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.

wheels
Hüsker Dü Lyrics

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On a date with Sharon Tate
I'm gonna pick her up in my new crate
Well we go to the movies we go to a drag
The highway patrol puts us both in a bag

Wheels, wheels

Statue of Mary sitting on my dash

Mother please protect me
Help me avoid the crash
I've got a really big engine

And itgoes vroom, vroom
Could be a cradle, could be a tomb

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Hüsker Dü's song "Wheels" tell the story of a date gone horribly wrong. The singer is on a date with Sharon Tate, who was famously murdered by the Manson family in 1969. He's excited to show off his new car, but things quickly spiral out of control. They go to the movies and a drag race, but end up getting pulled over by the highway patrol and put in jail.

The lyrics are full of references to death and destruction. The statue of Mary on the dashboard is a common symbol of Catholicism and protection, but the singer is still worried about crashing. He boasts about his powerful engine, but acknowledges that it could just as easily be the cause of his demise. The phrase "could be a cradle, could be a tomb" is particularly poignant, suggesting that life and death are intertwined and unpredictable.

Overall, the lyrics to "Wheels" are a reflection of the reckless and dangerous youth culture of the time. The song captures the excitement and danger of cruising around in a fast car, while also acknowledging the very real risks involved. It's a testament to the power of rock music to capture the essence of a moment in time and convey a universal message about the human condition.

Line by Line Meaning

On a date with Sharon Tate
I have a date with Sharon Tate

I'm gonna pick her up in my new crate
I'm going to pick her up in my new car

Well we go to the movies we go to a drag
We watch movies and go to a drag race

The highway patrol puts us both in a bag
We get into a car accident and die

Wheels, wheels
The car wheels are my only hope

Statue of Mary sitting on my dash
A statue of Mary is placed on my car dashboard

Mother please protect me
I ask for Mary's protection

Help me avoid the crash
Help me avoid getting into a car accident

I've got a really big engine
My car has a very powerful engine

And it goes vroom, vroom
It makes a loud noise when I start the engine

Could be a cradle, could be a tomb
The car is both a source of pleasure and a potential danger