sense of isolation and despair, with the singer feeling as though they are alone in their struggles.
Overall, "Too Far Down" is a heart-wrenching song that explores the depths of depression and the difficulties of finding a way out.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm down again
I'm feeling low once more
And I don't know how to tell you
I'm finding it difficult to express my feelings to you
But maybe this time I can't come back
I may not be able to fully recover from this low point
Because I might be too far down
I could be too deep into my emotional low to find my way back up
I wish for real
I truly desire
That I could turn it on and off
To be able to control my emotions easily
Like hot and cold and up and down
Just like the switch of a button, without any difficulty
Because I'm down again
Due to my current emotional state
I'm too far down
My emotional state is beyond repair
I couldn't begin to smile
I lack the emotional strength to even smile
Because I can't even laugh or cry
My emotional state is severe enough that I don't have control over my own tears and laughter
Because I just can't do it
I don't have the strength to change my situation
If it was so easy to be happy
If happiness was so easily attainable
Why am I so down?
I question why I am feeling so low despite wanting to be happy
All I can do is sit and wonder if it's going to end
I'm stuck in my own thoughts and worry if my emotional state will get any better
Or if I should just go away forever
I'm contemplating whether or not to end my life
When I sit and think
When I take time to reflect
I wish that I just could die
I think about ending my life to escape my emotional pain
Or let someone else be happy
I consider sacrificing myself so that others can be happy
By setting my own self free
By ending my life, I would be freeing myself from my emotional pain
And you don't want the emotion
You might not want to feel my emotional pain for yourself
Because the taste it leaves is for real
The effects of going through such emotional pain are long-lasting
But nothing's ever real until it's gone
One may not realize the true impact of something until it's gone
And I might be too far down
I am deeply entrenched in my emotional pain
And is this just another thrown away
Am I wasting my time with this emotional pain?
Or is this the end of the whole stupid road
Is this the end of the line for me
But you wouldn't want to know how I feel anyway
You might not be able to handle or understand my emotional pain
Because the darkest hole is at the end of the road
My emotional low is at its deepest right now
And I guess I'm not the only one who dreams
I am not alone in feeling this way
That there's not any way to tell you
I am at a loss as to how to tell my loved ones about my emotional pain
Because I might be too far down
I fear that my emotional state may not improve and I may be stuck in this low state forever
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BOB MOULD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind