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.
Uncontrollable Urge
Devo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control now
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
That's right!
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
I got an uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
An uncontrollable urge make me scream and shout and I say yeah
He's says yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
He says yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah
Yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
Yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
The song "Uncontrollable Urge" by Devo is a fast-paced, high-energy track about a feeling of an unstoppable desire that's taking over the singer's body and soul. The lyrics are repetitive and intense, emphasizing the urgency of this feeling, which the singer characterizes as an "urge" that's both exhilarating and terrifying.
The song starts with the singer expressing that he has an urge that's out of control, and he wants to purge it because he's losing control. He repeats this line later in the song, emphasizing the feeling of being consumed by this urge. The chorus states that he has an uncontrollable urge, and he wants to tell us about it, to scream and shout it, to make sure we understand how powerful this feeling is. The line "it's got style, it's got class, so strong I can't let it pass" highlights the seductive nature of the urge that the singer is struggling with.
Overall, the song is about the intense, almost primal force that can take over a person at times, leaving them feeling both excited and scared. It speaks to the human experience of being overwhelmed by emotions and desires that seem to come out of nowhere and take on a life of their own.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
The singer is expressing excitement and enthusiasm.
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control
The singer has a strong and compelling desire that they feel they cannot resist.
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
The desire is so strong that it is taking over the singer's actions and they want to get rid of it.
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
The singer wants to share their experience and how impactful and unstoppable their desire is.
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
The desire is so powerful that it causes the singer to yell and express themselves outwardly.
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable urge
The singer repeats the phrase to stress the intensity of their desire.
It's got style, it's got class
The singer is expressing how impressive their urge is.
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
The singer is emphasizing that their desire is so compelling that they cannot resist talking about it.
I gotta scream and shout it
The singer emphasizes how insistent and overpowering their desire is.
I got an uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
The singer repeats the idea of having an uncontrollable urge and wanting to share it with others.
An uncontrollable urge make me scream and shout and I say yeah
The singer emphasizes how the urge causes them to loudly and excitedly express themselves.
He's says yeah!
The singer expresses how intense and exciting their desire is and how it brings them happiness.
And I say yeah-yeah
The singer repeats the phrase to show emphasis and agreement with the previous line.
Yeah-yeah!
The singer repeats the phrase to show excitement and enthusiasm.
And I say yeah
The singer emphasizes their agreement and enthusiasm.
Yeah!
The singer shows excitement and enthusiasm to express how compelling their desire is.
Yeah-yeah!
The singer repeats the phrase to show emphasis and agreement with the previous lines.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mark Allen Mothersbaugh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
high point himalaya
Lyrics Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control now
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
That's right!
I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
I got an uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
An uncontrollable urge make me scream and shout and I say yeah
He's says yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
He says yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah
Yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
Yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Midori Vid
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control now
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
That's right!
I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
I got an uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
An uncontrollable urge make me scream and shout and I say yeah
He's says yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
He says yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah
Yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
Yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Courtney Morse
Google Lyrics:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Got an urge, got a surge and it's outta control now
Got an urge I want to purge 'cause I'm losing control
Uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
Got an uncontrollable urge, it makes me scream and shout it
That's right!
I've got an uncontrollable urge
(He's got an uncontrollable urge) I've got an uncontrollable
It's got style, it's got class
So strong, I can't let it pass I gotta tell you all about it
I gotta scream and shout it
I got an uncontrollable urge I want to tell you all about it
An uncontrollable urge make me scream and shout and I say yeah
He's says yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
He says yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah
Yeah!
And I say yeah-yeah
Yeah-yeah!
And I say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!
stonesfan413
Devo needs to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, no other band sounded like them but they influenced many
Malcolm X Box
Definitely. The B 52’s should be in as well.
WootTootZoot
The RR HoF is a joke. Have you ever been there? Probably not, in fact, the building is usually empty because no one goes there. It's amazing they can even keep the lights on in that stupid building.
driver4011
Devo are better than most of the mainstream bands in the rrhof. They're are an alternative surf punk band that thought n played "out of the box" n were the best at what they did. Their videos were so good n so far ahead of the others on M TV way back when.
blobvision
That they are unique makes them so special
blobvision
Experimenting with music is what creates new genres of music. Music evolution. But DEVO de evolved lol
Conway McLean
Devo combined politics, humor, catchy melodies, and technology, in a way that few, if any, bands have ever, or will ever, do.
Peris Brodsky
And spiffy clothing.
Faa Alber
Peris Brodsky and being rad
Duality Of Man
And you combined the most commas in a sentence on YouTube ever.