Penetration In The Centrefold

"Penetration In The Centrefold" Virgin single, side two label

Song Name: Penetration In The Centrefold AKA Penetration In The Centerfold 

Artist: DEVO

Appears on: The Day My Baby Gave Me A Suprize b/w Penetration In The Centrefold, Greatest Misses, Duty Now For The Future (2010 WB remaster), Social Fools: The Virgin Singles 1978-1982

Run Time: 2:25 (single version)

Year Recorded: 1978

Years Performed: 1977 , 1979 - 1980 ^{setlist.fm stats}

Writing Credits: Mark Mothersbaugh , Gerald V. Casale

Sung By: Mark Mothersbaugh

Demo Versions: none known

Song Connections:

Personnel

• live personnel ref. a
• Bob Casale - keyboards
• Gerald V. Casale - bass guitar
• Bob Mothersbaugh - lead guitar
• Mark Mothersbaugh - vocals, occasional guitar
• Alan Myers - drums

Trivia:

• B-side on Virgin's The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprize single .
• Recorded in 1978 at "Connie" Planck's home studio in Neunkirchen, ESE of Cologne (Köln), Germany. Produced by Brian Eno.
• Because it was first released through Virgin, all official releases use UK spelling "centrefold." See also: "Alternate Track Names" at “Talk” page for “Duty Now for the Future” on Wikipedia.
• Also appears on Virgin's sonically subpar compilation Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo / Devo Live, as a bonus track, along with Social Fools and Soo Bawlz .
• Also appears on Infinite Zero's sonically superior CD release of Duty Now For The Future as a bonus track, along with Soo Bawlz .
• Written after the band saw penetration photographed in Hustler, the first "major" magazine to depict this.

Onstage Behavior: Mark sings holding the mike stand and occasionally plays guitar. Jerry plays bass in the center of the band and occasionally turns to face each band member.

Lyrics:

It's middle of the month

It's happening all over town

You know it's got me reeling forward

Got me falling to the ground

There's a new mag on the market

It's the best around

All the guys are talking

It's the best they ever found

All the guys are talking

'Cause they all want some

It's got me reaching in my pocket

Got me forking over cash

'Cause there's something in the middle

And it's giving me a rash

Every single month it's the same old trash

There's a girl in the middle

With her finger in her gash

There's a boy there in the middle

With a reamer up her ass

Penetration!

It's middle of the month

It's happening all over town

You know it's got me reeling forward

Got me falling to the ground

Its got me reaching in my pocket

Got me forkin' over cash

'Cause there's something in the middle

And it's giving me a rash

There's a girl in the middle

With her finger in her gash

Penetration!

Penetration in the centerfold

Penetration, penetration

Penetration in the centerfold! (echo)

Video: None.

Live Video: YouTube

Officially unreleased. From Devo's second set of the night, either the 8th or 9th of July 1977 at Max's Kansas City, New York City, NY.

References:

External Links:

The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprize b/w Penetration In The Centrefold (Virgin singles) -- Discogs

The Day My Baby Gave Me A Surprize b/w Penetration In The Centrefold (Virgin UK single) -- 45cat

Penetration in the Centrefold (releases) -- MusicBrainz

---