Communication Break-Up

Song Name: Communication Break-Up  [cover song]

Artist:  Devo

Released In:  Meet Wally Sparks

Released On:  Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology

Run Time:  2:43

Inspired By:  Communication Breakdown  by Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham

Writing Credits:    Leslie Greif, Mark Mothersbaugh

Vocals By:  Mark (lead),   others (additional)

Trivia / Info:

⸰ Produced by DEVO.

⸰ Personnel:

Mark – (vox, keys)

David Kendrick – (bongos)

⸰ Additional Personnel:

Paul Morin – (upright double bass)

Larry Klimas – (sax)

Ralf-Rickert – (trumpet)

Lyrics:

[Boppin' su-fem' blabbin' gabbin'     Everybody's talkin’]

[Big bongo baby yellin’, “Mo!”     Who cares what they are sayin’?]

[There’s so dingy-dong mucho information    that nobody's listenin’]

[Ear flaps block a simulation to     a word anyone's sayin’]

[Communication breakup..     Yeah, that's makin' me crazy]

[Needleshop whizkids yell,     “Stop all the commotion!”]

[Too bad, black labradors     fill the room with emotion]

[Like a black velvet painting     of two lovers' passion]

[Let it get hectic, and    feel the electric]

[Ugh, communication breakup..     I'm losin' my mind]

Like a meatball from Venus,     Gotta think with your heart

Like a tuber from Ohio,     Gotta feel with your mind

Crafty lawyers wore sucker-pads,     See what there is

Grab a solid pack-ed periscope,     You'll never be blind

[Boppin' su-fem' blabbin' gabbin'     Everybody's talkin’]

[Big bongo baby yellin', “Mo mo!”     Who cares what they're sayin?]

[There’s so dingy-dong mucho information    Nobody cares]

[Ear flaps block a simulation to     a word anyone's sayin’, ugh..]

[Communication breakup..     Oh, my wig's slippin' off]

(Do-buh-de-dee – dah)

Like a meatball from Venus,     Gotta think with your heart

Like a spudboy from Akron,     Gotta feel with your mind

Crafty ‘countants forked sucker-pad,     See what there is

Grab a solid plastic periscope,     You'll never be blind

Like a mego-macho-mongo,     Gotta think with your heart

Like a dribblin' wally,     Gotta feel with your mind

Like a movie-monster-mommy,     Hear with your eyes

Ride the her-bee,     One in the why

Then  You'll  Be  In  Time

[Communicado..    ..breakup..     ..yeah]

Additional Info:

Communication Breakdown lyrics - at Genius.com

Not perfomed live by DEVO.

Both “Thanks To You” and “Communication Break-Up” are recorded in April, 1996, and mixed in May, 1996, maybe.

The beat style jargon includes non-intuitive word choices, and some of Mark’s vocals are indistinct. Mark may intend the audience to add multiple interpretations to the resulting mondogreens.

“Boppin’” - moving to the beat, dancing.

“Blabbin’, Gabbin’” - flappin’ yer gums.

“Su-fem'” - Sue-femme, the female in Soo Bawlz, maybe, or this may have another meaning.

“Big bongo baby” - On this track, David plays these hand drums.

“Ear flaps block a simulation to a word anyone's sayin’” - The Energy Dome was partly inspired by a “cancellator” helmet found in Bob Mothersbaugh’s comic book collection. Mark said the red helmet had earflaps. Jerry said it “blocked out babble from the outside world” (A theme Jerry sang about on “No Noise.”)

“Needleshop whizkids” - tattoo parlor artists.

“A black velvet painting of two lovers' passion” - kitsch painting on black velvet was a boom industry in the 1970s [1] and the painting described in the lyrics may be suitable for the bedroom wall.

(A black velvet painting is featured on both sides of the "Peek-A-Boo!" single picture sleeve.)

“Electric” - strong emotion.

“Her-bee” - a “queen bee”, maybe.

“One in the why” - as in the phrase - 1 in the “X”, 1 in the “Y”.

Or maybe “Ride the Herbie” (the love bug), “one in the wide.”

References:

Links:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119644

https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/meet-wally-sparks

https://musicbrainz.org/recording/4ad42d54-80b0-43e6-9b48-07e8dcbadb05

https://www.discogs.com/release/403139-Devo-Pioneers-Who-Got-Scalped-The-Anthology

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