The band's name derives from banjoist Leonard Podolak's earlier band Scruj MacDuhk (pronounced Scrugg MachDuke). MacDuhk was a warrior chieftain who fought with William Wallace, resisting English occupation of Scotland, during the reign of King Edward I. The entire name is a wordplay on the Disney character Scrooge McDuck created by Carl Barks.
In March of 2007 lead singer and budding songwriter Jessee Havey left the band to pursue other interests. Singer Sarah Dugas joined the band in July of 2007 and is on the road with The Duhks.
In late 2007, percussionist Scott Senior left the band to spend more time with his family, as his partner, Tara Beckta, was expecting their second child. Christian Dugas, Sarah's brother and a former bandmate of Leonard Podolak, has since joined The Duhks. Other members are fiddler Tania Elizabeth and guitarist Jordan McConnell.
In October 2007 The Duhks Sustainability Project http://www.greenduhks.com was launched to raise awareness about ways to live a more economically-viable and ecologically-sustainable lifestyle. In April 2008, The Duhks performed a post Earth Day benefit in Nederland, Colorado.
In spring 2016, the band announced that they would no longer be touring. They have not released any new music since 2014.
http://www.duhks.com
Fast Paced World
The Duhks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We've forgotten what is sacred,
Not love, not culture, not family or nature
Everybody follow me, I will show you the way,
I know all the ins and outs,
Of how this world should be turning
With God as my leader, I'll feed you all kinds of lies,
'Cause even God has lost his name with time
Time after time, his name has been misused,
Manipulation through fear,
To get you to adhere
Empty threats without proof, will only lead to paranoia,
If we don't think for ourselves, well then what do we got?
We've forgotten what is sacred
In this fast-paced world,
We take and keep taking,
Without thinking of what we're giving
Oh, nothing is sacred in this fast-paced world
Not love, not culture, not family or nature
Suburbia land, where everything is made easy
Don't worry, we'll wipe you clean of your identity
Supermarkets and box malls for your convenience
All the Ma and Pop stores, no longer have your allegiance
With cookie cutter houses, cars and jobs
We'll all be the same, we won't have to think anymore
About our neighbors gossiping, about our freaky differences
We won't have to worry, won't have to take any chances
The Duhks's song Fast Paced World delivers a message about the loss of spiritual values in our modern, consumerist world. The song opens with a repetition of the phrase "We've forgotten what is sacred," followed by a list of what we have lost - love, culture, family, and nature. The song challenges the false prophets who claim to have all the answers and says that even God has lost his name through the manipulation of fear and lies. The lyrics urge us to think for ourselves and not to succumb to the paranoia that comes from empty threats.
The second verse of the song emphasizes the message of the first verse, further highlighting the damage that consumerism has done to our society. The lyrics describe a sanitized Suburbia land, where everything is made easy, but at the cost of our identity and individual differences. The lyrics also criticize the loss of loyalty to locally-owned Ma and Pop stores, which have been replaced by faceless supermarkets and box malls. The third verse offers a warning about the future that awaits us if we continue down this path. If we all become the same, we won't have anything to worry about, but we'll also lose any chance of experiencing real growth or change.
Overall, Fast Paced World is a powerful and thought-provoking song that delivers a timely message about the dangers of consumer culture and the loss of spiritual values.
Line by Line Meaning
We've forgotten what is sacred,
We have lost sight of the values that are important and meaningful to us.
Not love, not culture, not family or nature
The things that used to hold the most importance in our lives, such as love, culture, family, and nature, no longer have the same significance.
Everybody follow me, I will show you the way,
Someone is claiming to have all the answers and is seeking to lead others in a certain direction.
I know all the ins and outs,
This person is proclaiming to have extensive knowledge and understanding about a particular subject.
Of how this world should be turning
The person is suggesting that they have the ability to control the direction of the world.
With God as my leader, I'll feed you all kinds of lies,
The person is using religion to manipulate and deceive others.
And you'll believe me,
This person is confident that people will be easily swayed by their words.
'Cause even God has lost his name with time
Religion has lost its true meaning and has been manipulated for personal gain.
Time after time, his name has been misused,
Religion has been abused and distorted throughout history.
Manipulation through fear,
Fear is used as a tool to control and influence others.
To get you to adhere
The goal is to make people conform to a certain way of thinking or behaving.
Empty threats without proof, will only lead to paranoia,
False threats that lack evidence will result in irrational fear and mistrust.
If we don't think for ourselves, well then what do we got?
Individual thought and critical thinking are crucial to maintaining our autonomy and avoiding being controlled by others.
In this fast-paced world,
The world we live in moves quickly and is constantly changing.
We take and keep taking,
We are focused on taking what we want without considering the cost.
Without thinking of what we're giving
We do not consider the consequences of our actions or how they impact others and the world around us.
Suburbia land, where everything is made easy
A monotonous and artificial suburban lifestyle is designed to make everything appear effortless and convenient.
Don't worry, we'll wipe you clean of your identity
The goal is to strip people of their unique qualities and make everyone conform to a certain way of life.
Supermarkets and box malls for your convenience
Large corporations have taken over and made everything uniform and easily accessible.
All the Ma and Pop stores, no longer have your allegiance
Small, local businesses have been replaced by chain stores and franchises that people are loyal to instead.
With cookie cutter houses, cars and jobs
The ideal image of success is to have the same material possessions as everyone else.
We'll all be the same, we won't have to think anymore
The pressure to conform will become so great that individual thought will be discouraged.
About our neighbors gossiping, about our freaky differences
The fear of being judged keeps people from expressing their individuality and embracing their differences.
We won't have to worry, won't have to take any chances
People will feel safe and comfortable, but at the cost of sacrificing their freedom and individuality.
Nothing is sacred in this fast-paced world
The things that used to hold the most meaning and value in our lives have been lost or forgotten as the world keeps moving faster and faster.
Contributed by Levi T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.