The band released their first album in 20 years, Something for Everybody on June 15, 2010.
Their style has been variously classified as punk, industrial and rock, but are most often considered to be the 70s/early 80s New Wave band that ushered in the synth pop of the 1980s, along with other acts such as Gary Numan and The B-52s.
Devo's music and stage show mingle kitsch science fiction themes, deadpan surrealist humor, and mordantly satirical social commentary, often dealing with the concept of De-Evolution, in sometimes-discordant pop songs that often feature unusual synthetic instrumentation and time signatures.
Their work has proved hugely influential on subsequent popular music, particularly New Wave, alternative and grunge music, they created some memorable music videos popular in the early days of MTV.
The name "Devo" comes from the concept of Devolution (also referred to by the band as de-evolution). This idea was developed as a joke by Kent State University art students Gerald Casale and Bob Lewis as early as the late 1960s. Casale and Lewis created a number of art pieces in the vein of Devolution. At this time, Casale had also performed with the local band 15-60-75. They met Mark Mothersbaugh around 1970, who introduced them to the pamphlet Jocko Homo Heavenbound, which would later inspire the song Jocko Homo
The pivotal moment for the formation of Devo was the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970. Casale knew two of the murdered students, and even saw one student, Allison Krause, with exit wounds from the M1 Garand rifle. At this moment, Casale claims he changed the idea of Devolution into a serious concept.
The first form of Devo was the Sextet Devo which performed at the 1973 Kent State performing arts festival. It included Casale, Lewis and Mothersbaugh, as well as Gerald's brother Bob Casale on guitar, and friends Rod Reisman and Fred Weber on drums and vocals, respectively. This performance was filmed and a part was included on the home video The Complete Truth About De-evolution. This lineup only performed once. Devo returned to perform in the Student Governance Center (featured prominently in the film) at the 1974 Creative Arts Festival with a line-up including the Casale brothers, Bob Lewis, Mark Mothersbaugh, and Jim Mothersbaugh on drums.
Devo later formed as a quartet focusing around Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale. They recruited Mark's brothers Bob Mothersbaugh and Jim Mothersbaugh. Bob played electric guitar, and Jim provided percussion using a set of homemade electronic drums. This lineup of Devo lasted until 1976 when Jim left the band. The lineup was occasionally fluid, and Bob Lewis would sometimes play guitar during this period. In concert, Devo would often perform in the guise of theatrical characters, such as Booji Boy, and The Chinaman. Live concerts from this period were often confrontational, and would remain so until 1977. A recording of an early Devo performance from 1975 with the quartet lineup appears on DEVO Live: The Mongoloid Years, ending with the promoters unplugging Devo's equipment.
Following Jim Motherbaugh's departure, Bob Mothersbaugh found a new drummer in Alan Myers, who played a conventional, acoustic drum set with mechanical precision. Casale re-recruited his brother Bob Casale, and the popular line-up of Devo was formed. It would endure for nearly ten years.
Devo embarked on a Euro-Tour 2007 on June 16th in Barcelona. They also performed concerts in Brighton, London, Manchester and Glasgow. More information about it can be found here.
In May 2020 Devo re-opened their online store where face masks with logo designs and an infamous Energy Dome with the attacheable protective shield can be pre-ordered to help their fans protect themselves from Covid-19.
C'mon
Devo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When nothing's funny it gets easy to laugh
At the drop of the hat or a bomb
When someone's screaming it's hard to ignore
Like the shot of a gun, c'mon
Let's run to a place somewhere
Let's run till there's no way
To go on, c'mon
Can't you hear the sirens blowing
Can't you hear them call
Can't you see the lasers probing
Brighter than the sun, let's run
c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Let's run from a promise
That could never be kept
Let's run or it's sure to chase us down
Well c'mon, let's run
c'mon, let's run
C'mon, let's run
Can't you hear the sirens blowing
Can't you hear them call
Can't you see those lasers probing
Brighter than the sun, well c'mon
c'mon, c'mon, c'mon
When no one's laughing you can bet they've been paid
Not to find out what's going on
When something's funny there's a feeling you get
It's the grip of a threat, c'mon
Let's run to a place somewhere
The party never ends
Let's run till there's no way
To go on, c'mon
Let's run from a promise
That could never be kept
Let's run or it's sure to chase us down
Well c'mon, let's run
c'mon, let's run
C'mon, let's run
C'mon, well let's run
The song "C'mon" by Devo is a fast-paced, energetic song with lyrics that invite listeners to escape their problems and join in the party. The central motif of the song is running away from something, whether it be a serious threat like sirens blowing or lasers probing, or a promise that could never be kept. The chorus of "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon" is repeated throughout the song, urging listeners to join in.
The lyrics of the song suggest a sense of urgency and the need to take action. When nothing's funny, it's easy to laugh, suggesting that humor can be a coping mechanism for difficult situations. The repeated urge to run away can be seen as a desire to escape the problems of the world and seek refuge in a place where the party never ends. However, the lyrics also suggest that running away may not be a permanent solution, as the promise that could never be kept will inevitably chase the characters down.
Overall, the song captures the feeling of wanting to escape, and the struggle to find a sense of joy and freedom in a world that can be overwhelming and unpredictable.
Line by Line Meaning
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon
Encouraging the listener to join in and take action.
When nothing's funny it gets easy to laugh
In situations where humor is lacking, laughter can come easily to fill the void.
At the drop of the hat or a bomb
Humor can come unexpectedly or in times of extreme stress or danger.
When someone's screaming it's hard to ignore
It's difficult to turn a blind eye to someone in distress.
Like the shot of a gun, c'mon
The intensity of the situation demands action.
Let's run to a place somewhere
Suggesting escape or avoidance of a particular situation.
The party never ends
Escapism is an endless pursuit.
Let's run till there's no way
Run until there's nowhere else to go.
Can't you hear the sirens blowing
Urgency of escape.
Can't you hear them call
The call to action to escape the situation is urgent.
Can't you see the lasers probing
The danger is imminent and immediate.
Brighter than the sun, let's run
The danger is intense and demands immediate action.
Let's run from a promise
The empty promise of a better future drives the need for escape.
That could never be kept
The constant disappointment of unfulfilled promises.
Let's run or it's sure to chase us down
The danger is relentlessly pursuing us and escape is the only option.
When no one's laughing you can bet they've been paid
The absence of humor may be deliberate and bought off for ulterior motives.
Not to find out what's going on
Laughter can be used as a distraction from the truth.
When something's funny there's a feeling you get
Humor can evoke a sense of danger or threat.
It's the grip of a threat, c'mon
The humor is a coping mechanism for dealing with a threatening situation.
C'mon, well let's run
Final encouragement to act and escape the situation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GERALD V. CASALE, MARK ALLEN MOTHERSBAUGH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind