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

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.