Snowball

Song Name: Snowball

Artist:  DEVO

Appears On:  

◦  Freedom of Choice,  Pioneers Who Got Scalped ,  Social Fools: The Virgin Singles 1978-1982 • (album/UK single version)

◦  DEV-O Live (Re-release only),  DEVO Live 1980 • (live versions)

Run Time:  2:28 (album version)

Year:  1979

Year Released:  1980 (album version)

Years Performed:   1980, 2009 (Freedom of Choice shows only)

Writing Credits:  Mark Mothersbaugh/Gerald V. Casale

Sung By:  Gerald V. Casale (lead vox), Mark Mothersbaugh (co-lead vox)

Alternate Versions:  

◦   Snowball (Single Remix) (2:27) 

Demo Versions:

◦   Snowball (Freedom of Choice Home Version Demo)

◦   Snowball (Demo / Alternate Version) (2:49)

◦   Snowball (Instrumental Rough Mix) (about 2:28)

Trivia / Info:

•   In an interview with Evie Nagy, Mark says he saw a TV documentary about a dung beetle and considered it would be a great effort for the animal.

◦   Developing this song in the studio, the band hopped on one foot to the music, influencing Mark's synth performance.

◦   Jerry says the tempo of the music increased as the song developed.

Onstage Behavior:

•    Devo hop on one foot four beats with their arms upraised, then switch to the other foot, pogoing until they join in performing the song.

◦   Mark holds a wireless microphone up. Bob 1 holds his guitar with one hand. The drummer is motionless until he starts playing.

◦   The drummer, Jerry and Bob 2 start playing at the same time.

◦   Mark joins in last, then resumes hopping during the synth solos, clapping and changing the microphone from hand to hand in time with the loudest percussion.

◦   Jerry and Bob 2 leap up several times with their arms up and their legs splayed in sync with the big percussive beats at the end of the song.

Lyrics:

◦   Snowball - LyricWikia

Links:

External Links

◦   Snowball (recording) MusicBrainz

◦   Snowball (demo alternate recording) MusicBrainz

Internal Links

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