"Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" is a song by

Hüsker Dü Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continuous members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notability as a hardc ...

from their album ''

Candy Apple Grey ''Candy Apple Grey'' is the fifth studio album by the American alternative rock band Hüsker Dü, released in 1986 through Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first major label release, though Warner Bros. had lobbied to release ''Flip Your ...

''. The song was written by

Grant Hart Grant Vernon Hart (March 18, 1961 – September 13, 2017) was an American musician, best known as the drummer for the punk rock band Hüsker Dü. After the band's breakup in 1988, he released his first solo album, ''Intolerance'', before fo ...

. It was released both as a single and EP in the United States and United Kingdom in March 1986. Hüsker Dü filmed a promotional video for the song, which garnered the band some play on

MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...

. The song, dubbed a "tuneful blast of

Buzzcocks Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band that singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto formed in Manchester in 1976. During their career, the band combined elements of punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. The ...

-style

pop-punk Pop-punk (also punk-pop, alternatively spelled without the hyphen) is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop music, pop. It is defined by its fast-paced, energetic tempos, and emphasis on classic pop s ...

", was labeled the high point of ''Grey'' in a respective review by

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

's Stewart Mason. The song is featured in the 2009

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

movie '' Adventureland''.

Track listing

EP track listing

Side One #"Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" (Hart) #" Helter Skelter" ( Lennon-McCartney) Side Two #"All Work and No Play" (Long Mix) (Mould) "Helter Skelter" was recorded live on January 30, 1985, at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesot

UK single track listing

Side One #"Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" (Hart) Side Two #"All Work and No Play" (Mould

Side by Side: Record Store Day 2011

Record Store Day Record Store Day is a semi-annual event established in 2008 to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". Held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November, the day brings together f ...

2011, Warner Bros. Records released an exclusive limited edition print of a "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" split single. The split single features the original version of "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" performed by Hüsker Dü on one side, and a cover version by the band

Green Day Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...

on the other. The Green Day version had previously appeared on the single for their song " Warning". Side A # "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" (as performed by Hüsker Dü) Side B # "Don't Wanna Know If You Are Lonely" (as performed by Green Day)

Cover versions

"Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" has been covered by several different artists, including

, who recorded it for an MTV show titled ''Influences''. The UK band

Catherine Wheel Catherine wheel may refer to: * Breaking wheel, an instrument of torturous execution originally associated with Catherine of Alexandria * Catherine wheel (firework), a firework that rotates when lit Arts and entertainment * Catherine Wheel (band) ...

recorded a version of the song on their 1992 ''30th Century Man'' EP. Also in 1992,

Mega City Four Mega City Four were an English indie rock band formed in Farnborough, Hampshire, who obtained popularity throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Mega City Four consisted of guitarist and vocalist Wiz, his brother and rhythm guitarist Danny Brown, ...

covered it on their LP ''Inspiringly Titled: The Live Album'', and its advance EP, ''Shivering Sand – Live''. The Swedish rock band Fireside has also recorded a version of the song on their ''Hello Kids'' album. In 2013, Il Cattivo, a Denver-based heavy rock band, released a guitar-dueling rendition on their second record, ''How to Assess Your Damages''. The song was also covered by Australian musician

Paul Dempsey Paul Anthony Dempsey (born 25 May 1976) is an Australian musician. He is best known as the lead singer, guitarist and principal lyricist of rock group Something for Kate. Dempsey released his debut solo album, '' Everything Is True'', on 20 A ...

References

{{Authority control 1986 singles 1986 EPs Hüsker Dü songs Songs written by Grant Hart American punk rock songs American pop punk songs