Whip It (Devo song)

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"Whip It"
Song
B-side"Turn Around"

"Whip It" is a song by the American new wave band Devo, written by Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh. It was the second single from the band's third studio album, Freedom of Choice (1980). There were two 7" single releases of "Whip It", one backed with a remix of the track "Snowball" (which appears on Freedom of Choice) and one backed with "Turn Around". "Whip It" was Devo's biggest hit, peaking at No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 11 on the Canadian Singles chart. As a single it reached No. 77 on the Australian Singles chart,[1] but it was also the key selling point of the DEV-O Live EP, which reached number one in that country's singles charts.[2]

It is ranked number 62 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s as well as number 15 on the same channel's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the '80s.

Background

Devo's 1979 album, Duty Now for the Future, was considered a disappointment by both critics and band members. Critics saw the album as a formulaic repeat of their 1978 debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, and the band members primarily blamed the formulaic sound on the album's producer Ken Scott.[3] Warner Bros. Records was also unhappy, and issued an ultimatum to the band members that they needed to produce a successful third album, or they would be dropped from the label.[4] The members believed that a hit single could bolster their next album's popularity, and finally give them radio exposure.[5]

After parting with Scott, Devo began searching for a new producer to work with. In late 1979, the band members played nuclear waste workers in the Neil Young film Human Highway. While on break, the band members met Robert Margouleff at the Record Plant in Los Angeles.[6] Margouleff recalled this meeting, noting that the band members wore bizarre attire that consisted of black jumpsuits and red helmets, and that they were upfront in asking him if he wanted to serve as a producer for their next album.[7] Margouleff agreed to this offer, and was brought on to produce "Whip It" and its parent album, Freedom of Choice.[7]

Recording

The music and lyrics for "Whip It" was written by bassist Gerald Casale and singer/keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh, from August to October 1979.[8] Howard Siegal engineered the song, while Margouleff served as the producer. It was recorded at the Recording Plant, and mastered by Ken Perry at Capitol Studios.[9] The song was recorded with API mixing consoles, 3M tape machines, and Minimoog synthesizers.[7] Throughout the song, there are whipcracking noises, which were recorded using an Electrocomp 500 synthesizer and Neumann KM 84 and U 87 microphones.[10]

The music for "Whip It" was created by taking elements from four different demo tapes that Casale had collected. Mothersbaugh composed what would become the song's break in his bedroom; the break was originally much slower, with a classical sound. In another tape, Mothersbaugh played what would become the main riff with a drum machine. One of Captain Beefheart's drummers created a drum beat that Mothersbaugh recorded, and the last demo was a live recording between Casale and Mothersbaugh. Casale took the four demos and layered them atop one another to create smooth and consistent time signature.[11] Mothersbaugh created the main riff in "Whip It" by taking the riff used in Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman", and slightly changing the ending.[5]

Composition

Music

"Whip It"
A sixteen second audio sample of "Whip It". The song is defined by its motorik beat and seemingly nonsensical lyrics about "whipping it".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Whip It" is a new wave[12] and synth-pop song,[13] built around a consistent 4/4 beat known as a motorik beat.[14] It moves at a quick tempo of 120 beats per minute, and is constructed in verse–chorus form. With a chord progression of D-A-E7sus4 in the verses and C-G-D in the choruses, the song is written in the key of E major.[15] The song's main riff alternates between a five note ascension and a three note descension, and is played with a synthesizer, electric guitar, and bass guitar.[5][16] The chorus features two synthesizer notes that are a half step between each other, which creates what AllMusic's Steve Huey describes as "a disorienting aural effect".[16]

As the song progresses, a guitar lick becomes more prominent in the main riff.[16] During the instrumental break, the riff temporarily changes to a nonstandard 6/4 beat, before returning to the original 4/4 beat.[16] Casale and Mothersbaugh sing the vocals for "Whip It", with a vocal range of A4-F#5.[15] The two alternate vocals; Casale uses a nasally drawl, while Mothersbaugh sings in a more powerful "cartoonish" voice.[16] The use of two vocalists is a call and response, that Casale notes is "kind of like white boys rapping".[10]

Lyrics

The lyrics for "Whip It" appear disjointed and nonsensical.[16] For example, a central theme revolves around the ability to solve one's problems by "whipping it", while other lines include motivational statements like "go forward, move ahead" and "it's not too late".[16] Casale wrote the lyrics, which were intended to satirize American optimism. He took inspiration from Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, a novel that contains satirical limericks about capitalist can-do clichés.[17] Casale incorporated as many lyrics that would sound like motivational clichés if taken out of context.[18]

Mothersbaugh also remarked that the lyrics were written in the form of a subtle pep talk for United States President Jimmy Carter during the 1980 presidential election. The members of Devo were supporters of Carter, and were afraid that the Republican candidate Ronald Regan would win the election.[19] Mothersbaugh jokingly once said in an interview: "Come on Jimmy, get your shit together."[20] Huey notes that despite the song's novelty, there are violent undertones in the lyrics. He describes the process of whipping it to solve one's problems as "a sardonic portrait of a general, problematic aspect of the American psyche: the predilection for using force and violence to solve problems, vent frustration, and prove oneself to others".[16]

Release

"Whip It" was one of four songs from Freedom of Choice that was released as a single. Warner Bros. heavily favored the commercial viability of the first single, "Girl U Want", as its music and lyrics were more radio friendly, akin to "My Sharona" by the Knack.[21] "Girl U Want" failed to reach any record chart however, and was considered a failure.[10] Despite this initial failure, Devo decided to tour in support of the album without a hit single. Shortly into the tour, the radio programmer Kal Rudman, known for his influential FMQB trade magazine, began playing "Whip It", and the song soon spread to several radio stations in the Southeastern United States. Within a week, "Whip It" had become a major hit, which forced Devo to temporarily stop the tour to book larger venues, as their concerts were starting to sell out too fast.[22]

"Whip It" debuted at number eighty-five on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, on August 30, 1980.[23] It spent twenty-five weeks on the chart, peaked at number fourteen on November 15, and finished the year at number nintey-four on the Billboard Year-End singles chart for 1981.[24][25] In the United States, the song also reached number thirteen on the Cash Box Top 100,[26] number fourteen on the Hot Dance Club Play chart,[27] and number seventeen on the Record World Singles chart.[28] The song found success internationally, peaking at number seventy-seven on the Australian Kent Music Report,[1] number eleven on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart,[29] number eleven on the Official New Zealand Music Chart,[30] and number fifty-one on the UK Singles Chart.[31] "Whip It" was certified gold in the United States and Canada, denoting shipments of 1,000,000 and 75,000 copies respectively.[32][33]

In a retrospective review, Huey said that the song has "an irresistibly odd novelty appeal", and commented that the song was "one of the best arguments that punk ideology didn't necessarily lose its bite when placed in the more pop-oriented musical context of new wave".[16] PopMatters' Chris Gerard also noted the song's originality, and described it as "a bold and provocative recording that still sounds fantastic blasted out of a good set of speakers".[34] The website subsequently ranked "Whip It" as the fifty-first best alternative song of the 1980s.[34]

When "Whip It" was released, many listeners assumed that the whipping lyrics were double entendres for either masturbation or sadomasochism.[17] Devo's previous material often included sexual innuendos and sometimes even blatant references to sex in the lyrics, which made "Whip It" appear consistent with this style of songwriting.[17] Mothersbaugh recalled how many disc jockeys would make masturbation jokes to him before interviews.[19] He also believes that "Whip It" sold well because of these supposed taboo subjects.[35]

Music video

Devo funded the music video for "Whip It" with $15,000 USD of their own money. The main visual of the video, Mark Mothersbaugh whipping the clothes off a woman, was inspired by an article in a 1962 issue of Dude magazine. In an interview for Songfacts, Casale explains "There was a feature article on a guy who had been an actor and fell on hard times, he wasn't getting parts anymore. He moved with his wife to Arizona, opened a dude ranch and charged people money to come hang out at the ranch. Every day at noon in the corral, for entertainment, he'd whip his wife's clothes off with a 12-foot bullwhip. She sewed the costumes and put them together with Velcro. The story was in the magazine about how good he was and how he never hurt her. We had such a big laugh about it, we said, 'OK, that's the basis for the video. We'll have these cowboys drinking beer and cheering Mark on as he's in the barnyard whipping this pioneer woman's clothes off while the band plays in the corral.'"

In the video, Devo wear black, sleeveless turtlenecks, and their famous energy dome headgear. When the video begins, all the members, except for Mark Mothersbaugh, wear the turtlenecks pulled over their faces. During the performance, each member lowers the turtleneck. Bob Mothersbaugh ("Bob 1") plays a Gibson Les Paul with an inverted horn, Bob Casale ("Bob 2") plays a red Rheem Kee Bass, and Alan Myers plays a set of Synare 3 drum synthesizers.

The video caused controversy. Devo was cut from a January 30, 1981, appearance on the television show The Midnight Special hosted by Lily Tomlin. After viewing the video Tomlin deemed it offensive to women, and according to Gerald Casale, "She promptly cancelled us off the special, she said she wouldn't go on if Devo was on her show."[36] Despite this, "Whip It" received heavy rotation on MTV after its introduction in 1981.

Legacy

If there was a Hall of Fame for early '80s New Wave music, Devo's 'Whip It' would be a shoo-in for induction. Undoubtedly the band's most recognizable song, 'Whip It' elevated Devo from an underground art-rock outfit to a (briefly) mainstream pop act, albeit one that still retained its pointed and satirical view of society. And, of course, who can forget the song's surrealist and now-iconic video that was a staple of MTV during the then-fledging channel's early years? The fact that The Simpsons even paid homage to both the song and the video in an episode demonstrates how much 'Whip It' has transcended pop culture.

David Chiu of PopMatters, discussing the song's lecagy.[21]

Several journalists view "Whip It" as a cornerstone for the development of new wave music in the early 1980s.[21][37] In his book Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties, Thomas Harrison believes that the song introduced heavily synthesized music to a mainstream audience.[38] Author Evie Nagy gave similar commentary, calling it a "defining anthem of new wave's rise".[19] Most of the new wave music in the early 1980s was produced by British bands. This meant that following the success of "Whip It", Devo joined the B-52's as the face of the fledgling American new wave music movement.[31]

The song's popularity can be largely attributed to its distinct originality. Gerard noted "there's been nothing quite like 'Whip It' in the top 40, before or since".[34] Nagy believes that the song's drum beat, guitar chords, and keyboard lines are all so distinct, that anyone could immediately recognize them if they have heard the song a few times.[19] In his book 99 Red Balloons: And 100 All-time One-hit Wonders, Brent Mann wrote: "It's hard to find anyone between the ages of 30 and 50 who does not have a vivid recollection of 'Whip It'...the kind of unusual track that made listeners want to bop their heads and break into a herky-jerky dance."[39]

The accompanying music video is also remembered for its bizarre and controversial content. According to Huey, "the song has remained in the public consciousness thanks in part to MTV's extensive airplay for the video".[16] With the popularity surrounding the "Whip It" music video, MTV began pursuing Devo, and promised them a new platform to showcase their visual works. However, Devo would eventually develop a troubled relationship with MTV. Most of the band's subsequent videos were censored for controversial content, or even rejected, on the basis that the song was not a hit single. As Casale put it: "As soon as MTV went national, they came up with this new Taliban set of rules...we were stunned and felt jilted."[40]

In the band's forty year history, "Whip It" remains their only song to chart within the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100.[24] As a result, some journalists have labeled Devo as a one-hit wonder.[41][42]

Charts and certifications

References

Notes

  1. ^ With "Gates of Steel" and "Freedom of Choice".

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c Kent 1993, p. 88.
  2. ^ Barnes, Jim (1996). The Book: Top 40 Research (5 ed.). Berowra: Barscan Music Research. p. 174. ISBN 0-646-25736-6.
  3. ^ Moskowitz 2015, p. 215; Nagy 2015, pp. 19–20.
  4. ^ Nagy 2015, pp. 20–21.
  5. ^ a b c Nagy 2015, p. 35.
  6. ^ Nagy 2015, pp. 26–27.
  7. ^ a b c Buskin, Richard (July 2008). "Devo 'Whip It' – Classic Tracks". Sound on Sound. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  8. ^ Fortner, Stephen (September 1, 2010). "Devo: The Masters of Subversive Synth Rock Return". Keyboard. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  9. ^ Freedom of Choice (liner notes). Devo. Warner Bros. Records. 1980.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ a b c Nagy 2015, p. 36.
  11. ^ Harris, Will (June 18, 2015). "Interview: Gerald Casale of Devo". Rhino Entertainment. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  12. ^ Flick, Larry (February 1, 1997). "Moby Rocks Out On Elektra's 'Animal Rights'". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 5. p. 9. ISSN 0006-2510.
  13. ^ Perrone, Pierre (July 6, 2013). "Alan Myers: Drummer with art-rockers DEVO". The Independent. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  14. ^ Nagy 2015, p. 35; Cateforis 2011, p. 219.
  15. ^ a b "Whip It by Devo – Digital Sheet Music". Music Notes. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Huey, Steve. "Devo – Whip It – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  17. ^ a b c Nagy 2015, p. 33.
  18. ^ Crow, Sara Jayne (March 18, 2009). "Exclusive: Devo's Jerry Casale on De-evolution and the Meaning of 'Whip It'". Flavorwire. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  19. ^ a b c d Nagy 2015, p. 34.
  20. ^ Reynolds 2005, p. 84.
  21. ^ a b c Chiu, David (May 21, 2015). "'Freedom of Choice' Is What You Got: A New Look at Devo's 1980 Hit Album". PopMatters. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  22. ^ Nagy 2015, p. 37.
  23. ^ "The Hot 100". Billboard. August 30, 1980. Retrieved September 7, 2017. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  24. ^ a b c "Devo Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 5,2017.
  25. ^ a b "Singles". Billboard. December 26, 1981. p. YE-9. ISSN 0006-2510.
  26. ^ a b "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week Ending November 22, 1980". Cash Box. Retrieved September 8, 2017. {{cite magazine}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  27. ^ a b "Freedom of Choice – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  28. ^ a b "Record World Singles" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 37, no. 1742. December 13, 1980. p. 27. See last week peak position. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  29. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0279." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  30. ^ a b "Devo – Whip It". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  31. ^ a b c Thompson 2000, p. 327.
  32. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Devo – Whip It". Music Canada. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  33. ^ a b "American single certifications – Devo – Whip It". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  34. ^ a b c Gerard, Chris (September 30, 2015). "The 100 Greatest Alternative Singles of the '80s: Part 3: 60 – 41". PopMatters. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  35. ^ Adams 2002, p. 386.
  36. ^ "Gerry Casale Interview Part 6.mov". YouTube. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  37. ^ Nagy 2015, p. 34; Harrison 2017, p. 87.
  38. ^ Harrison 2017, p. 87.
  39. ^ Mann 2003, p. 77.
  40. ^ Nagy 2015, p. 88.
  41. ^ Mann 2003, p. 77; Nagy 2015, p. 94.
  42. ^ Suddath, Claire (January 27, 2012). "Nada Surf: Life After the One-Hit Wonder". Time. Retrieved September 12, 2017.

Bibliography

External links

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