I thought they were about the devolution of music from this & Joko Homo etc. back to disco. Not until much later I realised their ethos was the devolution of society. And they were (are) spot on.
It's certainly in the top 5 BUT Lemmy from motorhead doing Louie Louie, Todd Rundgren while my guitar gently weeps, Guns and Roses Covering ain't it fun by the dead boys, MACC Doing land of the new rising sun By Jimi Hendrix
Wow! This really takes me back. I can still remember being a young Black kid with Devo albums and playing along with my guitar and bass as happy as can be. Then being told I was weird for even listening to them and was laughed at. SMH. To this day I don't understand how some people can think that way. Music is music. Race be damned. Devo were brilliant.
I'm not sure how being witness to the massacre of unarmed students of Kent State University launches absurdist post punk bizarro mayhem music... but I guess ultimately I'm glad it did. LOL!
Devo apparently were pioneers of the music video. You will notice that there's more here than just them playing their instruments. This was three years before MTV.
Great observation. Bogie Boy, General Boy and the Captain are all here. Hey, if they are gonna make you watch CRT videos they should balance that out with "De evolution." Lets Go Brandon!
Devo's version was excellent! It was even one of Mick Jagger's favorite cover versions! At that time, they were so weird that they almost didn't get their musical guest spot on Saturday Night Live. But their producer pulled strings, & they got the SNL gig. Their SNL performance, which included Satisfaction, was a big hit.
Devo was loved by so many influential people....David Bowie was originally supposed to produce their first album because he and Iggy Pop got them their contract with Warner Brothers, but he had other commitments so he got Brian Eno to do it...amazing, underrated band
More Info: Releasing the cover on an album, however, wasn't guaranteed. As the New Yorker explained, Devo had made such a weird, bizarre, warped version of "Satisfaction," the label wouldn't release it without Mick Jagger's permission. And considering how out-there it was, that was no slam-dunk. So when Jagger, his manager, and members of Devo gathered in a Manhattan office, the band members were truly nervous about how Jagger - one of their rock idols - would take the song. After about 30 seconds of silently listening, he delivered his verdict: by dancing around and exclaiming "I like it, I like it." Even if Devo had no satisfaction, at least Mick Jagger got plenty of it from them.
@@ronj9448 *"Devo had made such a weird, bizarre, warped version of "Satisfaction," the label wouldn't release it without Mick Jagger's permission"* What are you talking about? _NO_ band can release an album with a cover unless they have permission from the owner(s) of the song being covered. You can cover a song in a live performance, but you can _not_ release an album with a cover without permission/payment. At any rate, the opposite of what you claim is true: The more _unlike_ an original song a cover is, the more likely it would be able to escape legal ramifications... not there would much chance at all. Sure enough, I looked up the _New Yorker_ source and there's no explanation there, either. Just dishonesty. I suggest you take what you read --- especially from dishonest people --- with a grain of salt.
@@bricaaron3978 You're wrong. Compulsory licensing prohibits the owners of a song from stopping you from releasing a cover song provided you inform them and work out the royalty. The reason people seek permission is because they don't want the writer of the song taking the lion's share of the royalties. Which they can do if it is not worked out in advance. Some bands don't care and they love the song or looking for exposure. So you're wrong, and it would appear confused by the whole thing. Sad.
@@ronj9448 *"You're wrong. Compulsory licensing prohibits the owners of a song from stopping you from releasing a cover song provided you inform them and work out the royalty."* What you refer to was only legislated two years before this occurred and it has been extremely rare that anyone has actually taken that route. In 99.9%+ of cases the covering band gets permission from the copyright owner. Further, it only applies to songs which have not had the melody altered, or been fundamentally changed, which Devo's version certainly was. What is it that you are claiming happened in this case?
@@lorenzodepacas9885, if Donna Summer and James Taylor can be in it, surely Devo can. Hell, Gene Pitney is in the damn thing, for crying out loud, and Leonard Cohen and ABBA.
See, THIS is how you cover a song. Add your own unique twist to it and make it something that can be remembered on its own merits. Too bad this version isn't well known, it's damn good stuff.
Exactly. You nailed it and said it beautifully. Make it your own. Devo certainly did just that. Way the hell ahead of their time. Happy I caught them 4 times within the past few years. They performed in the same way that they did back then. Devo kept it real.
I cant find when this was first composed but it HAD to be before 1975. I remember going to a theater in Wadsworth Ohio (roughly a "suburb" of Akron) and they rolled a promo of this song with video before the movie. I guess you could say it was the first music "video" I ever saw :-) One thing for certain though is it made a very strong impression on me as a kid.
I like this version better, frankly. It's got that amazingly weird and quirky combination of the off-kilter drum beat with the bass line, coupled with the odd and desperate lyrical style. Pure genius. Devo is hugely misunderstood as a joke band. No way. They are the real deal.
Personally, I've always found the Stones' version to be kind of boring and old-fogeyish, even when I was a kid. I prefer this one too, especially for that drum beat. It's just too bad that most people, even those who who were around when Devo was big, only remember Whip It.
I was a pure hard rocker when I went in the military in 1981. A couple new wave guys in our dorm introduced me and my rocker buddy to DEVO. At first we rejected it, then after a while we opened our minds and we were loving it. They were genius. Good times.
Ha, reminds me of my story. There were four of us that hanged all through highschool, and one of them graduated in 1978. When my mom was gone visiting my sister's we would hang and play records and Den brought over a DEVO album around '78 or '79 and none of us liked it. We hated that album with a passion. We were used to listening to KISS, Kansas, Styx, Beatles, etc. He was also the one that brought over his Cars album. We eventually began to like both groups, but it took a while for us also.
@@observantowl5568 I remember when MTV did a "live" on t.v. concert of Judas Priest, around 1982. It was so cool, watching a live performance at my buddy's house on his .t.v.
If you don't understand it...you throw rocks at....my sister played ozzy diary of a mad man....rush 2112...and Devo...Oingo Boingo....but I kept my love for Metal ...(rainbow...black Sabbath)...punk...(gg allin...antiseen..black flag)....outlaw country( Hank 3...George Jones ...Gary Stewart..f.b.brothers...)new wave ( Devo...Gary Numan..NIN...ministry....yeah I know...but you get it........patrick
Strange enough as it is, for I liked new wave and punk all that cool stuff I liked Bluegrass. I loved country and bluegrass and after I heard a bunch of new wave and Punk and goth, I realized what I was listening to was shit compared to that.
Gerald Casale: We stuck our cassette into this big boom box and pressed Play. Jagger sat in total silence staring straight ahead. We thought, "God, he hates it". But then, he jumped up out of his chair and started dancing wildly in front of the fireplace. Dancing just like Mick Jagger. I thought, "Oh shit, he loves it!" Mark and I went home totally stoked and elated.
fully deconstructed Satisfaction with a completely different groove to it and still a great musical masterpiece for the ages Respect to Devo and the Stones of course
As a serious drummer, that guy did a TON for this song, no lie. A lot of syncopated coordination going on here. I don't know his name but I'm giving props to this drummer.
0:13 Electro-Harmonix pedal duct taped to the front of a Telecaster! Mothersbaugh is a genius. Also appearing a LaBaye 2x4 guitar, Gibson Ripper Bass cut to the shape of a potato (!?), a deluxe (and un-popular model) Hagstrom guitar. DEVO was brilliant in so many ways. Great song writing, original visual statements, political reactions to everything from the killings at Kent State to mindless consumerism to the eternally simple boy-girl tango. We are all DEVO.
When they wanted to be, DEVO were the funkiest nerds to ever walk this planet. They could lock into a groove that would make James Brown weep with envy : ) This is probably my favorite 'cover' song ever. Hey, if you're gonna remake a song, then make it your own. That's precisely what they did.
The first time I ever heard of Devo was from this video that was played during an SNL episode or some other late night TV show, sometime in the late 70's. I had no idea what the hell I just witnessed, but I was beyond mesmerized. Thank you Devo for all the incredible music throughout the years. Spuds forever!
Devo’s SNL debut was Oct 14, 1978. The Stones’ debuted Oct 7. I was in 9th grade and in one week my cultural compass was a useless relic. I still love the Stones, but Devo took me more than 15 minutes into the future, and for that I am grateful. And the SNL music programmers had a wicked sense of humor to schedule these bands on back-to-back weekends. 1978. Wow.
Yep, me too. Was watching SNL. Then.... "what the hell is this shit!" But then, later it grew on me. Damn, reminiscing the good ol' days. Tearing up now.
"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell is my favorite cover in the history of my life. The original is Gloria Jones "Tainted Love": ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NSehtaY6k1U.html
Ive been a Stones fan since 64 but Ive never been a big fan of Satisfaction, but this version is fantastic . Much, much better than the original . Love it !!!
Skipped a day in high school to see DEVO at the Agora Theater in Cleveland, Ohio for the WMMS Coffee Break Concert. I still love those Spud Boys from Akron!.
Just turned 58 and love DEVO. & RUSH. I remember a guy in my HS running across school campus from police in Devo chem suit. It was holloween and he was selling something in the parking lot.
One of the best live groups ever. And I saw some of the great ones: The Clash, DKs, Gary Numan, Patti Smith, etc. Devo were just amazing. I was at their first concert in Cleveland after the first LP was released. It was at the old Agora. During the press party they looked amused at the DEVO ice carving. Among all of us in Cle they were heroes. We were SO proud of them.
Saw them in Detroit in their flower pot hat days. A lot of critics at the time, and even now, overlook the fact that they really rocked. At least Brian Eno recognised that and really brought the best out of them at the time he worked with them.
Devo have also been admired and praised by David Bowie, Dan Akroid, Frank Zappa,, John Waters, Trent Reznor, and even Weird Al, .. . so then who really gives a stuff about some loser nobody "critics"?
Going on 60 and still one of my favorites!! First time I saw them do this was in '77/'78 on Saturday Night Live!! We were all taking that trip without our luggage and will never forget!! Those were the DAYS!!
Another 58 year old, who came of age in this place called a "Skate Park" (skateboarding park with pipes, pools, etc.), where they blasted the first two DEVO albums repeatedly. Devotee ever since.
This is bad ass!! I’ll never forget my step brother and I sneaking to watch music videos like this in the 80’s!!! It was devil music so it was forbidden in our house
Thanks to Devo, I have finally achieved proper mutation! I’m no longer a dud spud, I’m a greater potater. My head now has taken on the appearance of a baked potato 🥔. My friends like my new look so much they to have begun to mutate! Go Devo go ! 🤘🎸
The greatest deconstruction (devolution?) of another band's song. Devo were so wonderfully weird in the mid to late 70s. This video is an uber cool example of that. The Punk who keeps flipping himself on his back is awesome! I wish I could do that ! (but then again I'm almost 50 so never mind 😊). A warning to all the kiddos out there: Do not stick a fork into a toaster! (Unless you're Booji Boy)
The character that is doing the flips and floor dancing is "Spaz Attack" who would show up at some big concerts and do his thing. I read that he was featured in a David Bowie vid which was the beginning of his spazing career. Bless his heart.
![DEVO "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" [Official Music Video]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
