Devo, Whip It | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the fourth edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we highlight “Whip It,” the 1980 hit by the New Wave band, Devo.

[otw_shortcode_dropcap label=”I” size=”large” border_color_class=”otw-no-border-color” shadow=”shadow” square=”square”]t only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the fourth edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we dive into “Whip It”, the one-hit wonder by Devo.[/otw_shortcode_dropcap]

[nx_pullquote]“Crack that whip, give the past a slip / Step on a crack, break your momma’s back.”[/nx_pullquote] Those are alluring, striking lyrics, Gerald Casale (b. 1948) and Mark Mothersbaugh (b. 1950). Fun fact for my millennials: Mark Mothersbaugh is responsible for the “Rugrats Official Theme Song”, in all of its glory! Casale and Mothersbaugh are members of the Grammy-nominated, New Wave band, Devo.  Devo also featured their brothers, Bob Casale (1952 – 2014), Bob Mothersbaugh (b. 1952), and Alan Myers (1954 – 2013). The one song that Devo is renowned for is “Whip It”.  C’mon and say it with me: “WHIP IT, WHIP IT GOOD!” “Whip It” is the third track from the New Wave band’s 1980 album, Freedom of Choice. “Whip It” is one of three songs that the band charted on the pop charts.  It is the only song that reached the top 40, peaking at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. One-hit wonder! Although Devo earned two career Grammy nominations, neither was for their ace-in-the-hole.  ‘Tis a shame!

“Whip It” is a fun cut from the jump.  Early on, the power of the keyword, whip, is felt.  The things that Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale inform us must be whipped include “problems,” “cream,” and “When something’s going wrong.” That feels redundant, Devo! What other things must be whipped? “When a good time turns around.” Yes, Lord! The chorus is the crème de la crème, filled with whip! “Now whip it into shape, shape it up, get straight / Go forward, move ahead, try to detect it, it’s not too late,” Gerald and Mark sing, concluding “… it’s not too late / To whip it, whip it good.” Beyond the infectious lyrics and the personality-filled, playful shared vocals, the musical accompaniment and melodies are on point.  Both are memorable and tuneful – the riffs are everything! The drum groove makes you want to dance, even if you have no iota of rhythm.  Truly, Alan Myers whips on those drums, which hit you right in the chest!  That groove grooves hard!  The guitars have some punch, the bass provides an anchor on the low end, while the keyboards add some spice. The minimalist, repeated musical lines are genius. “Whip It” is nothing short of a ball of fun. Pushing five decades later, this quintessential ‘80s joint never grows stale.  Sigh, they just don’t make ‘em like “Whip It” anymore, do they?