Right from the beginning, DEVO cultivated their own experimental and satirical electronic waves of sound with their 1977 debut single, “Mongoloid,” and B-side “Jocko Homo” in 1977 and the band’s1978 Brian Eno-produced debut Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
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Initially formed by art students Bob Lewis, Gerald Casale, and Mark Mothersbaugh, in the wake of the 1970 Kent State shootings at their school, the band took its name from the concept of “De-evolution” and was rounded out by Brothers, Bob Mothersbaugh and Bob Casale (1952-2014).
The band’s third album, Freedom of Choice, produced their mega-hit “Whip It,” and the band continued releasing albums through their 1988 release, Total Devo, and Smooth Noodle Maps in 1990, before taking a 20-year hiatus in the 1990s and ’00s.
[RELATED: Devo Documentary in Production with Director Chris Smith]
Outside of DEVO, Casale was directing videos for everyone from Rush and The Cars to Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, and more, while Mothersbaugh veered into composing for television, video games, and film, including scoring several Wes Anderson films—Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
Mothersbaugh’s work in television all started with the late Paul Reubens (Pee-wee’s Playhouse) and expanded into composing the first score for the animated series Rugrats, along with music for a collection of other shows, including Clifford the Red Dog, House of Lies, The Carrie Diaries, and mostly recently for the Apple+ series Hello Tomorrow!
In film, Mothersbaugh first worked on the 1987 teen comedy Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise and dozens more films, including Happy Gilmore, 200 Cigarettes, Rugrats movies, Pitch Perfect 2, The Lego Movie, the recent comedy hit Cocaine Bear, and many more.
The songs Casale and Mothersbaugh wrote for DEVO have been covered by Robert Palmer (“Girl U Want”), Nirvana (“Turn Around”), Sepultura (“Mongoloid”), and Toni Basil—who covered three of the band’s songs on her 1981 debut, Word of Mouth—among many others throughout the decades.
DEVO regrouped for reunions throughout the years and released a ninth album, Something for Everybody, in 2010. Along with a forthcoming Devo documentary, directed by Chris Smith, the band is continuing their Celebrating 50 Years of De-Evolution Farewell Tour, and plans on retiring from touring after one final show, or not.
“I’m looking forward to 2073,” joked Mothersbaugh. “We’ll play 100th anniversary DEVO shows and then maybe retire.”
[RELATED: Behind the Band Name DEVO]
Mothersbaugh’s catalog also includes four solo albums—Muzik for Insomniaks (1985), Muzik for the Gallery (1987), Joyeux Mutato (1999), and The Most Powerful Healing Muzik in the Entire World (2005).
Though Mothersbaugh work outside of DEVO is volumes long, here’s a look at three songs he wrote for other artists from the late ’70s through the 2020s.
1. “Rhythmic Itch,” Hugh Cornwell and Robert Wiliams (1979)
Written by Mark Mothersbaugh, Hugh Cornwell, Robert Wiliams
When The Stranglers’ High Cornwell and Robert Williams, drummer in Captain Beefheart’s Magic Band, released their 1979 collaborative album Nosferatu—inspired by the 1922 F. W. Murnau silent film of the same name—all of the tracks were written by the two musicians with the exception of two.
“White Room” was written by Cream lyricist the late Pete Brown, and “Rhythmic Itch” was penned by Cornwell, Williams, and Mothersbaugh. The latter track also features Mark and his brother and DEVO bandmate Bob Mothersbaugh.
Some say it was the style of the way he wore his clothes
Some say it was the action of a man who surely knows
But the bottom line is always on a path where no one goes
So jump and shout yank it about
The feeling gets so strong the way you grab at me that way
The texture of the fabric rubs me raw with each day
Now they closed down all the exits
2. Pee-wee’s Playhouse Theme Song, Cyndi Lauper (1986-1990)
Written by Mark Mothersbaugh
Most are aware that Mothersbaugh composed the theme song for the 1980s children’s TV series Pee-wee’s Playhouse, but the chosen vocalist may not have been so identifiable at first.
Mothersbaugh was there when Paul Reubens created the character of Pee-wee Herman. At the time, Mothersbaugh was dating original Saturday Night Live cast member Laraine Newman, who founded the improv comedy team The Groundlings. There, Mothersbaugh witnessed Reubens and future SNL-er Phil Hartman create the character for a new sketch.
“The character came from a [1950s] show that we both watched when we were kids—’Pinky Lee,'” said Mothersbaugh. “Paul wore something similar to what Pinky wore. There were three channels on TV in those days; there wasn’t much choice. You had ‘Captain Kangaroo,’ and then later in the day, you had ‘Pinky Lee.'”
[RELATED: Pee-wee Herman’s Favorite Songs]
When the show was picked up by CBS it needed a theme song, and Mothersbaugh rose to the challenge. The carnivalesque song also needed a singer, and Cyndi Lauper sang the song in more of a Betty Boop voice to conceal her identity.
Mothersbaugh said that writing the theme song to Pee-wee’s Playhouse completely shifted the trajectory of his career.
“I’d never done a TV show before,” said Mothersbaugh. “That took me into the world of film and television and video games. It totally changed the trajectory of my career.”
Globey’s spinnin’, Mr. Window’s grinnin’
‘Cause Pterri’s flyin’ by (Hello!)
The Flowers are singin’, the Picture Phone is ringin’
And the Dinosaur family goes, “Hi!”
Mr. Kite’s soarin’, Conky’s still a snorin’
There’s the flashing Magic Screen
The Cowntess is so classy, Randy’s kinda sassy
A nuttier establishment you’ve never seen!
Spend the day with Pee-wee and you’ll see what we mean!
Come on!
Get outta bed, there’ll be no more nappin’ (Wake up!)
‘Cause you’ve landed in a place where anything can happen
Now we’ve given you fair warnin’
It’s gonna be that kind of mornin’
For bein’ wacky!
For getting nutty!
Golly, it’s cuckoo!
At Pee-wee’s Playhouse!
3. “I Choose,” Alessia Cara (2022)
Written by Mark Mothersbuagh, Alessia Cara, Brayden Deskins, Colton Fisher, Diana Studenberg, Jason Rabinowitz, Jon Levine, Jordyn Kane, Kris Pearn
The opening track of Canadian singer and songwriter Alessia Cara’s 2022 compilation album, Broken Heart, Mothersbaugh helped co-write “I Choose.” The song was previously featured in the 2020 Netflix animated movie The Willoughbys, which also marked Cara’s voice-acting debut.
Cara has won four Grammy awards, including Best New Artist in 2018. Her second album, The Pains of Growing, earned her three Juno Awards for Album of the Year and Pop Album of the Year and a third for Songwriter of the Year. In 2021, Cara released her third album, In the Meantime.
All of my life
I thought I was right
Looking for something new
Stuck in my ways
Like old-fashioned days
But all the roads led me to you
The house that you live in don’t make it a home
But feeling lonely don’t mean you’re alone
People in life, they will come and they’ll leave
But if I had a choice I know where I would be
Through the lows and the highs, I will stay by your side
There’s no need for goodbyes, now I’m seeing the light
When the sky turns to grey and there’s nothing to say
At the end of the day, I choose you
Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images
