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.
Social Fools
Devo Lyrics
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You will be society's fools
You'll obey and then disobey
You'll disobey but then you'll obey
You thought your mom and dad were fools
You never wanted to listen in school
Now your mind won't go where you want to take it
You got a ride but you're not gonna make it
You'll never catch up!
Dad. pass the catsup!
Clean that mess up! listen up!
If you obey society's fools
You'll be society's tools
And you'll obey and then disobey
You'll disobey but then you'll obey
You thought your mom and dad were queer
You always wanted egg in your beer
Now your dog won't go
When you try to make it
He's got a bone but he's not gonna shake it
If you take society's tools
You will make society's rules
Which you'll obey and then disobey
You'll disobey but then you'll obey
That's all for now
That's all we know
This is the end
Devo's song "Social Fools" is a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the dangers of blindly following societal norms and expectations. The opening lines, "If you obey society's rules, you will be society's fools" set the tone for the rest of the song: following the "rules" will ultimately lead to being a tool of the larger system. The lyrics then go on to describe the cyclical nature of rebellion and compliance - those who rebel will eventually conform, and those who conform will eventually rebel.
The middle stanza of the song touches on the concept of generational conflict, with lines like "You thought your mom and dad were fools" and "You always wanted egg in your beer." These irreverent references to traditional authority figures highlight the disconnect between older and younger generations, as each struggles to make sense of the other's values and behaviors. The song's final stanza, "If you take society's tools, You will make society's rules," brings the message full-circle: by complying with society's expectations, one becomes complicit in its oppressive structures.
Line by Line Meaning
If you obey society's rules
If you follow the norms of society
You will be society's fools
You will become a victim of society's foolery
You'll obey and then disobey
You'll follow and then rebel
You'll disobey but then you'll obey
You'll go against the system and then it will be followed later on
You thought your mom and dad were fools
You believed your parents weren't wise
You never wanted to listen in school
You rebelled and didn't want to study properly in school
Now your mind won't go where you want to take it
You are unable to direct your thoughts in the direction you desire
You got a ride but you're not gonna make it
You got the opportunity, but you won't succeed
You'll never catch up!
You'll never become as successful as others
Dad. pass the catsup!
Pass the ketchup to me, dad!
Clean that mess up! listen up!
Clean up the mess you have created and listen to what society has to offer
If you obey society's fools
If you choose to follow the stupidity of society
You'll be society's tools
You become the means to meet society's ends
And you'll obey and then disobey
You will humble yourself and then pull back
You'll disobey but then you'll obey
At first, you will disobey, then follow it later again
You thought your mom and dad were queer
You thought of your parents as being strange or odd.
You always wanted egg in your beer
You always dreamt big but ended up doing nothing
Now your dog won't go
Even your dog won't follow you now
When you try to make it
When you attempt and try to succeed
He's got a bone but he's not gonna shake it
He has something extraordinary but he will not utilise it
If you take society's tools
If you make use of society's method
You will make society's rules
You will be creating the rules and regulations
Which you'll obey and then disobey
The regulations formed by you will also be followed and then disapproved later on
You'll disobey but then you'll obey
You will go against the guidelines then it will be followed later on
That's all for now
That's everything that is there to say for now.
That's all we know
That's everything we can comprehend for now.
This is the end
This is where everything comes to a conclusion
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GERALD CASALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind