Song Name: Come Back Jonee
Artist: DEVO
Appears On: Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!, DEV-O Live (Re-release only), E-Z Listening Disc, Greatest Hits, DEVO Live: The Mongoloid Years, DEVO Live: 1980, Live at Max's Kansas City - November 15, 1977
Year: 1977
Year Released: 1978
Years Performed: [1] [2] 1977-1980, 1982, 1989, 1996 (Irvine Meadows, Irvine, CA show only), 2002 (Civic Center Plaza, San Francisco, CA show only), 2003, 2004 (Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland, OR show only)[3], 2005, 2009 (Q/A shows only), 2012 (with Debbie Harry, The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL, show only) [4]
Run Time: 3:46 (album version)
Writing Credits: Gerald V. Casale/Mark Mothersbaugh
Sung By: Mark Mothersbaugh (lead), Gerald Casale, Bob Mothersbaugh, Bob Casale (backing vocals)
Shorter Version: Single Edit Version
Alternate Versions: E-Z Listening Version
Demo Versions: None known
Song Connections: DEVO Has Feelings Too (JFK reference)
Trivia / Info:[edit | edit source]
- The song is about John F. Kennedy, using the metaphor of a dead rock musician
- Some music critics believed this song to be a cover of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" because of the lyric "jonee be good, treat her like you should" and the guitar licks played by Bob1
- The name "Jonee" is pronounced "Johnny" and spelled "Johnnie" in a collage printed in the "Pioneers Who Got Scalped" CD booklet. [5]
- The single edit / video version omits the lyrics "now she calls his name, jonee you're to blame — come back jonee!" The album version lyrics are printed on the back of the single sleeve [6]
- J.F.K.'s 1963 assassination is referenced in the lyrics to "Devo Has Feelings Too"
- The Rope Song's lyrics also include a guitar
- Several seconds of "Come Back Jonee" (live 1978-11-10) are on the Flimsy Wrap flexi-disc
- Debbie Harry sang it while appearing on SNL
- In a 2002 performance sponsored by Nissan, Mark changed the (by then) anachronistic lyric from "jumped in his Datsun" to "jumped in his Nissan". [7] )
Onstage Behavior:
- Very chaotic when performed live, and often features a large interaction with the audience
Lyrics: Transcription of album version lyrics. Unclear lyrics italicized.
- well, come back jonee
- gotta come back now, jonee
- well, come back, jonee
- jonee be good
- treat her like you should
- you made her cry
- jonee, you're bad
- you're gonna make her sad
- jonee went to the pawnshop
- bought himself a guitar
- now he's gonna go far
- you gotta love 'em and leave 'em
- sometimes you deceive 'em
- you made her cry
- jonee, you're bad
- you're gonna make her sad
- eyes full of teardrops
- jonee jumped in his Datsun
- drove out on the expressway
- went head-on into a semi
- his guitar's all that's left now
- he made her cry
- now she calls his name
- jonee you're to blame
- come back jonee!
- well come back jonee
- you gotta come back now, jonee, jonee, jonee
- well come back jonee
- oh, jonee be good
- treat her like you should
- you made her cry
- jonee you're bad
- you're gonna make her sad
- come back jonee!
- well, come back jonee (jonee, jonee)
- jonee, jonee, jonee
- (jonee, jonee)
- you gotta come back now, jonee (jonee, jonee)
- well, jonee be good (jonee, jonee)
- treat her like you should (jonee, jonee)
- you made her cry (jonee jonee)
- well, jonee you're bad (jonee jonee)
- you're gonna make her sad (jonee jonee)
- Onwards!
- (jonee jonee)
- (jonee jonee)
- (jonee jonee)
- (jonee jonee)
- (jonee jonee)
- (jonee jonee)
Video:[edit | edit source]
- Spazz Attack appears in the audience, though he is not featured as he was in Satisfaction or Peek-A-Boo!
Live Video:
- "Come Back Jonee" appears on DEVO Live 1980, Live In The Land Of The Rising Sun
References:
- ↑ DEVO Live Guide. Website keyword search for "come back jonee".
- ↑ setlist.fm. Sep. 26 2012 DEVO Setlist. CBJ also performed 9/26/2012.
- ↑ Youtube. DEVO - Come Back Jonee - Nike Run Hit Wonder. uploaded by trentj.
- ↑ Youtube. Devo with Blondie Singing "Come Back Jonee." uploaded by Brian Ronningen.
- ↑ Skate and Annoy (2002). "Pioneers Who Got Scalped" compilation review by Kilwag (editor). image: JFK head/damaged football collage.
- ↑ Discogs image. "Come Back Jonee - Virgin single - back sleeve"
- ↑ Wikipedia. "Datsun in the American market". The Nissan Motor Company originally sold all their cars under the acquired "Datsun" brand name.
Further Reading:
- Blog: 2 or 3 lines (and so much more) Friday, August 24, 2012 Devo -- "Come Back Jonee" (1978)
External Links:
- "Come Back Jonee" (master list) - Discogs
- "Come Back Jonee" (tracks) - 45cat
- "Come Back Jonee" (single) - MusicBrainz
- "Come Back Jonee" (overview) - AllMusic
