Whip It

"Whip It" was released in 1980 by the Synthpop band Devo. It appears on the album Freedom of Choice. There were two 7" single releases of "Whip It", one backed with a remix of the track "Snowball" (which appears on "Freedom of Choice") and one backed with "Turn Around". "Whip It" was Devo's biggest hit, and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at #3 in Canada in 1980. The lyrics were written by Jerry Casale as an imitation of Thomas Pynchon's parodies in his book Gravity's Rainbow

Crack that whip Give the past a slip Step on a crack Break your momma's back 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 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 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 I say whip it Whip it good I say whip it Whip it good Crack that whip Give the past a slip Step on a crack Break your momma's back 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 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