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 Much Spice
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never used to have a reason to be bored
Now you indulge yourself with new ways of possession
Now you indulge yourself and your feelings are ignored
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
There was a time, there was a place, there was a reason
You've tasted everything in this here bag of season
But now you're bored and you've run out of things to do
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
You're coloring your life with too much spice
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
You're coloring your life with too much spice
You're coloring your life with too much spice
You don't see anything, your eyes are so revealing
They're sharply focused on looking for a thrill
You've turned so numb you never notice any feeling
Your thoughts are dead and you've still got some time to kill
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
You're coloring your life with too much spice
You're coloring your life with too much spice
The lyrics to Hüsker Dü's song Too Much Spice explore the idea of excess, specifically in regards to the pursuit of pleasure and indulgence. The song begins by describing a shift in the subject's behavior, as they now find themselves constantly seeking out new forms of pleasure and possession. The line "you're coloring your life with too much spice" suggests that this behavior is excessive, and that the subject is attempting to add excitement and flavor to their life in an unhealthy way. The repetition of this line throughout the song reinforces the idea that the subject is taking their indulgences too far, and is ultimately causing harm to themselves.
The second verse of the song builds on the idea of indulgence and excess, suggesting that the subject has become bored with their current situation and has exhausted all of their options for pleasure-seeking. The line "you've tasted everything in this here bag of season" highlights the idea that the subject has tried everything, and is now left feeling empty and unfulfilled. The repeated refrain of "you're coloring your life with too much spice" emphasizes the dangerous and unhealthy nature of this behavior, and suggests that the subject is headed for a destructive end.
The final verse of the song explores the consequences of this excessive behavior, with the subject's focus on pleasure-seeking leading them to a state of numbness and disconnection from their emotions. The line "your thoughts are dead and you've still got some time to kill" suggests that the subject is wasting away their life in pursuit of meaningless pleasures, and has lost touch with the more meaningful aspects of life. The repetition of the line "you're coloring your life with too much spice" throughout the song drives home the idea that this behavior is ultimately harmful, and that the subject needs to find a way to break free from this destructive cycle.
Overall, the lyrics to Hüsker Dü's song Too Much Spice offer a cautionary tale about the dangers of excess and indulgence. Through its emphasis on the repeated refrain of "you're coloring your life with too much spice," the song highlights the need for moderation and balance in all aspects of life.
Line by Line Meaning
You never used to care for fancy new obsessions
In the past, you were not interested in new trends or obsessions.
You never used to have a reason to be bored
Before, you never felt the need to do something exciting or new to overcome boredom.
Now you indulge yourself with new ways of possession
However, now you are satisfying your craving for fresh and novel experiences all the time.
Now you indulge yourself and your feelings are ignored
You are so consumed by your new desires that you have no time to pay attention to your emotions or others' feelings.
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
You are taking too many risks and adding too much excitement to your life.
There was a time, there was a place, there was a reason
You used to have a specific environment and motivation for your actions and choices.
There was a situation comfortable for you
You felt comfortable and secure in a particular situation.
You've tasted everything in this here bag of season
You have already tried everything in your possession, exhausting all of your options.
But now you're bored and you've run out of things to do
You are now dull, and there is nothing new to excite you.
You're coloring your life with too much spice
Again, you are trying too hard to add thrills and excitement in your life.
You're coloring your life with too much spice
And again, you are overdoing it.
You don't see anything, your eyes are so revealing
You are oblivious to what is happening around you, signifying your current situation.
They're sharply focused on looking for a thrill
You are only searching for excitement and nothing else.
You've turned so numb you never notice any feeling
You have desensitized yourself and become indifferent to your emotions or others' feelings.
Your thoughts are dead and you've still got some time to kill
Your mind is inactive, and you have nothing to do but pass the time.
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
Once again, you are adding too much thrill and excitement to your life.
And you're coloring your life with too much spice
And again, you are overdoing it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRANT VERNON HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
cthulhugamete
love mould's guitar work on this track, that is more than my usual love of his guitar playing
On The Ground TO
absolutely incredible lyrics. love these guys
Oskar Petur Einarsson
R.I.P. Grant Hart. So tragic. One of his greatest songs.
Tomi Kazi
all of them...
Valentina Popov
did not lost anything after decades...still love it
Tomi Kazi
love grant....RIP...HOW about this production...And by the way....I wrote, sing , and play the drums too....rip grant...best drummer ever
Mike Rhubarb
Top stuff remember this on the John Peel show !
ruf1980
Goodbye Grant, you definitely colored your life with too much spice.
iSapien1956672
I first learned about these guys from their ads in Transworld Skateboard magazine back in 1986, forbthe
Ginoca 568
too much spice