Gotta Make Polls for the Polls I Make - ILM HUSKER DU POLL RESULTS

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1918/huskerlive.jpg

Here are the results from voting that stemmed from this thread: Gotta Lotta POLLING To Do - ILM Artist Poll #29 - Your HÜSKER DÜ Nominations Thread

In all, we received 25 ballots – not a bad showing for the fourth or fifth most popular act to come out of Minnesota in the 1980s. Though the last thread showed a definite bell curve from which albums the best songs came from (Zen Arcade through Flip Your Wig), this wasn't the consistency that ran through each ballot. Some ballots finished even before the SST years were over. Some ballots were very heavy on the Warner Bros years.

Two albums each saw every song get at least one vote. Both of these albums surprised the hell out of me for running the table in this department. Here in a moment, we'll get into that when I list the top albums voted.

Today, we'll begin with songs Nos. 21-30, likely to begin in about four hours or so. But first, let's get this part out of the way:

I asked which songwriter or member of the band you preferred. A vote was made on most ballots, though usually with a comment like "if I had to choose," "if you put a gun to my head," or "I don't like this question, but –". And as I implied, some ballots didn't make a vote on this subject at all. My take on this is pretty obvious: Hüsker Dü was a sum of its parts, and choosing one member over the other diminishes the final product.

But that said, here were the results:

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/hdmemberresults-1.jpg

So Grant Hart wins the popular vote, but will he win in the electoral college that will be our Top 30 Hüsker Dü Songs of All Time? We'll find out this week.

I think a side Kramden-Norton poll would have been fun.

hooray!

superb graphics btw, very professional

omg that graphic!

How did I miss this deadline?:(

Yes! Chart is a smashing idea!

"Greg Norton Doesn't GIve A Fuck How Many Votes He Receives"

I could have helped defend traditional values against the Grant Hart-loving deviants.

All right, I hate to pull the "I've got a meeting" card, but I've got a meeting to go to in an hour. Let's get the albums out of the way before then, and we'll get to the first songs after lunch/dinner.

Not everyone voted for a favorite album either. I won't embarrass this poll by publishing exactly how many votes each record got. Let's just say there was plenty of room to swing this part of the poll from one side to the other.

So I'll list each album that received votes, including this one .

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/robot-circus-L-brleFs.jpg

4. Metal Circus
SST Records, 1983

Okay, I'll reveal how many votes that one got: 1.

Steve Albini voted?

fwiw my answer to the Hart/Mould question was, Hart with Mould's guitar. Really hard to separate my love for Grant's songs from the way Bob made them sound.

I gave Hart a bit of an edge, yet when I looked at my list afterwards, there were more Mould songs. Maybe my very favourite Hart songs (top two or three?) on balance beat my favourite Mould songs, or maybe Grant just seems more likeable. I don't know.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/1964BeatlesFlipYourWigGame2.jpg

3. Flip Your Wig
SST Records, 1985

I should have mentioned there's a tie at No. 3.

Flip Your Wig was the last Husker Du record I listened to, outside of Everything Falls Apart & More and Living End which were released later.

This is likely the happiest record they ever made. I love the bon voyage feeling to it, where they're letting loose one more time before heading off to the majors. They sound downright giddy. Even Bob.

Flip Your Wig was the last Du record you listened to, or last one you got around to listening to? Because I'd give you the stinkeye if you said you never heard the Warners albums.

For me FYW is where they tipped the scale from sound to songs. Could argue that NDR perfectly balances the two and is therefore their high point, and I wouldn't disagree. But FYW is still the one I've listened to most.

There are some serious stinkers on here that are a harbinger of things to come; there are also some of my favorite Bob AND Grant songs.
I've always felt it was a pretty mixed bag.

The album vote for Metal Circus was from me.

ast one you got around to listening to?

Yes. Probably went something like CAG, NDR, ZA, MC, WSAS, LSR, FYW.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/music_warehouse.jpg

3. (tie) Warehouse: Songs and Stories
Warner Brothers, 1987

I voted for this one.

So did I. It wasn't the first or last Husker Du album I bought, but it was the one that spoke most to me - in particular the songs on disc two seemed to be in a dialogue with each other about what was going on in my life at the time. Can I also state it has an utterly brilliant sleeve note, too.

I love on the Joan Rivers clip, they're playing on a set designed to look like the album cover.

(which of course looks like this:)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/64/Husker_Du_Warehouse_Songs_and_Stories.jpg/220px-Husker_Du_Warehouse_Songs_and_Stories.jpg

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/WFR352.jpg

2. New Day Rising
SST Records, 1985

This was my vote for best record. Not every song is their best, but boy do they all work together as a whole.

Finally,

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/96315225_bd87c10696_o.jpg

1. Zen Arcade
SST Records, 1984

clearly!

good job huskers

destroy only one song off each of those albums...

Great picture for "Zen arcade"!

I love on the Joan Rivers clip, they're playing on a set designed to look like the album cover.

That was their stage set on the first '87 tour.

Great images/graphics, pp!

That was their stage set on the first '87 tour.

It's never occurred to me until now that I've never seen much live Husker Du clips from the Warner years. There's Joan, there's some outdoor festivals, but not much else.

I guess they never made it to any auditorium or arena seating like that band from Twin/Tone did?

(and thanks for the kind words on the graphics! Johnny Fever's Pavement poll gave me some inspiration.)

It was a weird feeling: the lights went down, you saw the day-glo 3D rendering of the Warehouse cover, and for a second you thought, "Oh shit. A stage set? For Husker Du?" Then they proceeded to nearly blow up the building. So yeah, they made up for it.

It's a pretty album cover, but damn near my least-favorite (Candy Apple I guess edges it out.)

It's the stage decision from a homecoming royalty court – at Spencer's Gifts.

A New Day Rising stage set would've been awesome

hey pp did you get my ballot last week? i never got a response but you may not have been handin' em out

I recall seeing yours. I tried to answer each ballot to confirm. PM me your email or real name, and I can check later.

As for the poll, I'm going to microwave some lunch and come back in a few minutes.

Stations, stand by for DU! </paul_harvey>

Before we get started, just one more thing - I'll be providing a few links here and there with each song, but if you want to stream the actual releases themselves, subscribe to this Spotify playlist.

And if you go over there right now, you will see:

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30. “Hardly Getting Over It” - 126 points
• Live at First Ave
• Bob Mould with Dave Grohl

When at last, Husker Du "broke the mould," heh heh heh.

Good track. Voted for it. Glad it just squeaked in.

Nice graphic...All 30 will be ballads, right?

Every single one of 'em, clem. Just like No. 29

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29. “Turn On the News” - 140 points
• ''Private Remaster''
• Big Trouble House from Dü Hüskers tribute

Still not sure how this is supposed to sound like "Freebird", but my ears are tin anyway.

i see what you've done with the numbers on yr graphics pp

I hope this isn't a pain-in-the-butt request, but could you share how many votes each track received?

I can possibly share that after we're through here.

I didn't originally because, 25 ballots, most would only see 5-10 votes anyway.

Gotcha.

i voted for turn on the news!! that song rules.

This didn't make my list, surprisingly since at one time, it may have been my favorite HD song.

The lyrics are damn good though, if not a bit cheesed. You could make a fresh newsclip video for this song, lyric by lyric, for every decade since it was released.

Genuinely surprised at this being #29...thought it was a lock for the top 10.

"turn on the news" is alright, but it's never been a favorite - too self-aware/unemotional an anthem maybe

"turn on the news" is always a delete-whenever-i-transfer-zen-to-a-new-playback-device.

but then i forgot to vote so whatevs.

what? i'd like to see how it does up against "rockin in the free world" for cheesed out but fun chuggy rock anthems about current events.

i remember being a young lad at the rock'n'roll hall of fame and being excited to find zen arcade on one of their "500 artists that matter"-type computers. the selection to listen to was "turn on the news" - complete with the long-ass "sound of tv" intro

"rockin" is waaaaay more intense

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/I_apologize700.jpg

28. “I Apologize” - 144 points (tie)
• Live, 1985

too low!

This might be the only band where not a single track posted will get a meh from me, even if I didn't vote for it. Unless, like, "Dead Set on Destruction" makes it to number one.

oh shi –

Making my ballot, I figured out that I like both this one and "If I Told You" just the same.

This one didn't make my ballot, but glad it showed up.

Listening to "Hardly Getting It Over It" and I'm just noticing how ELP that synthesizer sounds.

that's the part that reminds me of "speed of sound"! here, around 2:40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e01JS23vmT4

sorry for the youtube

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28. “It's Not Funny Anymore” - 144 points (tie)
• Grant Hart, live in L.A., 2011

re-hearing "I Apologize" - the arpeggio, the topic, the way the harmonies work - I was struck by how much it's like So. Central Rain played in double-time.

"It's Not Funny" one of the best Grant songs I didn't vote for, for no good reason.

Will have to catch up at home...No offense to anyone who voted for it, but I'm glad "Turn on the News" is low. It got so much attention at the time, starting with Christgau. I've always considered it quite bombastic. I went back and checked yesterday, and it hadn't gotten any better.

not shocked xgau was at the forefront of the "turn on" love, it is very "new clash?"

I was sure I Apologize would finish in the top ten.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/in_a_free_land70026.jpg

26. “In A Free Land” - 147 points
• Original 7” mix

Still think they're singing "In Opryland" during some parts.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/Flexible_Flyer700.jpg

26. “Flexible Flyer” - 147 points (tie)
• Video

Totally agree about Turn on the News.I have never understood the love for it . Always sounded like a big boring rock song to me

We had a similar discussion on a recent 80s album poll

never dug "flexible flyer"

I like the bounciness of it. Maybe 10000 Maniacs should've done it first.

It is bouncy and fun to skip to, like Books About UFOs, but I didn't vote for it.
"What Do I Want" doesn't have a chance, does it.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/powerline700.jpg

24. “Powerline” - 149 points
• Live In Indianapolis, 1986

I would like to have Greg's bass line looped in my brain 22 hours a day, k thanx

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/Diane2700.jpg

23. “Diane” - 157 points (tie)
• Live, from SST's ''The Tour''
• Therapy? with whatever the fuck this is.

Yep, (Powerline) got a vote from me. This has the weird, out there, Hüskers template that I just love - possibly down to Mould being permanently pissed drunk throughout the recording of NDR. The boozey haze.

Used to love Diane but played it too often or it's just not got the staying power

Wow, I didn't vote for any of these so far. Expected to see Diane a lot higher, but it's never really done a whole lot for me. Guitar solo is great though.

I love "Powerline," gave it a top-10 spot. That bass line is great, I could just sing along with it by itself for hours at a time. And have, once or twice.

Is he saying Diane or "dyin'"? *pulls out catch from bong*

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/she_floated_away700234.jpg

23. “She Floated Away” - 157 points (tie)
• Cover version by Mosquitos

Of these so far, I voted "Diane" and "I Apologize." I've never come to terms with the basic creepiness of "Diane" -- too crude to register as a joke in a Ramonesy way, and the chorus seems full of legit longing, not menace. But it sticks with me.

I like "She Floated Away" a lot, but it was partly ruined for me when somebody started singing "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" over it. Now I always hear that.

It's always sounded like some sort of sea-shanty to me. I still dig it.

Kinda weird that those two songs tied with each other but there you go.

Would have thought "She floated away" would be higher. It was well up in my top ten. Love the hazy jazzy vibe. The third verse is a great lyric too.

Grant's drumming is especially great on that one, too.

Was never a fan of whatever that bird whistle sound is that creeps up in a lot of late Husker stuff.

I know it's about to be 5 o'clock somewhere, so here's the latest entry for today. 20-11 will be tomorrow and we'll wrap it up on Wednesday. Again, don't forget about the Spotify list, if you're so inclined.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/divide_and_conquer700.jpg

21. “Divide and Conquer” - 160 points
• Live in San Francisco, 3/1/85

I cut Diane at the last minute, but here is a short version of my Diane story.

I drove my parents' car into a ditch less than 6 mo after I got my driver's license. I was standing by the side of the road in snow up to my waist when a station wagon with two youngish men wearing purple camo suits drove up and offered me a ride home. It wasn't a great neighborhood, and I was 16 and alone, and it was cold and snowy, so I got into the car. They dropped me off, I said thank you, and nothing else happened that I recall. My parents were glad I was home, but appalled that I would have gotten into the car with these strangers.

I don't remember anything about the incident aside from them offering me a ride, but when I heard Diane for the first time a few years later, it was like I was back there and saw the car pull up again. I don't think they invited me to a party but I suddenly had the thought that maybe they had. It was REALLY weird.

The end.

Oh and since it took me so long to type that: I LOVE She Floated Away!!! And Divide and Conquer.

Divide And Conquer should be about half the length it actually is.

I've never come to terms with the basic creepiness of "Diane" -- too crude to register as a joke in a Ramonesy way, and the chorus seems full of legit longing, not menace. But it sticks with me.

― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Monday, November 26, 2012 3:48 PM

This is well put -- I think it's one of their best songs but didn't vote for it because it just creeps me out.

What do you mean, "come to terms with the basic creepiness"? That's what makes the song so great -- irl you never know who is a creep for real and who just seems that way but isn't.

Yeah, I mean I'm not sure how to take the song. But I guess "Portrait of a Creep" is interpretation enough.

30. Hardly Getting Over It
29. Turn On the News
28. I Apologize
28. It's Not Funny Anymore
26. In A Free Land
26. Flexible Flyer
24. Powerline
23. Diane
23. She Floated Away
21. Divide and Conquer

And yeah, Diane to this day still creeps me out. It's also one of those songs in which I give Hart the benefit of the doubt when he wrote it (I don't think he takes any visceral fantasies from it), I really didn't enjoy taking the Internet cruise through all of its covers on YouTube.

It doesn't creep me out really, it just makes me think about that car accident and getting into a stranger's car in the dark.

Fantastic graphics btw pp.

two i would have voted for, so far. and yes, pp, great graphics.

wait, no, three. "in a free land," "divide and conquer," and "i apologize."

-- I think this is the first time I've ever heard "In a Free Land"
-- I also assumed "I Apologize" would be Top 10 (but realize how arbitrary these results can be)
-- "Diane" has always made me think of "Riders on the Storm"
-- "Divide and Conquer" was my #2, and some days it's my #1
-- ditto on the graphics; they're very Husker Du-ish!

I voted for Divide & Conquer. Am I imaginging it or is there kind of a drone thing going on with that song, which gives it kind of raga feel? Cos it's always felt that way to me as well as being this totally rocking tune at the same time.

Only voted for "In a Free Land" so far, but s'cool: Being burned out on a song is not the same as never having loved it.

Lots of Mould guitar has the drone thing going.

so far the only songs i haven't voted for (3 of the 10) are Hart numbers, seems i was right to pick mould as my fave

I was wondering how Hart songs would place considering the surprising amount of diss he was getting in the voting thread.

Can finally see the graphics at home and LOVE them. Riverside Plaza apartments one under "In a Free Land" especially. Where Mary Tyler Moore lived toward the end.

WHAT? Mary Richards never lived in the ghetto in the sky, did she?

I lived in Minneapolis for a brief period and went there to see how much units leased out for. The woman at the desk gave me all of these forms and applications to fill out. I had no idea that by that time, it was a housing project.

I wound up just south of 94 between Chicago and Park. Should've gone with the housing.

sad I missed voting in this poll, good results so far though.

Yeah, Mary went from Kenwood to the West Bank, where she started wearing piercings.

Revising my earlier neutrality: "Diane" is a huge lapse, IMO. Great riff, chorus, guitar solo, but that unfortunate genre of punk song that takes an actual horrifying event and does nothing more than play it out again. And tastelessly uses her real name (you can look it up).

To balance with some kindness: I still love the feedback hippie-punk guitar bounce on the "times, places" refrain of "Flexible Flyer," their Citizen Kane with a happy ending. Ultimately cornball, but I obsessed over it at the time.

I'm not a huge "Divide & Conquer" fan, but I'll admit the lyrics get better rather than worse in retrospect.

I voted "In a Free Land" because it's another great hardcore critique of do-nothing democracy, but with those unexpectedly complex chord changes and flashes of '60s-ish melody.

in a free land's dip into minor chords with "everybody's in authority" kills me every time. but diane has never left me anything but cold.

And tastelessly uses her real name (you can look it up).
ew, did not know

pardon my ignorance
this is what i get for listening and not reading

always heard it as "everybody's an authority". dunno why i didn't vote for it, it's a great song

love the glassiness of bob's guitar sound on it especially

NickB, you are probs right, was just humming it to myself from memory!

the solo is killer. it sounds like the motors or somebody.

Huh, I also didn't know "Diane" is based-on-a-true-story. It makes the song make more sense to me, but I'm still conflicted about the song overall. Oh well. I'll just have to be conflicted.

Probably used her real name 'cause it sounds like "dyin'" xxp

And tastelessly uses her real name (you can look it up).

Aaaand now I kinda wish I hadn't.

I mean, hell Grant. It's not like when Springsteen wrote "Nebraska," he was all "But I'll just kidnap you and kill your parents instead."

It's Grant's delivery that makes it skeevy. In concept, "Diane" is no less blunt than "Jordan MN" or a lot of other songs from the scene and era. Hart is convincing in the song in a way few of his peers were. There not even the thin film of irony you'd get in the Birthday Party or Black Flag.

All my high school friends moved into two 2BR units in the Ghetto In The Sky/Crack Stacks when they went to their first year of college in 1989. 8 dudes in 4 bedrooms.

several xposts

Also, this is copied and pasted from the noms thread but before I forget:

Even the song titles have the same boring rhythm

All This I've Done for YOU
No Promise Have I Made

I totally remember being irked by this when CAG came out. I think of these as their Yoda songs.

I think of these as their Yoda songs.

Haha.

Anyone up for the rollout now or should I wait until 1300 CST like I said I would.

Seemed to peter out in the late afternoon yesterday.

Go ahead. I'm home sick and getting bored with the rest of the things the internet has to offer!

Crazy office shit going down, so yeah, forgive me if I get started a little early.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/TERMS_OF_PSYCHIC_warfare700.jpg

20. “Terms of Psychic Warfare” - 166 points
• Pretty faithful cover, Dirty Grocers

Perfect song to start off Part II with.

'Nother great Norton bassline.

Will always live side by side with Slade's 'Run Runaway' in my head.

Spotify List Reminder

Everytime I hear someone screaming in the background of the SST records, I never know if it's Spot or not.

This song being an example.

This is too low.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/whatever700.jpg

19. “Whatever” - 168 points
• Arcwelder's version from Dü Hüskers comp

TOO LOW

drums are crazy here.

i took "Whatever" real personally when i was 17

The use of second person in the verses, separating the narrator from himself, before launching into the first-person barrage at the end is heartbreaking.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/sorry_somehow700.jpg

18. “Sorry Somehow” - 187 points
• ''Aussie indie popsters'' Pray TV paint-by-numbers cover

Love it (although it didn't make my ballot), but surprised to see it so high. The cassette I bought in 1986 had a drop-out when Grant yells "Yyyeaaah I'm not sorry!" before the solo. It sounds wrong without the drop-out.

that's weird.

It made my ballot. Lots of solitary nights in the car screaming along with this one.

"whatever" and "terms" are cool but i didn't bother voting for them, guessing some of my warner-era nods didn't make the cut then. xpost and then a warner-era track i didn't vote made the top 20.

I only heard "Diane" relatively recently but i love it. Definitely understand if people find it in poor taste or too harrowing, but it's a really gripping, complicated mess of a song. i've read that grant was allegedly friends with edwards, and the casual flippancy of the verses mixed with the agony of the vocal suggests, at least to me, a real horror. obviously no one needs to clap hart on the back for dealing with this shit in a public sphere, though i doubt he thought "oh it'll be great when some irish group takes it to the UK top 30 ten years from now."

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/cybt1700.jpg

17. “Could You Be the One?” - 192 points
• Husker Du play "Could You Be The One" and have a short interview with Joan Rivers.

First HD video I saw on MTV. And during the daytime, no less!

I'm so dumb, I had to read that twice to realize they didn't have high-definition videos back in the late 80s.

It was between this and another Mould track when I narrowed down my ballot to 20. This lost. I expected it would place without my help, and I'm glad it made the top 20.

xp hahaha

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/ill_never_forget_you700.jpg

16. “I'll Never Forget You” - 197 points
• Salbando cover from Dü Hüskers comp.

This is the one that when I was making the list, made me go back to confirm that I was counting the votes correctly.

It's a rocking punk song with a trollin' bass intro, but No. 16?

Especially when [your favorite Husker Du song] didn't even make the cut.

YES! I took this song super personally when I was a teen.

I'm out of class now btw, expect nonstop inane posts from me for the next hour or so.

Because of short Tgiving week work crunch I was unable to get a ballot done. But I understand the votes for I WILL. NEVER. FORGET. YOU.

I WILL
NEVER
FORGIVE
YOU
for not voting

I should have
MADE
PLANS
MADE
PLANS
to get it done the preceding weekend

hahaha

I gotta say, "Could You Be the One" has always kinda bored me. It's fine, but it's what I would otherwise categorize as a boring Bob song, perfectly written but monotonous. I would rather listen to Bob scream monotonously than sing monotonously.

We're finally at the middle of the list, with five more to go today and the final ten tomorrow.

Not that you were counting or anything, but the songwriter tally is currently Hart 7, Mould 7, with "In A Free Land" credited to both of them and Norton.

I don't have a lot of hope for What Do I Want anymore :(

My hope is registering at a level of

NOTHING
NOTHING
NOTHIIIIIIING

Really surprised by the last two. "Could You Be the One?" seems like the sort of Husker song someone who came to the band via Sugar might vote for. No offense, fans of "Could You Be the One?"

"Could You Be the One?" seems like the sort of Husker song someone who came to the band via Sugar might vote for.

Or, like me, maybe for people who came to the band via the Warehouse album and not aware that it's basically boilerplate Mould but still love it anyway because it was an early favorite.

I dig "Could You Be The One," even though it didn't make my ballot (only two Warehouse songs did, both Hart's). But seeing it on MTV I thought, "Yay! Now everyone can see how great this band is!" but also "...this...this isn't what I'd play for someone to show them how great this band is."

That said, it occupies a cherished place on a mixtape I made in 1988. Or 1989. Yeah, 1989.

I have never heard of this cover.

Would've voted in this poll if I had the time to replay all the albums. New Day Rising is my fave LP.

(first show -- 5 total, I think? -- Jan 1985 at the Peppermint Lounge after it had moved from Times Square to Chelsea.)

it's the inflection in Bob's voice on "and I don't even know what i'm crying for" that makes "Could You Be the One" for me but i wdn't've placed it this high and there are much better songs on Warehouse

How do you write out that yawning moan Mould does sometimes when he's not singing words?

"Cuz I don't really know oh wow raiwlle yowl wow hoa huh hoa huh…."

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/whats_going_on700.jpg

15. “What's Going On” - 212 points / (1 vote for first place)
• Janitor Joe from Dü Hüskers

^ First one that hit No. 1 on somebody's ballot.

the living end version of this is so so awesome

I think about this song all the time.
INSIDE MY HEAD.

I only saw them once, the last tour, at First Ave. I don't know if that was toward the beginning or end of the tour. But unless my memory is really failing the cover art of Warehouse was not replicated onstage. That would have been cool! Love u forever Fake Name Graphics.

I had a secret crush on a friend for years and years. It never went anywhere, but the most intense moment of the non-relationship was being unable to sleep and listening to 'Could You Be The One' on repeat at 2am.

Warehouse was my first Husker Du album, and I'm pretty sure I hadn't heard anything from Sugar before that either.

I think Warehouse was the first one I bought, mostly thanks to the ol' 92 rolling stone guide that gave it five stars - would have been a solid single album, that's for sure

Warehouse was the 1st one i bought cos i bought it when it came out, then went backwards

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/flip_your_wig700.jpg

14. “Flip Your Wig” - 240 points / (1 vote for first place)
• Live at First Ave

i think zen (now my favorite) was the last i picked up (never did actually buy anything earlier, though i heard them all) and the hit-miss ratio really isn't that different, it's just that zen actually adds up to something, with the weaker tracks meshing into the varied blur, while warehouse is just song-song-song and you can easily chop out the filler

Rawk. Last two are my #4 (Wig) and #6. And not to be pedantical, but isn't "What's Going On?" a Grant song?

i warmed to a lot of the weaker Warehouse songs over time but i agree you cd make a killer single album, Zen's sprawl feels like part of the point even if i never really wanna listen to "Reoccuring Dreams" nowadays

but isn't "What's Going On?" a Grant song?

With 30 of those things, I knew I'd slip up on at least one. You should be surprised I didn't give the credit to Marvin Gaye.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/Books_about_ufos700.jpg

13. “Books About U.F.O.s” - 246 points
• Grant Hart, very close to busking in Toronto.

I don't think enough has been said about Grant's songs about girls. Not a whole lot of people write nonromantic songs about girls, but Grant Hart did!

by nonromantic I mean just about girls doing their thing, going about their lives -- not as romantic objects or subjects of longing or w/e

also this song is super fun

Man, it's been so long since I listened to "Zen Arcade," and listening now there's a good third of the record I would have been happy to put on my ballot, everything from pop to prime blaaaaarrgh like "Broken Home, Broken Heart."

I always imagined "Books About UFOs" as this sort of alternate world Smiths song.

I always thought about it as a song about a girl who loves going to the library. Finally, a song about me!

I should probably know this, but isn't Grant gay too? Not that that would necessarily influence his take on nonromantic songs about girls...

My #3! Love the barroom piano.

That piano incorporated in a rock song reminds me of Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Was it this song or Heaven Hill that was supposed to have a slide guitar part until Bob threw a fit?

Grant's gay, but I think he's also a biological dad too, so there's that.

Would love to hear Grant sing Books About UFOs in a mock cockney accent btw

by nonromantic I mean just about girls doing their thing, going about their lives -- not as romantic objects or subjects of longing or w/e

― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:57 PM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

songs that pass the bechdel test basically

Being constantly aware of all the changes that occur
Sitting in my room
Sitting on the rooftop
Telling the same story to everyone that I know
Reading books about UFOs

^^ all things i have done irl
this song could have easily been about a boy, but he chose to make it about a girl and i appreciate that. i don't get the sense that he's mocking her for being spaced out and dreamy either; it's just the way she is. <3

xp -- exactly

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/you_can_live_at_home700.jpg

12. “You Can Live At Home” - 250 points / (1 vote for first place)
• Alternate take from Warehouse sessions

And do listen to that alternate take holy fuuuck.

BTW, just for a funny reminder/context, sleeve note on Minutemen's "Double Nickels:"

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9xmfyDvyy1ql6h4fo1_500.jpg

xpost o_O

I may be misremembering, but I think Zen Arcade, Double Nickels, and the 'Mats Let It Be were all reviewed in the same issue of Rolling Stone.

One more for today:

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/games2700.jpg

11. “Games” - 251 points
• Couldn't find any cover/live stuff/bootlegs, so here's what you get all over the place if you try to Google for Husker Du games.

yeaaaaaah

honestly had no idea if that was a fave or not, esp since i think i read that it was rarely played live

if anyone has that alt take of You Can Live... in mp3 form I definitely DO NOT want to hear about it in an ILX webmail. That is one remarkable performance.

got a feeling at least 1 of the tracks i'd've had in my top 3 isn't gonna make the poll at all but cd be wrong

also i didn't vote so screw me

30. Hardly Getting Over It
29. Turn On the News
28. I Apologize
28. It's Not Funny Anymore
26. In A Free Land
26. Flexible Flyer
24. Powerline
23. Diane
23. She Floated Away
21. Divide and Conquer
20. Terms of Psychic Warfare
19. Whatever
18. Sorry Somehow
17. Could You Be the One?
16. I'll Never Forget You
15. What's Going On
14. Flip Your Wig
13. Books About UFOs
12. You Can Live At Home
11. Games
Spotify link

I like this version of Could You Be The One with Bob adding a lot more interest to the vocal lines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmk_Fw1GrMk

Also so weird to see these clips of them appearing on these mainstream TV shows, at the time i had no idea they were getting quite such a push by Warners.

oops, didn't mean to embed, sorry for rude

God I love 'Games' so much.

That whole Huskers outtakes disc can be found here:

hxxp://captainsdead.com/husker-du-up-in-the-air-studio-outtakes.html

"Books About UFOs" was my #1. One of the most joyous songs I can think of. I remember how utterly out of nowhere it seemed to appear on New Day Rising--there had been definite hints of a pop sensibility before on "It's Not Funny Anymore" and parts of Zen Arcade, but nothing like that. If it's based a real girl, that was the girl for me. She sounds like the most perfect and perfectly flaky '70s kind of girl.

That "Books" clip is so good. The kid walking back and forth, the people in back who are barely paying attention...Part of me wants to say, "Don't you know who this is? Don't you know what he's playing?" But in other ways, everything seems exactly as it ought to be for "Books About UFOs." Why wasn't I there?!

People who prefer Hart to Mould: is it about lyrics? I just realized that Hart probably wrote much better lyrics.

not always

I think his songs are catchier/prettier/more affecting/moving. And as much as I like Mould's mastery of bllllaaaaaaargh!, Hart can even best him in that category on stuff like "The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill." Which I imagine will place ... high. I still love Mould's songs, of course, but it was Hart I always connected with when the band and me were in sync.

it's a testament to the band that any claim one wants to make about the qualities of one over the other can be shut down. like i might want to say grant has more annoying hollow earworms, someone could play me "it's not peculiar" or "turn it around" to differ. cuz really anything, good or bad, one was doing, the other would be damn sure to do to

o

It's Not Peculiar was my #1, btw.

I think it took til "Warehouse," honestly, for Bob to catch up to Grant in the pop department. Up until then they sort of excelled at different things. But, like, those two songs I pretty much like as much as any of the Grant stuff.

i'm done with mould on warehouse after "bed of nails"

I really like "It's Not Peculiar" and enjoy "Turn It Around". Maybe I just like Mould's voice better? I rarely even remember most Hart songs, with some exceptions.

I'm almost never this partisan about band members so it puzzles me! I could never decide between John and Paul.

can't believe i forgot about Games! massive cock-up that.

I prefer Grant Hart's songs. They're catchier, less angsty and generally more fun. But those songs aren't nearly as good without Bob Mould on guitar.

I'm listening to Warehouse as I type and this is what perfunctory-perfect formalism sounds like and, by extension, one of the few un-messy Last Albums.

anyway I prefer Mould when "Hardly Getting Over It" is on -- a slowcore iteration of the MBV-angst he mastered on Copper Blue -- but change my mind when "No Promise Have I made" is on.

Seeing some of the clips reminds me: On top of everything else, Mould and Hart were great, creative backup singers to each other. And sometimes hugely subtle but crucial, like Hart on "Games" or Mould on "Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill."

#1 obv Makes No Sense At All

#1 obv "The Baby Song"

The Baby Song is an always-skip track

Both of those #1s would be VERY disappointing!

Only possible answers: Chartered Trips or Something I Learned Today.

Or What Do I Want.

Mould & Hart - Even in the much later years, they were both contributing huge parts to each other's songs, at least in the recording. Something does my heart good when I hear rivals falling into tense breakups hold each other up like that. (Let It Be, Anodyne, Sonny & Cher Variety Hour, etc.)

omg i just got some exciting news
grant hart is going to be in my neighborhood! in january!

Selling stuff door-to-door?

I'm honestly not sure what will finish #1. I was thinking it might be "Turn on the News," so I'm glad I was way off there. My best guess at this point is a cover--not that one, the other one.

I predict "Heaven Hill."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvpRnXwL33Q

^ this one you mean? xp

Always bums me out when Grant plays some half-filled bar to disinterested patrons.

Think I can guess what about 9 of the top ten are, just not sure if we're going to get something else off Warehouse or not...

Always bums me out when Grant plays some half-filled bar to disinterested patrons.

For every crappy gig he probably plays to a good, appreciative house. He did here in Dublin last year, and he's playing here again in a couple of weeks.

not sure if we're going to get something else off Warehouse or not...

I'll be disappointed if "Ice Cold Ice" doesn't make it.

i would've voted for norton. i always thought it was funny that the straight guy was the gayest looking dude in the band

Yeah he's definitely playing at a crappy bar, but I'll be there to bring the noise. Don't worry! I'm totally gonna embarrass myself.

Totally late to the poll/didn't vote etc., but enjoying the results. Ditto to what Josh said about Grant playing small, bad venues - but some of my favorite personal recordings of his shows are small venues. I was listening to the 'Spot's Arcade' bootleg getting ready for work this a.m. and that has some tasty Zen alternate takes/diff. songs. I think I'd personally chew Spot out if I ever met him - poor, lackadaisical, noisy production on whatever he touched. No wonder we've never had proper remasters. I saw HD on my 17th birthday and it took until seeing Mould this year to have closure on hearing some of the songs I needed to hear at that age, during that show.

Had tickets to see Grant here in 2009, but things got in the way, and I had to skip it. The next day, all accounts were that it was a complete disaster. In a way, I was glad I missed it; I don't think I could've taken seeing him so far off his game.

What sorts of venues did HD play in the 80s?

In Chicago in 1986 they played Cabaret Metro (1200 capacity); in early '87 they played the Riviera (3000), and in late '87 the Vic (I wanna say 3500-4000?). Dunno where they played before '86.

Ah, cool.

EveningStar - this is a good resource for past show locations - http://www.thirdav.com/hddb.shtml
I saw them at Mandall Hall and the Vic in Chicago.

Now Grant Hart is playing no name bars on the far north side. You guys should come to the show! I won't embarrass you, just myself.

I usually don't play the fan boy game, but hey, this thread's perfect for it.

I was 15 and listening to Guns N' Roses when Husker Du broke up, and they likely never played within 100 miles of me anyway. (Black Flag did though!) So I never saw them live.

However, I have been in close contact with two members: Got a nod and a howya doin' from Bob at a Sugar show as I staked my place next to his side of the stage. Also heard him on a SXSW panel talking about how record companies work and why people like Helmet should watch themselves.

I sold a six-pack of Summit to Greg Norton. I was working the register at a long-since-demolished liquor store by the Metrodome. One of those weird moments where I look up and there's that handlebar mustache and twinkly brown eyes looking back at me. He also gave me a nod and a "all right, let's be cool about this" kind of look. I took his $6.98 and told him to have a nice day.

Never met Grant, but I do always keep an eye out for him whenever I eat at a Perkins.

That database is cool. I'm relieved to see they actually never played in Rochester, so I've got nothing to kick myself about.

Never saw Husker Du but I did go and see Grant round about the time of Intolerance. He got a decent crowd in those days, filled out the New Cross Venue in London. Anyhow, he was nice and didn't seem to mind too much when I pestered him to sign my copy of All Of My Senses.

25 Feb 95 M Minneapolis MN: 1st Ave
26 Feb 95 M Minneapolis MN: 1st Ave

I was too poor to see these shows, two acoustic solo sets from Bob. I was working for the Downtown Marriot as a valet and one of our garages was in the same building as 7th St/1st Ave (I'd frequently have to wait for the line of people on the sidewalk to part so I could pull into the garage.)

And I remember squatting down between a car bumper and the wall, hiding from any of my other valets, smoking a cigarette and listening to Bob sing "Man on the Moon" from the other side.

And also, the closest they ever played to Little Rock was Tulsa? Fuck that.

You would think I'd be clear on this, but for some reason I'm not--I may have done a phone interview with Hart and/or Mould right after Candy Apple Grey came out. I know I did a record-by-record rundown for the publication I wrote for at the time, I just can't remember whether it was to accompany an interview or whether it was a standalone.

Good Lord, Husker Du played at the Stow Hill Labour Club in Newport in 1985! The only time they came to Wales, according to that site. Admittedly at the time I would only have known two songs of theirs and the journey from where I lived to Newport would have been tough for a 16 yr old, but bloody hell... I wish! And now I live in Newport, and I've drunk at the Labour Club and I never knew!

Always bums me out when Grant plays some half-filled bar to disinterested patrons.

I've been to at least one of those, wanted to give him a hug.

I was wondering if giving him a hug would be inappropriate. I would also like to do that.

bob is so much cooler than grant tho

some of his writings/interviews have led me to the possibility he is a major dick, which wd preclude a hug.

I've mentioned elsewhere that when I saw Mould do a Workbook show, some smarty yelled out "Flexible Flyer." Bob proceeded to quickly mime shooting up. Everyone groaned piteously.

Who do I have to hug to get this top ten started?

Gotta run to a quick meeting and the coffeemaker's still not working.

Gotta run to a quick meeting and the coffeemaker's still not working.

It could be broke of it could be clogged

but I don't know for sure

Grrrghheauuurrrrhhh!

of = or

so you're thirsty
so what
i don't know

i don't wanna know if you've got coffee
i don't wanna know if you've got less than coffee

You'll be making some coffee
Coffee somehow...

Coffee maker broken is today

BTW there was some talk upthread about the Grant song 'Drug Party'-- this was recorded in a pretty great version by mpls band The Blue Hippos in '87 on their self-titled EP. It's a pretty great shit-hot garage-psych-soul record. Members of Otto's Chemical Lounge and Rifle Sport. I remember there being a video for their 'Drug Party' version but it might have just been a live clip shown on Lizz Winstead's Video Treats cable access show.

Goddammit writing that brought on a vivid and irl painful longing to be 16 in st paul listening to kfai in the winter again.

Grrrghheauuurrrrhhh!

Oh-hoooooooooah

He said there's no more pleasant plains
Until his coffee machine is working again

Well I'm standing in the queue
waiting for the top ten of husker du
and I can't stand the pain
and I can't get POLL without pleasant plains

Ah.. sugar in my coffee does taste quite right.

Time to let off some pressure, time for the top ten.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/makes_no_sense_at_all700.jpg

10. “Makes No Sense At All” - 256 points
• Official video

walking around with your head up your ass
it makes no sense at all

I've asked before, but I wonder if the junkyard in that video is the same one from the Zen Arcade cover.

Another possible #1 eliminated. (Think I had it #4 or 5.)

i didnt know makes no sense at all had a video. sick!!!!!

Not seen that either, and there's one for Love Is All Around right after it

Wonder how much of an influence the drumming on that song was on Colm from MBV?

"makes no sense" has grown on me, but i remember having a hard time understanding why it was THE husker song when I finally got Flip Your Wig

i can see now that my appreciation was tampered by already being familiar with Candy and Warehouse, can imagine Perfect Pop from Husker Du was more of a novelty in the moment

Love "Makes No Sense," and it might be my favorite non-screamy Bob vocal.

Also, recently realized that the single and LP mixes are slightly different; the single is more raw/less 80s-hair-metal-reverby.

It's funny that we keep talking about how Bob possibly rewrote Makes No Sense again with I Don't Know For Sure or Could You Be the One, but hell, it's so damn catchy.

There was an embarrassing time where I would try to write songs, but not figure out that I was plagiarizing until I started trying to fit a "Trying to catch a tiger by the tail" line in there.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/green_eyes700.jpg

9. “Green Eyes” - 290 points
• Live in San Francisco
• And then there's this.

ah! now we're talkin! this song is the sweetest thing on earth next to "Now That You Know Me"

Again, like "I'll Never Forget You," I almost re-tabulated the votes. I swear I thought I was the only one who liked this song.

oh i LOVE it, but i am still hoping for some more noisy bob songs to show up

that cover with the lovers in the water is weird

(Ha, that's my old band, no joke)

(We didn't make that video, some fan did)

Ha, what? Are you on that recording?

At any rate, I love you, Zupita.

The last three songs all from the same album. Guess that means Baby Song's on its way, right?

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/something_i_leanred700.jpg

8. “Something I Learned Today” - 309 points
• Hammerhead cover from Dü Hüskers
• metal cover by Entombed

So which one of you guys was in Entombed?

xpost I'm not personally on that recording - we had a very open band policy - but the cover was my idea. The UK version of the CD had "Green Eyes" as a bonus track. Not sure if the singer is my bandmate's wife or just a friend.

Also I was in Entombed.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggghhh this song is so good that every time i hear it -- every time! -- my heart races

Oh yay, my tastes are parallel with the canon! So far I've voted for everything in the top 10.

in the late 80s when it was hard to know biographical trivia about non-superstars my friend was all 'so Bob and Grant are both gay, and that song Green Eyes? He wrote that about Bob.'

LOL

when they broke up bob wrote "hartly getting over it" and grant wrote "no bob-rise I have made"

In the teenage mind, if you have two gay dudes in a band together then CLEARLY they have to be having sex w/each other

"2541" may be the best band break up song ever.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/the_girl_who_lives_on_HH700.jpg

7. “The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill” - 318 points / (2 votes for first place)
• Live at First Ave, 1985
• Grant Hart, solo accoustic 1995
• metal cover by Peaceville

Is it true that this is about a friend of Hart's who was dying of cancer?

(something I read somewhere on the Internet; also that "Green Eyes" was about Hart's cat)

k, I don't even remember some of the tunes youse are picking

both of which are Hart songs that I really like btw

xpost

Games >> Makes No Sense At All

will say that this is some horrible shit

http://billdphilly.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/heaven-hill-blend2.jpg

I thought Heaven Hill had a really good shot at #1. I can live with #7, tho.

I've decided that the last minute or so of Games is amongst the finest in pop history

Along with the amazing bridge

o no i have reached 'You Can Live AT Home Now' on the spotify poll playlist

;_;

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/chartered_trips700.jpg

6. “Chartered Trips” - 326 points / (1 vote for first place)
• Bob Mould, live at 9:30 Club, DC, 2005
• Muskellunge cover, Dü Hüskers

Um, too high?

no way!
i thought it would be #1 for sure
surely there's nothing i can say about it that hasn't already been said but it causes the same sort of exhilarating cardial fluttering as all my other favorites

I'll be disappointed if "Ice Cold Ice" doesn't make it.

Can't see this making it now tbh.

Pretty sure I know 4 of the top 5, wondering what the fifth is...

Oh, I take that back. I think I know all 5.

wow a bunch of my shit didn't make it apparently

Chartered Trips was my number one. My love for this song has outlasted all my other relationships and possibly will forever.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/new_day_rising700.jpg

5. “New Day Rising” - 326 points / (2 votes for first place)
• Live in Indy
• Bob & Dave, Live in L.A. 2011
• And once more from Robert Palmer

And I love that Muskellunge version too

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
who was the other first place? hi 5 to you, from me.

One quick note: you'll notice Nos. 6 & 5 have the same number of points, but unlike the other ties, I gave the edge to the one that had more first-place votes.

Next time, I might use number of votes received as another tie-breaker, but with only 25 ballots, I'm not sure how much difference it would have made on this poll anyway.

Guys, the point in Chartered Trips where they add the echo to Bob's vocals at the end of the verses, dear god

Chartered totes deserves its placement

Love "Something I Learned Today"--a college friend and I used it for a super-8 film once. Never really cared for "New Day Rising."

This was also one of the songs that gave me pause in assigning writing credit. "In A Free Land" is credited to Hart/Mould/Norton while this one's attributed to Mould/Hüsker Dü.

You could surmise that band politics were really swinging into effect by the time this record came out.

Another Mould/HD song from that album is "How To Skin A Cat".

So Bob repeats take the rats from the cats and the cats from the rats 20 times and gets songwriting credit? And vetoes a slide guitar on one of Grant's songs because it doesn't fit the record?

One of those reasons that I lean toward Grant.

New Day Rising is like gospel music for me in a number of ways which I will absolutely not bore anyone with. Strong feelings!
I love it so much, especially at a deafening volume.

Without Mould's guitar , they'd be nothing.Hear glimpses of it on his recent output. Only glimpses

Definitely, stun guitar for the win.

And Greg Norton's melodic, non obvious bass,
at well chosen moments.

New Day Rising didn't make mine either. Intro Filler

Definitely, stun guitar for the win.

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, November 28, 2012 2:56 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Bob Mould and Eric Bloom.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/pink_turns_to_blue700.jpg

4. “Pink Turns to Blue” - 327 points / (2 votes for first place)
• Live in Seattle, 1983
• Live in Finland, 1987
• Nova Mob, Live in Cambridge, Mass. 1992
• The Blue Up? cover from Dü Hüskers
• Bloodpit cover

And just one point separated this from the last two.

Also, on the nominations thread, we were talking about the MPLS tribute to Zen Arcade comp.

I could not find it anywhere except for the link below. Mess around with the song titles in the URL and you should be able to find the rest of it.

h77p://www.4casey4.com/Music/The%20Blue%20Up%20-%20Pink%20Turns%20to%20Blue.mp3

I'm still at 100% of everything in the top 10 being something that was on my ballot, but with only 3 to go I'm starting to wonder if my #1 will make it. I have doubts. ;_;

The Blue Up! They opened up for Robyn Hitchcock at First Ave in 86. One of them later became a naked webcam celebrity.

Hi five La Lechera! You write a list of Husker Du songs down, you've gotta damn well start with New Day Rising imo. You mentioned gospel music, maybe I'm overdoing it here but I think it's kind of Coltrane-ish or Ayler-esque in a way - the fervour, the repetition, the overall sentiment of it. Anyhow, awesome song! Love the way the drums break out of that bash-bash-bash rhythm the first time around and the bass really kicks in and it feels like this whole rush of ecstatic noise is going to carry you away. Fuck yes!

I was one of the Pink to Blue #1s. My ideal Husker Du song.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/dontwannaknow700.jpg

3. “Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely” - 361 points / (2 votes for first place)

• Official video
• Catherine Wheel cover
• Green Day cover
• Some kids in their backyard doing a cover of Green Day covering Hüsker Dü

And I'm going to break the no-YouTube rule here for just one deserved second:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGKRi1mFigA

First Husker Du song i ever heard, thank you Radio Luxembourg

Shocking development. I had no idea this song was so popular.

Ditto. I was afraid it wouldn't make the cut. Glad it did.

Is there a no-You Tube rule effect?

Only question left is whether this will be the first of these polls with a cover at #1.

(I sort of hope not, since the other song in contention would be a perfect #1 itself. But they're both amazing so whatever.)

I like to think that could happen to Hendrix too, so they're in good company

Is there a no-You Tube rule effect?

It doesn't bother me, but for some people, 30 Youtubes on one thread really messes with the loading. It's why I've been linking everything.

This was my No. 1. I could listen to it morning, noon, night, 20 years ago and five minutes from now and would love hearing it all just the same.

Anyway, decisions have been made; the die has been cast.

Geez, I better see Adventureland.

No hurry.

So this is Celibate Summer vs. 8 Mile, Sigh amirite?

I'm blanking out on the obvious second-song everyone's figured out. The cover, I know. The other one...I don't think it's the one I'd want, so I don't know.

xp
Unless there's something very wrong in that ballot pool...

So no "Real World" or "Everything Falls Apart" (or did I miss them)? Surprised. But yeah, I forgot about "Celebrated Summer."

Unexpected last-minute surge for "Ultracore."

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/celebrated_summer700.jpg

2. “Celebrated Summer” - 419 points / (1 vote for first place)
• Live in London, 1985
• Bob Mould, 2009
• Anthrax cover
• Detroit remix

I thought this would be #1.

I didn't know my love of "Chartered Trips" was shared so widely.

First one in the top 10 I didn't vote for. Don't mind it being here, though.

so it's eight miles high

no "Newest Industry" = sadface

no "Standing in the Rain" = sadface

no "It's Not Peculiar" = big sadface

no "Back from Somewhere" = sadface

No Private Plane = sadface

Same sadface for "Newest Industry," my #3.

man i'm nervous and I'm the one looking at the list.

okay here goes

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/buck700.jpg

wait wait wait wait, hold on, let me readjust this for a sec...

Not "The Baby Song"??

I voted for "Buck Hill"!

Guys? It wasn't even close.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/8_miles_high700.jpg

1. “Eight Miles High” - 562 votes / (5 votes for first place)
• Live in Philadelphia, 1983
• Dutch festival, 1987
• Alternate non-single Byrds version
• Byrds isolated backing track
• Roxy Music cover, 1980
• Ventures cover
• Nineteen-minute version by Golden Earring

no "Erase Today" = big sadface smh

I will say this, the cover is downright definitive, and one of the few to match the iconic original.

Something hilarious about capturing the essence of Husker Du in their Byrds cover and their cover of the Mary Tyler Moore Show theme. In tandem, that's the band right there. Plus, of course, ample bllllaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrgh!

Yeah I got no problem with it, even tho it didn't make my top 10 (mostly because I couldn't put a cover above so many original songs that I love).

'84 Pazz & Jop:

1. Prince: "When Doves Cry"/"17 Days" (Warner Bros.) 111
2. Bruce Springsteen: "Dancing in the Dark"/"Pink Cadillac" (Columbia) 71
3. Tina Turner: "What's Love Got To Do With It" (Capitol) 61
4. Hüsker Dü: "Eight Miles High" (SST) 56
5. Van Halen: "Jump" (Warner Bros.) 52

#1, 2, 3, and 5 are all fine songs--great songs, if you like, I won't argue. But at the time, being 22 (and really caring about things like Pazz & Jop), seeing "Eight Miles High" right there in the middle of them felt really, really important.

Love how Mould changed the lyric to "not known for its sound". Also love everything about this record ever for all time.

Thanks for doing this poll, pp! Your graphics have set a new standard in results-rolling-outedness.

the 7" was probably the first I bought

This was good fun. Excellent graphics, pplains!

Here's mah ballot:
It's Not Peculiar - 40
Makes No Sense At All - 36
No Promise Have I Made - 33
Actual Condition - 30
Something I Learned Today - 28
Real World - 26
Hardly Getting Over It - 25
Chartered Trips - 24
The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill - 23
Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope - 22
Eight Miles High - 21
Pink Turns to Blue - 20
Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely - 19
Green Eyes - 18
Turn on the News - 17
If I Told You - 16
Sorry Somehow - 15
Dead Set on Destruction - 14
New Day Rising - 13
Never Talking to You Again - 12

Pink Turns to Blue
Makes No Sense at All
Books About UFOs
Flip Your Wig
Celebrated Summer
What's Going On
I Apologize
She's a Woman (and Now He Is a Man)
New Day Rising
Green Eyes
Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely
If I Told You
These Important Years
Hate Paper Doll
Sorry Somehow
Eight Miles High
Diane
Could You Be the One?
Back From Somewhere
Real World

Great job, pp. More music I love here than anything this side of the Beatles and Neil Young polls (Dylan and the Velvets, too, when we get around to those).

1. “Books About UFOs” (40)
2. “Divide and Conquer” (36)
3. “Newest Industry” (33)
4. “Makes No Sense at All” (30)
5. “Eight Miles High” (28)
6. “Real World” (26)
7. “Something I Learned Today” (25)
8. “Love Is All Around” (24)
9. “Everything Falls Apart” (23)
10. “Perfect Example” (22)
11. “Flip Your Wig” (21)
12. “You’re a Soldier” (20)
13. “It’s Not Funny Anymore” (19)
14. “All Work and No Play” (18)
15. “Hate Paper Doll” (17)
16. “I Apologize” (16)
17. “59 Times the Pain” (15)
18. “She’s a Woman (And Now He Is a Man)” (14)
19. “Dead Set on Destruction” (13)
20. “Friend, You’ve Got to Fall” (12)

This was fun. It was my pleasure. Thanks to all of you who voted and who participated here. Look forward to doing the Metallica list in 2014.

A few notes:

• The Spotify playlist.

• You can view the spreadsheets I used.

• Zen Arcade and New Day Rising both placed seven songs in the Top 30. Flip Your Wig a close second with six.

• The two albums that received a vote for every song were Zen Arcade, which surprised me because even the piano interludes received votes, and Candy Apple Grey, surprising since no one named it as a favorite album and it's traditionally been shunned by the HD crowd for the most part.

• Not one single vote for that MTM cover. Not a one!

It was #8 on mine!

FOUL!

Even if they're not my *favorite* band polled to date, this is probably my favorite poll so far. I only managed a top 10 and then gave up trying to rank things. Side 2 of Zen Arcade is now my favorite thing they did, which is a pretty big contrast w/1980's me.

1. What's Going On
2. Eight Miles High
3. Helter Skelter
4. Celebrated Summer
5. Whatever
6. She Floated Away
7. Eiffel Tower High
8. She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)
9. Somewhere
10. Masochism World

xpost

Are you sure all those Ohio precincts are in?

http://www.oocities.org/tbtho/images/ted200dr.jpg

Helter Skelter @ #3, dlp9001 I like yr style! Their version doesn't sound too far away from how You Can Live At Home with that big weird bassline going on.

My ballot:

New Day Rising
Eight Miles High
Something I Learned Today
Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
Whatever
Games
Every Everything
Private Plane
You Can Live At Home
Amusement
I'll Never Forget You
Books About UFOs
Divide And Conquer
Could You Be The One?
Bed Of Nails
The Biggest Lie
In A Free Land
Celebrated Summer
Flip Your Wig

Thanks so much for taking this on Mr Plains!

1. Eight Miles High
2. Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
3. Celebrated Summer
4. Dead Set On Destruction
5. Reoccurring Dreams
6. Turn On The News
7. Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
8. Keep Hanging On
9. New Day Rising
10. It's Not Funny Anymore
11. Something I Learned Today
12. Terms of Psychic Warfare
13. Books About UFOs
14. She Floated Away (live)
15. Divide and Conquer
16. Makes No Sense At All
17. Flexible Flyer
18. Eiffel Tower High
19. She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)
20. Perfect Example

Only one I'm bummed didn't make it is "Dead Set."

Who else voted for "Reoccurring Dreams"? Always thought they could/should have done more sprawly stuff like that. It's like the furthest possible extension of turn it over-era Tony Williams' Lifetime.

I would've voted for Reoccurring Dreams, tarfumes

Great work on the poll and thank you. For what its worth, "Eight miles high" was the first Husker Du song I ever heard - I'd just started listening to John Peel's show in the summer of 84 and he played it and I was blown away. I knew and adored the Byrds' version but I'd not heard anything like this before, it was reverent but irreverent too, and the way Bob just seemed to lose it on the vocals and just SCREAM in such an incoherent but powerful way. It was a great record to hear when I was 15. A great introduction to a great band.

Ok I was in a meeting but wild applause and hugs for everyone.

My ballot is the best fyi

1 New Day Rising
2 Something I Learned Today
3 From the Gut
4 Chartered Trips
5 Eight Miles High
6 The Tooth Fairy and the Princess
7 Terms of Psychic Warfare
8 In a Free Land
9 Green Eyes
10 What Do I Want?
11 Back From Somewhere
12 Celebrated Summer
13 Statues
14 It's Not Funny Anymore
15 Turn on the News
16 I'll Never Forget You
17 I Apologize
18 Somewhere
19 She Floated Away
20 Sorry Somehow

Yeah, thanks for the poll work pp. And great graphics!

FWIW

thanks to pplains and all.

8 miles High was the first one I bought. Just before Zen was releases iirc? It changed my direction in music from shit brit post punk and twat like the Smiths ;-)

What a fucking great band they we're.Possibly my favourite ever.

I apologize for my Bobcentric picks

Chartered Trips
Celebrated Summer (the winner?)
8 Miles High
59 Times The Pain
Real World
Whatever
I'LL never forget you
Powerline
If I told you
In a Free land
These Important years
All this I've done for you
No reservations
Perfect example
Games
Private plane
Makes no Sense
Don't want to know if you are lonely
Don't know for Sure
Everything Falls Apart

^ copied from my e mail. I was almost bang on with Celebrated Summer?

For a v.long time Zen Arcade was all I knew; was hard to find HD stuff in NZ and it cost a bunch to import to NZ. I'd assumed "Pink Turns To Blue" would take #1 as it's the one I hear around & about the most, and it's twinned w/the Chills' "Pink Frost" in my mind. My future partner put "Green Eyes" on a mixtape for me, so a lot of sentimental attachment to it. I guess I had more time for the stuff which sounded like Alastair Galbraith/Xpressway over hardcore, heh.

01 The Tooth Fairy & the Princess
02 Green Eyes
03 Pink Turns To Blue
04 Recurring Dreams
05 Never Talking To You Again
06 The Baby Song
07 New Day Rising
08 Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
09 Hare Krsna
10 Turn On The News
11 Makes No Sense At All
12 Chartered Trips
13 Games
14 Dreams Recurring
15 You Can Live At Home
16 Monday Will Never Be The Same
17 Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
18 One Step At A Time
19 Books About UFOs
20 Diane

I had Newest Industry in there. I dropped it for an unknown reason - don't know fer sure with no reservations

Clem has Books About UFOs as his No. 1. I don't have any #1s recorded for that song on my sheet. Therefore, I fear the worst!

I'm so sorry, clemenza. I even emailed you back and everything when I got your ballot. I don't know what happened.

And look, I had even made this, just knowing that ILX would be all apeshit about this song.

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/love_is_all_around.jpg

Here's hoping the recount doesn't send the race to the Supreme Court.

Thanks for running this one! You and some other recent poll-runners have been setting new standards for graphics and video links in the rollouts that I'm not even going to try to match. I thought it was snazzy when I posted a few video links for Bowie's top 10.

my ballot

1. Eight Miles High
2. I'll Never Forget You
3. Masochism World
4. It's Not Funny Any More
5. Lifeline
6. Terms Of Psychic Warfare
7. Powerline
8. Celebrated Summer
9. 59 Times The Pain
10. The Biggest Lie
11. Chartered Trips
12. Gilligan's Island
13. I Apologize
14. Standing By The Sea
15. Somewhere
16. Games
17. Plans I Make
18. Newest Industry
19. Reocurring Dreams
20. Makes No Sense At All

That's funny--my P&J ballot wasn't tabulated last year either. Apparently I make a deep impression.

Anyway, all I would have done is barely move "Books" into the Top 10. I missed votes and had to fix the two polls I ran while I was counting down, so I realize it happens.

I checked back, and I did interview both Bob and Grant over the phone--the intro calls it a brief interview, so maybe that explains why I don't remember it at all. It was timed to the release of Warehouse, not Candy Apple Grey. Quotes are mixed in with an album-by-album rundown. Really odd: eight quotes from Bob, one from Grant. I started reading the album blurbs and stopped immediately--me at my most overwrought and pretentious.

I would've voted for Reoccurring Dreams, tarfumes

― Faster than food (Myonga Vön Bontee), Wednesday, November 28, 2012 4:37 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Right on. Always felt that side of the band never got enough love/wasn't explored enough.

It was more like a side of an album than a side of the band, but an alternative-universe Husker Du that kept on doing long psych-punk freakouts alongside the other stuff is nice to think about.

Amen!! I wish there had been more.

I think HD is just one of those bands that did everything right. I like every side of them: the hardcore stuff, the psych jams, the pop stuff, the scuzz, the fuzz, the polish. No real wrong turns and, best of all, as much as it's too bad the band broke up, I'm pretty satisfied with what it left behind.

I would've voted for Reoccurring Dreams, tarfumes

OTM

Actually, Sund4r, you might be the best person to ask about this - are there many other 80s US underground tracks similar to "Recurring Dreams"/"The Tooth Fairy & the Princess", Sonic Youth's "Providence", etc? I wouldn't mind putting together a comp/playlist but my knowledge of non-NZ stuff is pretty shallow.

I think HD is just one of those bands that did everything right. I like every side of them: the hardcore stuff, the psych jams, the pop stuff, the scuzz, the fuzz, the polish.

This is otm, and I think it's also why "Eight Miles High" was #1: it's the best of all of those.

my ballot

Eight Miles High
What's Going On
Diane
New Day Rising
I Apologize
Games
In A Free Land
Powerline
Divide And Conquer
These Important Years
Celebrated Summer
Crystal
You Can Live At Home
Bed Of Nails
Hardly Getting Over It
Something I Learned Today
It's Not Funny Anymore
Green Eyes
Standing In The Rain
Keep Hanging On

only one whose absence really surprises me now is "keep hanging on" since ilx seems pretty comfortable with hart-corn

Always thought of "Keep Hanging On" as one of Hart's best.

i LOVE that song but i couldn't keep everything
gotta make room for

what do i want?
what'll make me happy?
NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING

kind of the opposite idea, but the good news is that i will always have both songs to listen to whenever the mood strikes

1. Eight Miles High
2. Plans I Make
3. Diane
4. From the Gut
5. What's Going On
6. Something I Learned Today
7. Pride
8. Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill
9. Turn On the News
10. Bricklayer
11. Real World
12. Don't Want to Know if You Are Lonely
13. First of the Last Calls
14. I'll Never Forget You
15. Books About UFOs
16. New Day Rising
17. Sorry Somehow
18. Powerline
19. Reoccurring Dreams
20. You Can Live at Home

Prolly woulda put Erase Today in there if I hadn't been using Spotify to makes decisions.

My picks that missed out:
Never Talking To You Again
Broken Home, Broken Heart
Private Plane
Up In The Air
Turn It Around

what about All This I've Done for You????

Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely
Pink Turns To Blue
Everytime - ranked a a bit high for the points
Powerline
Celebrated Summer
Everything Falls Apart - I was certain this one would make it. That wave of backwardsy guitar signaled that Husker Du was about to make a turn.
Sorry Somehow
Flexible Flyer
Could You Be The One
Statues - My favorite bass line
Eight Miles High
Broken Home, Broken Heart
Folk Lore - another one I thought would rank higher
You Can Live At Home
Whatever
Standing By the Sea - I kept taking this one off and then putting it back on the list.
Back From Somewhere - Like how the song changes time in the middle of the song for good. Also, I could've used some City Center pix.
Flip Your Wig
It’s Not Funny
Green Eyes

Great work pplains, love the graphics. About halfway through I realised I had no idea what the consensus picks would be beyond about four songs. Here's my ballot:

Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely
Games
Green Eyes
Could You Be The One?
Something I Learned Today
Flexible Flyer
Makes No Sense At All
Sorry Somehow
Hardly Getting Over It
Pink Turns To Blue
Somewhere
Ice Cold Ice
Private Plane
Broken Home, Broken Heart
59 Times The Pain
I Don't Know For Sure
The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
In A Free Land
I Apologize
Bed Of Nails

One song I really regret not voting for: 'It's Not Peculiar'

Etc, I started a thread here: Noisy or Ambient 80s US Indie Tracks

Many thanks for running this poll Mr. pplains. The graphics were especially strong. There will always be a place for this poll in the Private Plane of my heart.

My Ballot is:

1. The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill
2. Flip Your Wig
3. Private Plane
4. Terms Of Psychic Warfare
5. Flexible Flyer
6. Diane
7. Green Eyes
8. Celebrated Summer
9. I Apologize
10. Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope
11. You Can Live At Home
12. It’s Not Peculiar
13. No Reservations
14. Could You Be The One?
15. Chartered Trips
16. Pink Turns To Blue
17. Eight Miles High
18. Turn On The News
19. What’s Going On
20. Sorry Somehow

my ballot wd've been close to tipsy's (plus Flexible Flyer).

I remember how weird their playing the Warehouse album in running order seemed on that tour, compared to the loose earlier gigs. I went to a Beacon Theater AIDS benefit in Dec '87 where they were supposed to play acoustically (also Laurie Anderson, Glass, Burroughs, John Waters) but they didn't show, having just broken up.

Everything Falls Apart - I was certain this one would make it. That wave of backwardsy guitar signaled that Husker Du was about to make a turn.

This is otm. If there's a single, major turning point in their catalog, it's this.

When I went to school at Missouri, there was a man standing at the city limits welcoming all of us freshman and telling us that Husker Du played their last show there at the Blue Note in 1988.

Just a quick addendum here. Not sure if there is a recording of it (brief search online came up with no results), but Oneida apparently once played a set in Europe that consisted of one song: a cover of "New Day Rising". You can definitely hear parts of the Oneida DNA in that song (especially Kids drumming in regards to the drum intro) and I bet that they played the hell out of it.

Back From Somewhere - Like how the song changes time in the middle of the song for good. Also, I could've used some City Center pix.

ha yeah I've always appreciated the City Center callout in this. Who'd have thought it would get namechecked again in the 00s (by the Hold Steady)?

I can totally see Oneida doing a 20-min version of "New Day Rising"!

Think it was a 45 minute version! Something like that, but I think it was the whole set.

That sounds like heaven!!

There are some serious Oneida heads on this board, someone might be able to dig a recording up (assuning one exists).

this board is gradually convincing me I should have paid more attention to Oneida, actually. Where do I start?

Hmm, don't wanna hijack a Husker Du thread with Oneida talk, but the idea of where to start would differ depending on the Oneida fan. They cover a lot of territory. Will try to revive a thread and make suggestions there. Closest thing to what a live 45 minute "New Day Rising" in their catalogue, and a big diving off point as to whether you want Oneida in your life or not, would be "Sheets of Easter" from the album Each One Teach One.

goddamn everything falls apart the song is such a gem

I guess we like it that way <--- this part has always stuck with me.

Everything Falls Apart - I was certain this one would make it. That wave of backwardsy guitar signaled that Husker Du was about to make a turn.

This is otm. If there's a single, major turning point in their catalog, it's this.

Thirded. In amongst all that pretty decent hardcore, was this gem. At that age aswell, I loved the lyrics but the tune was sublime. That chorused, clean, guitar , albeit multi tracked with some grit, certainly signalled the willingness to change in direction . I'm not sure if Mould used that technique again though?

Fourthed...Also one of their greatest lyrics, I think.

A-G-C-D#-Bb-F

This was so awesome, thank you for the dose of happiness.

Only painful moment: looking back at the show history on thirdav.com and realizing they played Madison, WI, not once, not twice, but EIGHT times in '83 and '84, before I saw them. Most were all-ages gigs before Zen Arcade, which is when I got into them: One was a bar show after, when I was still too young. Which makes me all the more grateful for that January '86 Turner Hall gymnasium show, kind of their last hardcore hurrah in Madison.

My ballot:

1. The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill
2. What's Going On
3. Eight Miles High
4. Games
5. Real World
6. Whatever
7. Something I Learned Today
8. Pink Turns to Blue
9. Green Eyes
10. Celebrated Summer
11. Terms of Psychic Warfare
12. In a Free Land
13. Everything Falls Apart
14. New Day Rising
15. You Can Live at Home
16. Broken Home, Broken Heart
17. Beyond the Threshold
18. The Biggest Lie
19. Books About UFOs
20. Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely

THE BIGGEST LIE

Where are Bricklayer and Blah Blah Blah

Cute previously unnoticed detail of the day. From "Back From Somewhere":

Standing at the city center
In the middle of the winter
[buried in the mix, two quick shakes of sleigh bells that don't appear again for the rest of the track]

Love the sleigh bells, never noticed they don't come back before!

Along those lines: Is it me, or does the instrumental track before "Pink Turns to Blue" sounds uncannily like the beginning of "Purple Rain"?

found that site with the duhuskers stuff on it

hxxp://www.milkmilk-lemonade.com/2007/07/mml-indie-classics-vol-3-du-huskers.html

Movember's bass in 'Whatever', rules. Well done Greg.
Your input catapults this song in to greatosphere.
I mean, Mould is on form vocally and that guitar is there. Grant pounds the fuck out of it. But the bass nails it down.

I'm Sorry.

What did you expect?

Saw a preview today for a pretty dire-looking forthcoming movie called "This is 40" and a Bob Mould t-shirt is prominently featured...

just listened to The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill 3 times in a row 'cos of this thread, astonishing!

I did an interview with Grant Hart recently that went online last night; a few insights that relate to comments above, I think.

Awesome interview, macdara... wonder if he'll be playing london on this sortie as well?

Thanks! I don't think he's headed to the UK this time out, but I imagine he'll tour the new record when it comes out in the new year.

That interview is amazing

can't decide whether my favorite part is the amateur veterinarian bit or his explanation of why husker du can't reunite

i am saving the remainder of that interview to read once i get a thing or two done, as a reward. it's that enjoyable!

Amazing interview, mac. Amazing subject.

Good interview.

I've mentioned before, albeit elliptically, that my understanding is that the last impediment to reissues has been removed, and that while the project is about as close to the start as could be, it should happen, possibly via an unexpected source.

I can't tell if you know something or you're just really good at writing horoscopes.

I once got a fortune cookie that read: "Of all the fortunate, you are the chosen one."

Josh - elliptically - I've had similar hints confirmed by, I'm guessing, a similar source. Fingers X'd, eh.