Praying Hands

Song Name: Praying Hands

Artist: DEVO

Appears On:

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO!, DEVO Live: The Mongoloid Years, Live at Max's Kansas City - November 15, 1977, Butch Devo And The Sundance Gig

Year: 1977

Performed: 1977-1979, 1996 (Park City only), 2002 (Benefit show only), 2024

Run Time: 2:47 (Album Version)

Writing Credits: Gerald V. Casale/Mark Mothersbaugh

Sung By: Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald V. Casale (backing vocals)

Alternate Versions: DOVE Version

Demo Versions None known

Trivia / Info:

Also performed by DEVO's alter-ego DOVE, The Band of Love in concert.

Photo of lyric sheet used for performance. [The "Praying Hands" and "Gut Feeling" lyric reference is labeled 'DEVO "live" June 77 J.B.s in KENT, OHIO'.]

Live versions are available from BBB.^[1]

Onstage Behavior:

During performances, Mark assaults audience members, asking what their left or right hand was doing.

Lyrics:

You got your left hand

You got your right hand

You got your left hand

You got your right hand

Well the left hand's diddling

While the right hand goes to work

I said the left hand's diddling now

While the right hand goes to work

You got both hands

You got praying hands

They pray for no man

OK, Relax...

And assume the position

Go into doggie submission

Wash your hands three times a day

Always do what your mom and dad say

Brush your teeth in the following way

Wash your hands three times a day

You got your left hand

You got your right hand

You got your left hand

You got your right hand

Well the left hand's diddling

While the right hand goes to work

I said the left hand's diddling now

While the right hand goes to work

You got both hands

You got praying hands

They pray for no man

Roll over, play dead

Get spiritual-minded

OK, Relax...

And assume the position

Go into doggie submission

Wash your hands three times a day

Always do what your mom and dad say

Brush your teeth in the following way

Wash your hands three times a day

References:

↑
Live versions of "Praying Hands" are available from Booji Boy's Basement:

boojiboysbasement.com/?s=Praying+Hands

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DEVO
Mark Mothersbaugh \| Gerry Casale \| Bob Mothersbaugh Bob Lewis \| Bob Casale \| Jim Mothersbaugh \| Alan Myers David Kendrick \| Josh Freese Jeff Friedl \| Josh Hager
Record Labels / Publishers
Booji Boy Records \| Warner Brothers \| Enigma \| Devo, Inc. Stiff \| Virgin \| Rykodisk \| Infinite Zero \| Restless \| Discovery \| Rhino MVD Audio \| The Orchard \| Superior Viaduct \| Futurismo
Production
Brian Eno \| Ken Scott \| Robert Margouleff \| Roy Thomas Baker \| DEVO The Teddybears \| Greg Kurstin \| Santi White \| John King \| John Hill \| Mark Nishita
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 DEVO: The Brand / DEVO: Unmasked U S E Y O U R F R E E D O M O F C H O I C E

[1] 
Live versions of "Praying Hands" are available from Booji Boy's Basement:

boojiboysbasement.com/?s=Praying+Hands

[1]