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Freedom Of Choice (song)

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Song Name: Freedom of Choice

Artist:  DEVO

Appears On:  

Live in Central Park,  Live at the Observatory, Santa Ana, CA  (live versions)   
  • What We Do: Electro-DEVO Remix Cornucopia (Hoska & Osheen Last Minute Remix)   

Run Time:  3:28 (album version)   

Year Released:  1980   

Years Performed:  [1][2] 1980,  2002-present setlist.fm stats

Writing Credits:  Gerald V. Casale/Mark Mothersbaugh

Sung By:  Mark Mothersbaugh (lead), Bob Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale (backing chorus)

Alternate / Demo Version:  

Man In A Boat [1]
Freedom of Choice (early "live" version) / Freedom of Choice (Disco Version)

Song Connections:  Freedom Of Choice Theme

Trivia / Info:[]

  •   Multi-instrumentalist Alan Myers came up with this song's guitar/keyboard riff on a guitar, according to Bob1. Bob 1 learned it to jam along with Alan and later decided the riff would fit in "Freedom of Choice" when the album version of that song was being written. (The album version replaced the alternate music from the early demo version.)[3]
  • Lyric sung variably as "sank" or "swam".
  • When this was re-introduced to the setlist in 2002, it usually opened with an extended "drumbeat" intro  that included part of The Star Spangled Banner until this song's guitar riff starts.
  •   On Halloween, 2006, the band donned orange and black "hip-hop" uniforms for this song and Mark Mothersbaugh rapped the lyrics with his hands over his mouth for enhanced deepness, muffling, and plosives.[4]
  • The album recording multi-track "stems" were available for download for a limited time for a remix contest.

Onstage Behavior:[]

  • In 1980, it was usually during this song that the white protective oversuits came off to reveal the black athletic under-uniforms.
  • Performances from 1980 have Bob 2 on synthesizer, while from 2002 onward, he plays the synth part on guitar, while Mark plays the synthesizer solo.
  • Since it's return in 2002, this song almost always concluded with Jerry barking "Use it or lose it, Spuds, it's going away fast."
  • The song "Freedom of Choice" has been used for a "forum on Democracy".[5]

Lyrics:[]

A victim of collision on the open sea
Nobody ever said that life was free
Sank, swam, go down with the ship
But use your freedom of choice
I'll say it again in the land of the free
Use your freedom of choice
Your freedom of choice
In ancient Rome there was a poem
About a dog who found two bones
He picked at one, he licked the other
He went in circles, till he dropped dead
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom of choice
Then if you got it you don't want it
Seems to be the rule of thumb
Don't be tricked by what you see
You got two ways to go
I'll say it again in the land of the free
Use your freedom of choice
Freedom of choice
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom of choice
In ancient Rome there was a poem
About a dog who found two bones
He picked at one, he licked the other
He went in circles, he dropped dead
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want


Video:[]

Short Band Video / Music Video

Appears on:   We're All Devo,   The Complete Truth About De-Evolution
  • Over a half-dozen of the top skateboarders of that time appear in this video.[6][7][8][9]
  • As in "The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprize", and "What We Do", a DEVO member wears a past DEVO uniform style:
    Before being transformed by a crowd of conformist zombies, Alan sits on a bench wearing a yellow suit from "Satisfaction" and dark "Noseguard"[11] glasses from the "DEVO Corporate Anthem" video.

Live Video

DEVO Live 1980,   Live In The Land Of The Rising Sun
Live at the Observatory, Santa Ana, CA

Additional Info:[]

DEVO discuss this video at:
“Devolutionary Times - Episode 4: Freedom of Choice” - DEVOvision
Video restored from standard definition (SD) 1" master tape,[12] announced,[13] and released August 11, 2025 at DEVOvision:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geKIE6F_iK4
Outfits worn in the "Freedom of Choice" video listed at:
https://devo.fandom.com/wiki/Outfits#Freedom_of_Choice_(short_band_video)
“Of course, the idea with “Freedom of Choice” was that, as we say in the lyrics, ‘freedom of choice is what you've got, but freedom from choice is what you want’.”
“We were warning people about their propensity to give in to authoritarian rule, to quit thinking for themselves, to have others tell them what to do, and to quit trying to analyze information, you know, logically, critically.” - Jerry (2025) [2]

Further Reading:[]

Kilwag (editor). “Action Now: Freedom Of Choice – The Film”, Skate and Annoy. (2024, January 23)
https://skateandannoy.com/blog/2024/01/action-now-freedom-of-choice-the-film/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buridan%27s_ass
https://fablesofaesop.com/the-dog-and-the-shadow.html

References:[]

  1. ↑
    DEVO Live Guide. Website keyword search for "freedom of choice".
  2. ↑
    "Devo Chile 2014 – Freedom of Choice ". YouTube. (Fernando Donnie Darko).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZCgAfm8dBE&index=6&list=PLrxqF6vE5OZDw3pELufs_IlcIFP56bCxj
    Vídeo del show de DEVO en Chile 2014 – Freedom of Choice en el Teatro Cariola,Santiago de Chile.04/12/14.
  3. ↑
    Kent Carmical. "Devo: Bastardizing the Blues". Premier Guitar. (2010-9-21).
    premierguitar.com/articles/Devo_Bastardizing_the_Blues?page=4 (From archive.org).
    Q:  “On 'Freedom of Choice,' you double the synth line. Was it written on guitar or keyboard?”
    A:   “I remember Alan [Myers, former Devo drummer] had a phrase he played on guitar [sings guitar part], and he wanted to jam with me on it, so I learned it.
      At some point while we were working on Freedom of Choice, I said, 'Hey, I think Alan’s bit would fit in there.' I love that album, because it represents a period where I really was into getting every kind of tortured noise from the guitar I could. But I think the songs from that album sound better live now, because my sound has more growl to it.”
  4. ↑
    Photo by Lee Wilkinson. Internet Archive, Wayback Machine. (2006-10-31).
  5. ↑
      The first time this song was used in a forum on Democracy was in 1980:
    Mark drew images of a donkey and elephant that were made into signs on the day of a concert in Central Park. When the setlist reached "Freedom of Choice", the donkey and elephant signs captioned "A = B" were displayed to vocal approval by the audience.
    Jerry and Bob 1 wore rubber masks of the major 1980 US presidential candidates:
    Jon Young. “Devo Is Your Friend”: “A day in the life of Jerry Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh” Trouser Press, (1980, October) pp 29-32. Photographs by Ruby Ray, Ebet Roberts, and Greg Helgeson.
    https://trouserpress.com/magazine-covers-6/#read
      When we get to the sign store, it's apparent that Casale and Mothersbaugh will have some trouble getting what they want. The small shop, which seem to have everything it ever made from small door plaques to large advertising message on the walls, is run by immigrants of indeterminate origin and shaky English. The guy taking the order think the donkey is Republican and the elephant Democratic. Casale impatiently straighten him out and explains that Devo, Inc., will use the sign for a "forum on democracy."
      (Actually, during the song "Freedom of Choice.")
  6. ↑
    Todd. “DEVO”, SHoF 2013 (Inductees), Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum.
    https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/devo-2013/
    (From archive.org), (https://archive.ph/iXHdj).
    “...Tony Alva and Steve Olson...”
    “Many Skaters in the video filmed at Marina Del Rey CA. Skatepark in 1980. Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, Dave Andrecht”.
  7. ↑
    Kilwag (editor). “Freedom of Choice”. SkateandAnnoy.com. (2006, September 20).
    ( “comments” section)
    https://skateandannoy.com/blog/2006/09/freedom-of-choice/
    (From archive.org), (https://archive.ph/0VIXa#selection-473.0-483.3)
  8. ↑
    Dennis Ogden. "History of Marina Del Rey Skate Park: The Short Story", History, Marina Del Rey Skatepark: "Home of The New Dog Bowl".
    https://www.marinadelreyskatepark.com/history.html (https://archive.ph/1FETv#selection-187.26-187.92)
  9. ↑
    Skate Legends, by Michael Brooke (2002): 38-39
  10. ↑
    Benito S. “Freedom Of Choice” : “The Film”, Action Now Magazine Vol 7, #1 (1980, August)
    [ Skateboarder’s Action Now : The Sports/Lifestyle Magazine, Features, “DEVO Film” : “Freedom Of Choice, The Film" merges skating and new rock.” ]
    When Devo played Japan this past May, they debuted on stage a 3-minute film, set to the title song of their new album, “Freedom of Choice.”
  11. ↑
    “P. Oliver Goldsmith Ltd.” Makers’ 1970 Ranges. Sunglasses: Special Supplement. The Chemist and Druggist, (1970, January 28) p.4 (photograph)
    https://archive.org/details/b19974760M4901/page/n47/mode/1up?q=%22Noseguard%22
      This year’s range includes what Mr Goldsmith describes as his “most revolutionary and space-age sunglass, the Noseguard (from 25s). It is intended for town wear and for nose protection on summer and winter holidays — but wearers are advised to first allow the nose to tan for a week, after which the Noseguard "should be worn constantly."
    Noseguard: Sunglasses: 1970 (made)
    Artist/Maker: Oliver Goldsmith Eyewear (manufacturer)
    “Dimensions: Height: 65mm Width: 150mm Depth: 70mm”
    https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O139810/noseguard-sunglasses-oliver-goldsmith-eyewear/
  12. ↑
    “Freedom of Choice and Girl U Want are remastered from the original 1" video master tapes, which, again, are SD video.
    They will never be otherwise. In both cases, though, they are in full stereo from the album mix master tape for the first time (as are many of the other titles).”
    - Wayne Neato (2025, July 8)
  13. ↑
    Announcements
    “Freedom of Choice gets the high-res treatment this Monday.
    See one of DEVO’s most iconic videos sharper and better than ever.
    More restored visuals coming soon.”…
    https://www.facebook.com/reel/23969366369402094
    https://www.facebook.com/ClubDEVO/videos/freedom-of-choice-gets-the-high-res-treatment-this-monday-watch-on-our-youtube-c/23969366369402094/
    https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxNIeSNJbdwoRy8H2pmayP2gGmx7UYrFwK
    https://x.com/DEVO/status/1954180871071912198
    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNIweguxVGZ/
    https://www.tiktok.com/@clubdevo/video/7536261985269304631
    “Freedom of Choice is now live in fully restored high-res. Revisit the classic DEVO vision with more detail than ever before. Link in bio. More restored videos are waiting.”
    https://www.facebook.com/ClubDEVO/videos/freedom-of-choice-is-now-live-in-fully-restored-high-res/1081391816967160/
    https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxxcdQV0HDH8HpqQqQhSxBMPQ3ig6PU5wN
    https://x.com/DEVO/status/1954916581273973040
    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNN-yZDNuq5/
    https://www.tiktok.com/@clubdevo/video/7537338502992760077

Links:[]

"Snowball [remix] / Freedom of Choice" - Discogs
"Freedom of Choice / Snowball (remix)" - 45cat
"Freedom of Choice" (song releases) - MusicBrainz
"Freedom of Choice" (overview) - AllMusic
"Freedom of Choice" (international radio tally) - Online Radio Box


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Studio Albums
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! (1978) | Duty Now For The Future (1979) | Freedom of Choice (1980) | New Traditionalists (1981) | oh, no! it's Devo (1982) | Shout (1984) | Total Devo (1988) | SmoothNoodleMaps (1990) | Something for Everybody   (2010)
Compilations / Live Albums
B Stiff EP (1978) | E-Z Listening Disc (1987) | Now It Can Be Told: DEVO at the Palace (1989) | Hardcore DEVO Vol. 1 74-77 (1990) | Hardcore DEVO Vol. 2 1974-1977 (1991) | DEVO Live: The Mongoloid Years (1992) | DEV-O Live (1999) | Recombo DNA (2000) | Live In Central Park (2004) | DEVO Live 1980 (2005) | New Traditionalists: Live 1981 Seattle (2012) | Something ELSE for Everybody  (2013) | Miracle Witness Hour  (2014) | Live at Max's Kansas City - November 15, 1977  (2014) | Butch Devo and the Sundance Gig  (2014) | Hardcore DEVO Live!  (2015) | Art Devo 1973-1977  (2023)
Filmography
In The Beginning Was The End: The Truth About De-Evolution (1976) | The Men Who Make The Music (1981) | Human Highway (1982) | We're All DEVO (1984) | The Complete Truth About De-Evolution (1993) | DEVO Live (2004) | DEVO Live In The Land Of The Rising Sun (2004) | DEVO Live 1980 (2005) | Butch Devo and the Sundance Gig  (2014) | Hardcore DEVO Live!  (2015)
Related Articles
History | Bootlegs | Booji Boy | Devolution | Influence | The Wipeouters | Jihad Jerry & The Evildoers | Devo 2.0 | Akron, Ohio | Kent, Ohio | Music Videos | Cover Versions | Outfits
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