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.
Turn on the News
Hüsker Dü Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is why the world has to have so much pain
With all the ways of communicating
We can't get in touch with who we're hating
But now we can't get in touch with you, yeah-yeah-yeah
So turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) the news
I hear it every day on the radio
Somebody shoots a guy he don't even know
Airplanes falling out of the sky
A baby is born and another one dies
Highways fill with refugees, now
Doctors finding out about disease
With all this uptight pushing and shoving
Keeps us away from who we're loving (loving)
It keeps us away from who we should be loving, so turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) the news
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) the news
(Turn on, turn on, turn on, turn on)
(Turn on, turn on, turn on, turn on)
(Turn on, turn on, turn on, turn on)
(Turn on) the news
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) the news
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) the news
Oh, turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) on the news
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on)
Turn on (turn on) the news
You got to turn it on (turn on)
Got to turn it on (turn on)
Turn it on (turn on)
Turn it on (turn on)
Turn it on (turn on)
Turn it on (turn on)
Turn it on (turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
(Turn on)
Hüsker Dü's song "Turn on the News" is a critique of mass media and the increasing alienation of people in the modern world. The song's lyrics express frustration with the world's pain and suffering and the inability of modern communication technology to bring people closer together. The singer notes how he hears about death and destruction every day on the radio and how the news is filled with stories of refugees, disease, and violence. Despite all the modern tools for communication, people still struggle to connect with those they love or resolve conflicts.
The chorus of the song, "Turn on the news," is a call-to-action to stay informed and aware of current events, but it also has a more cynical meaning as well. The song suggests that turning to the news to find out about the world's problems is no solution to the pain and suffering people experience. The news reinforces a bleak worldview and can make people feel powerless to change things. The song's title can also be interpreted as mocking the way that people consume the news like entertainment, turning it on like a TV show rather than taking action to make change.
Overall, "Turn on the News" is a powerful critique of modern society and the ways that people have become increasingly isolated from each other despite the proliferation of digital communication. The song suggests that the news serves to reinforce this alienation and the sense of despair that many people feel. The only way to make a difference is to turn off the news and connect with others in your community.
Line by Line Meaning
If there's one thing that I can't explain
The singer cannot understand why there is so much pain in the world.
Is why the world has to have so much pain
They do not understand why the world is full of suffering.
With all the ways of communicating
Despite all the available methods of communication,
We can't get in touch with who we're hating
people are still unable to reach those they hold negative emotions towards.
But now we can't get in touch with you, yeah-yeah-yeah
The people the singer previously could not contact now cannot be contacted.
So turn on (turn on)
The solution proposed is to turn on something,
Turn on (turn on)
repeated for emphasis.
Turn on (turn on) the news
specifically, to turn on the news.
I hear it every day on the radio
The singer hears about a lot of negative news every day on the radio.
Somebody shoots a guy he don't even know
One of the stories heard is about someone shooting a stranger.
Airplanes falling out of the sky
Another story is about airplanes crashing.
A baby is born and another one dies
Despite this, life continues with the birth of babies and death of others.
Highways fill with refugees, now
The current events include many people becoming refugees and fleeing their homes.
Doctors finding out about disease
There are also medical developments, such as doctors discovering new diseases.
With all this uptight pushing and shoving
All the negative news causes tension and aggression amongst people.
Keeps us away from who we're loving (loving)
This negative atmosphere separates people from those they care about,
It keeps us away from who we should be loving, so turn on (turn on)
but it is suggested that turning on the news can help bring awareness to these issues and potentially diminish them.
Oh, turn on (turn on)
emphasizes the importance of turning something on.
You got to turn it on (turn on)
encourages listeners to take action and turn on the news.
Got to turn it on (turn on)
repeated for emphasis.
Turn it on (turn on)
The message is clear: turn on the news.
Turn it on (turn on)
repeated for emphasis.
Turn it on (turn on)
still emphasizing the importance.
Turn it on (turn on)
one last time for emphasis.
(Turn on)
a final reminder to turn on the news.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRANT VERNON HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind