Song Name: Nu-tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man)
Artist: βπ»πΌππ
Released On:
- "Beautiful World b/w Nu-Tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man)" (picture disc single), New Traditionalists (reissue bonus track), Pioneers Who Got Scalped - The Anthology
Year Released: β1981
Run Time: β1:40
Writing Credits: βGerald Casale
Spoken By: βGerald Casale as βNu-Tra
Trivia / Info:[]
- "Nu-Tra Speaks" incorporates part of General Boy's speech in the NuTra era film You Chose To See A DEVO Performance, and is largely the same as a Nu-Tra era letter from General Boy.[1] It also incorporates a small part some DNFTF era messages from General Boy.[2]
- βMerry Something To You (EZ Listening with Nutra)β was released on a 4-track, 12" picture disc, in November, 2025.
- The book DEVO: The Brand reveals that Alan said the cardboard mask looked like Jerry. It became Nu-Tra, the New Traditionalist Astronaut, who was voiced by Jerry on this track.
The image of the mask was seen in various Nu-Tra era merchandise:
ββΈ° A two-color image was featured in the center of the customized LP label and subsequently employed as the tour logo.
ββΈ° The full color image was used in two 45rp record releases: on the front of the paper slipcover of the 7β single βBeautiful Worldβ b/w βEnough Saidβ.[3]
ββΈ° The full size image was used by DEVO on both sides of the shaped picture disk single release βBeautiful Worldβ (3:32) b/w "Nu-tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man)" (2:16).[4]
ββΈ° It is featured on the shoulder of the Nu-Tra T-shirt that was worn by DEVO on stage and sold through the Club DEVO surplus catalog.
ββΈ° The three babies that DEVO protect in the New Traditionalists fold-out illustrated poster wear the emblem on the front of their shirts.
ββΈ° A mini emblem is reproduced on the shoulder of Jerry's Nu-Tra era action figure.
Protar[]
- The narration of Nu-Tra Speaks is credited to "Protar" on the Anthology track listing.[5]
- The character of Protar was embodied by Jerry soon after the May 4 murders.
Lyrics:
- Greeting Beautiful Mutants,
AND HOW MAY WE BE OF SERVICE?
- βThis is Nu-tra for DEVO Incorporated, checking in with the many factions of Devolutionary Humans who have waited so faithfully this past year, while DEVO gathered its strength for the next offensive.
- βAs many of you can see, the road ahead is filled with danger. Itβs not nuclear bombs we must fear, but the human mind itself β or lack of it β on this planet. Itβs time to go beyond the normal thing. Itβs time to do the Super Thing.
ITβS TIME FOR DEVO!
- βThereβs no question about it; the Spud Boys are ready with new songs, new films, and new approaches to survival in a world ruled by Subhumans. Lies, lies, lies; thatβs all we get from those who pretend to know but donβt. But once again, DEVO attempts to cut through the mental grease and grime with techniques of positive mutation designed to protect you from the Ninnies and the Twits.
REMEMBER β NO ONE KNOWS, SO LETβS FIND OUT!
- βDEVO asks the questions that help point us all in the right direction; go forward; move ahead and give the past βthe slipβ. Itβs time to seek out new traditions. We know where the old ones took us and now we are all here together.
- βSo letβs go! Take in the full measure of DEVOβs New Traditionalist spirit. The vinyl record and cassette tape of DEVOβs latest musical outpourings is entitled simply, βNew Traditionalistsβ. To purchase it is not like spending money, but rather it is an investment in the future and a blow against the Empire.
- This is Nu-tra for DEVO Incorporated saying βbombs awayβ.
(*Transcription formatted in the style of the similar missive from the desk of General Boy.)[7]
Additional Info:
- Spelling / Orthography
- Nu-Tra here means "The New Traditionalist Man." Nu Tra is also used instead of "NT" or "Traditionalists" as a contraction of the New Traditionalists album title.
βOriginal single release titles had "NU-TRA" printed in an uppercase font. "Nu-tra" may be the preferred letter capitalization when used as a name, as in the 2023 remaster track title.
References:
- β
- β
- β’β It's not nuclear bombs we must fear, but the human mind itself, or lack of it, on this planet β is a paraphrased quotation of the From the Desk of General Boy letter distributed by Club Devo that begins βDirective: Summer 1979β.
βΈ° It is heard in General Boyβs speech in a tour video and in the audio track "General Boy Visits Apocalypse Now".
βΈ° This spoken-word recording of General Boy was issued in Pioneers Who Got Scalped: The Anthology and was included later on a DNFTF reissue.
- β
- β
- β
- β
- JEFF HO. βDEVO interview with GERALD CASALEβ. Juice Magazine, (2023, June 05) Photography by DAN LEVY.
- "IN 1970, GERALD AS HIS ALTER-EGO, PROTAR. IMAGINE A SPOCK-LIKE CHARACTER THAT SNAPS AND AVENGES THOSE WHO COMMIT SERIOUS INJUSTICE TO INNOCENT PEOPLE."
- β
- Formatted in the style of the similar missive from the desk of General Boy:
- https://web.archive.org/web/20230610211210if_/https://i.redd.it/b5e0jmroduv11.jpg
- devo-obsesso.com/html/paper-itempages/documents/gboy_beofservice_press.html
- Formatted in the style of the similar missive from the desk of General Boy:
Links:
- External Links
- Beautiful World b/w Nu-tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man) -- Discogs
- Beautiful World / Nu-Tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man) -- 45cat
- Nu-tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man) -- MusicBrainz a
- Nu-Tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man) -- MusicBrainz b
- New Traditionalists [Bonus Tracks] -- AllMusic
- Nu-Tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man) (overview) -- AllMusic
- New Traditionalists - CD Releases -- Wikipedia article
- Internal Links