Going Under - Devo

When I was coming of age in the early 80s out in the suburban hinterlands, Devo and other new wave bands were admired by many of us nerds. At the time I hadn't been aware of Devo's role in the late 70s innovating in the punk idiom. In retrospect (I know a little more about punk these days than I did then), you can hear basic punk in a lot of their songs. "Going Under" (1981; from the album New Traditionalists) is probably my favorite Devo song. It takes a pretty simple, rhythmic sequence, sort of a rooted monotone rockabilly composition, and layers it with vocals and synth, building energy throughout the song. The synthesizers are pretty vital for the sound. But the punk resides in the energy and sense of abandon you can hear in the vocals and lyrics.

(this is just audio; the video is apparently only available via purchase)



Interestingly, this song was also used in the first season of Miami Vice: