You know the song. Whip It is an American classic. A quirky, unique classic. From the second those drums kick, and that famous riff kicks in, you start bobbing your head. And, you also begin to visualize the equally famous (or, depending on your perspective, infamous) music video that accompanied the single. Then, you sing those crazy but catchy lyrics. Lyrics whose meanings have been debated about for decades. No matter. Once Whip It has you in its 2 minute and 46 second vortex…you can’t escape.
You may know the group, Devo. You may not know that they hail from Ohio. Kent State University, actually, is where the group formed. In 1973, two sets of brothers, the Casales, and the Mothersbaughs, comprised the core of the Rock band. Devo itself was revolutionary. They were one of the first bands to heavily incorporate electronics and computers into their music. They’ve been hailed as being highly influential to the 1980’s New Wave and synth-pop movements. In a larger view, they were one of the first widely popular alternative Rock acts.
Devo’s Whip It single came from the 1980 Freedom of Choice album. After a long climb (the song struggled for radio airplay in its initial release), the song eventually reached the number 14 position on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. The music video for the song was also really popular. It was among the first videos to get regular airplay on cable channels, including the most important of these stations, MTV. The vid was also a controversial one. It had sexual imagery featured prominently in it, which caused more than a few people (including actress Lily Tomlin) to take issue with it.
In the years to come, both the Whip It song and music video became classics. And they both were created by Devo, a forward thinking, innovative collective. One that hails from Ohio, who’s produced more than a few really special people in its time.
Miami Valley Music Focus explores the places and people behind the music of Southwest, Ohio. This series is made possible by support from Ohio Arts Council.
