Ultracore
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.

Ultracore
Hüsker Dü Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fight for your country
Fight for your life
Days are numbered
Soon dismembered

Ultracore, ultracore
We don't wanna die in your fucking war
Ultracore, ultracore
It's either them or us to fight

Bite on a live wire
Chew on a live wire




Days are numbered
Soon dismembered

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ultracore by Hüsker Dü are a commentary on the futility and senselessness of war. The opening lines urge listeners to fight for their country and life but also acknowledge that their days are numbered and they will eventually be dismembered. The repetition of "Ultracore" throughout the song underscores the intensity and extremity of the situation. The lyrics make it clear that the band does not want to die in a war that they do not believe in. The line "It's either them or us to fight" suggests that conflict is not inevitable and presents a false choice.


The second half of the song paints a vivid picture of the violence and chaos of war. The line "Bite on a live wire, chew on a live wire" is a metaphor for the agony and suffering that war brings. The chorus repeats, emphasizing the urgency and desperation of the situation. The lyrics convey a sense of anger and frustration at the human propensity for violent conflict and the senseless loss of life that it leads to.


Line by Line Meaning

Fight for your country
Engage in physical combat for the benefit of your homeland


Fight for your life
Engage in physical combat to preserve your own existence


Days are numbered
Our remaining time on Earth is limited


Soon dismembered
Our bodies will be torn apart or disassembled soon


Ultracore, ultracore
This is a call to the ultracore, or the most dedicated and passionate individuals in pursuit of a cause.


We don't wanna die in your fucking war
We have no desire to perish in a conflict that we do not believe in or support.


It's either them or us to fight
We believe that we must either fight our opponents or be destroyed by them.


Bite on a live wire
Chew on an electrified metal strand or cable


Chew on a live wire
Hold and bite onto an electrical conductor while it is live




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MOULD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Dfactor Pop

Still faster, louder and more intense than any band I've ever seen in the last 45 years.

Ren Heitman

A total wall of noise. I love it.

Nikolai K

Hüsker Dü - 1982-12-28 - Backstage, Tucson, AZ

0:05 In a Free Land
2:39 Target
4:11 What Do I Want?
5:09 M.I.C.
6:08 From the Gut
7:38 Blah, Blah, Blah
9:17 Wheels
11:07 Everything Falls Apart
13:08 It's Not Funny Anymore (Can be found on Savage Young Dü)
15:13 Real World (Can be found on Savage Young Dü)
17:47 Standing by the Sea
21:04 Deadly Skies
23:03 Out on a Limb (Can be found on Savage Young Dü)
25:40 Bricklayer
26:14 Tired of Doing Things
26:59 Afraid of Being Wrong
28:04 Strange Week
28:51 Big Sky
29:35 Ultracore
30:13 Let's Go Die
31:34 Data Control
37:30 Sunshine Superman
39:05 Statues
43:19 Punch Drunk

KiLLeR hANdS2

I never got to see them born in 78, found them about 87-88 heard land speed record and fell way in love, still my favorite band, that I never saw haha

rebusd

you and me both lol

Thomas C

After A9 it's "real world" which I hear for the first time performed live by the band...

martin evensen

This record kix ass. Long live husker du

Billy B

Didn't realise that Standing by the Sea appeared earlier than Zen Arcade, is it a Metal Circus out take?

Billy B

Thanks.

dw1984dw

@Billy B They originally recorded Standing by the Sea during the Metal Circus sessions then re-recorded it for Zen Arcade. Do a search for Metal Circus outtakes and you can usually find the Metal Circus version of the song.

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