‘Whip It’ is a song by American new wave band Devo from their third studio album Freedom of Choice (1980). It is a new wave and synth-pop song that features a synthesizer, electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums in its instrumentation. The apparently nonsensical lyrics have a common theme revolving around the ability to deal with one's problems by "whipping it". Co-written by bassist Gerald Casale and lead vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh, Devo recorded ‘Whip It’ with producer Robert Margouleff at the Record Plant in Los Angeles.
‘Whip It’ was written between August and October 1979 by bassist Jerry Casale and lead vocalist and keyboardist Mark Mothersbaugh. The lyrics of ‘Whip It’ are disjointed and nonsensical. For example, its central theme revolves around the ability to solve one's problems by "whipping it"; other lines include motivational statements like "go forward, move ahead" and "it's not too late". Casale wrote the lyrics, which were intended to satirize American optimism.
Although ‘Whip It’ was released as the second single from Freedom of Choice, Warner Bros. Records did not expect it to be a hit, due to its nonstandard tempo and strange lyrics. The disc jockey (DJ) Kal Rudman took an interest in the song and it was soon being played on several radio stations in the Southeastern United States. Peaking at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, ‘Whip It’ became a hit single and found chart success in several countries. Mothersbaugh believes the song sold well because some people assumed the lyrics were about masturbation or sadomasochism.
‘Whip It’ debuted at number eighty-five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on August 30, 1980. It spent twenty-five weeks on the chart, peaked at number fourteen on November 15, 1980, and finished the year at number ninety-four on the Billboard Year-End singles chart for 1981. In the U.S., the song also reached number thirteen on the Cash Box Top 100, number eight on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, and number seventeen on the Record World Singles chart. ‘Whip It’ found international success, peaking at number seventy-seven in Australian, number eleven in Canada, number eleven in New Zealand, and number fifty-one on the UK Singles Chart.
An accompanying music video depicts these sexual themes; it features Mothersbaugh whipping clothing from a woman on a dude ranch. Despite some claims of misogynistic undertones, the video became popular on the fledgling television channel MTV. Although ‘Whip It’ was not about masturbation or sadomasochism as some listeners believed, Devo used these sexual themes for an accompanying music video. The video is set on a dude ranch where cowboys and cowgirls are watching Mothersbaugh whip the clothing from a cigarette-smoking woman. A cross-eyed woman and a middle-aged woman making whipped cream watch from a ranch house while the other members of Devo perform the song in a cattle pen. The band members are wearing sleeveless black turtlenecks and red flowerpot-shaped hats called energy domes.
Label – Warner Bros.
Songwriters – Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale
Producers – Devo, Robert Margouleff
SONG LYRICS
[Verse: Mark Mothersbaugh & Gerald Casale]Crack that whip
Give the past a slip
Step on a crack
Break your momma's back
[Chorus: Gerald Casale & Mark Mothersbaugh]
When a problem comes along, you must whip it
Before the cream sets out too long, you must whip it
When something's going wrong, you must whip it
[Post-Chorus: Mark Mothersbaugh]
Now whip it into shape
Shape it up, get straight
Go forward, move ahead
Try to detect it, it's not too late
To whip it, whip it good
[Chorus: Gerald Casale & Mark Mothersbaugh]
When a good time turns around, you must whip it
You will never live it down unless you whip it
No one gets away until they whip it
[Bridge: Mark Mothersbaugh]
I say whip it, whip it good
I say whip it, whip it good
[Verse: Mark Mothersbaugh & Gerald Casale]
Crack that whip
Give the past a slip
Step on a crack
Break your momma's back
[Chorus: Gerald Casale & Mark Mothersbaugh]
When a problem comes along, you must whip it
Before the cream sets out too long, you must whip it
When something's going wrong, you must whip it
[Post-Chorus: Mark Mothersbaugh]
Now whip it into shape
Shape it up, get straight
Go forward, move ahead
Try to detect it, it's not too late
To whip it into shape
Shape it up, get straight
Go forward, move ahead
Try to detect it, it's not too late
To whip it, well, whip it good