Song Name: Don’t Be Cruel
Artist: DEVO (cover song)
Appears On:
- "Baby Doll" : 5-song cassette single [1]
- DEVO Backs The King
- Greatest Hits (1998) [2]
Year: 1988
Run Time: 2:07
Writing Credits: Elvis Presley and Steve Sholes
Sung By: Gerald V. Casale
Trivia / Info:[]
- Recorded at DEVO Studios, Marina del Rey, CA
- Produced by DEVO
- “Don’t Be Cruel” was included on the LP, CD, and DAT release of Total DEVO, and listed – but not included – on the audio cassette.[1]
- Jerry said Elvis Presley was a formative part of his youth.
- Lisa Marie Presley said DEVO was a formative part of her youth.[2]
Lyrics:[]
You know I can be found Sitting home all alone If you can't come around At least please telephone Don't be cruel To a heart that's true Well, baby if I made you mad Something that I might have said Please, just forget the past The future looks bright ahead Don't be cruel To a heart that's true Well, I don't want no other lover Baby, it's just you I'm dreaming of Don't be cruel To a heart that's true Ah, let's go to a preacher And let us say "I do" Then you'll know you have me And I'll know I got you Don't be cruel To a heart that's true Well, I don't need no other lover Baby, it's just you I'm dreaming of Don't be cruel To a heart that's true Well, I don't want no other lover Baby, it's just you I'm dreaming of
Release Info:[]
- Jim Mothersbaugh was part of a team that developed MIDI.
- “...WNM first proposed CD+MIDI to the MMA in January ‘88...”[3]
- This track premiered at a NAMM show.
References:[]
- ↑
- Alan di Perna. “Oh, no it’s DEVO – again” : Digital Cartooning, Music & Sound Output (1988, June)
- Photography by Ann Summa
- The vinyl and CD versions of the album even include a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Don’t Be Cruel”…
- The idea of covering “Don’t Be Cruel” came from Devo’s other chief theoretician, Gerry Casale, who handles lead vocals on the song.
- “He wanted to do that song real bad,” Mothersbaugh drawls with mock dramatic emphasis. “I think Gerry’s got a little bit of Elvis in him. He took to that song real well.”
- “Although, as with most of our covers,” adds Bob Casale, “I don’t think the music originally started with the intention of covering the song. The music was written for something else.
- It was the same thing with ‘Satisfaction.’ The music starts off as one thing and somehow it reminds someone of another song.”
- ↑
- “I was into the Sex Pistols and Devo and all that stuff when I was a teenager...”
- - Lisa Marie Presley (2003)
- ↑
- Craig Anderton “CD+Graphics+MIDI : Will It Change The Industry?” MIX (1988, December)
- “The main booster behind CD+MIDI is Warner New Media, an independent company that operates with the support of Warner Communications. Headed by industry veteran Stan Cornyn, WNM is dedicated to exploring new ways to use music and video technology.
- WNM first proposed CD+MIDI to the MMA in January ‘88...”
- ↑
- ↑
- “DEVO Backs The King Midi + Graphics CD/PROMO”, CDs, Devo-Obsesso
Links:[]
- “Don’t Be Cruel” (lyrics) -- Genius Lyrics
- “Don’t Be Cruel” (cover by DEVO) (lyrics) -- Genius Lyrics
- Internal Links