The Rope Song

Song Name: The Rope Song

Artist: DEVO

Appears On: Hardcore Volume 2, Hardcore

Run Time: 3:21

Year Written: 1972

Year Recorded: 1974

1974 Recording Personnel:

Jerry Casale – bass · Mark Mothersbaugh – synths · Bob Mothersbaugh – guitar · Bob Lewis – additional guitar · Jim Mothersbaugh - drums

Year Released: 1991

Years Performed: 1974

Writing Credits: Gerald V. Casale/Bob Lewis

Sung By: Gerald V. Casale

Demo Versions: N/A. Official release is a demo

Trivia / Info:

• One of Jerry's earliest co-compositions

• Performed live 1974-04-23

Onstage Behavior: Unknown

Lyrics:

     I found a girl with a pretty face
     
     I tied a rope around her waist
     
     I know when she's in and when she goes out
     
     Well there ain't nothing to guess about
     
     She covers her ears when I play my guitar
     
     She runs away but not very far
     
     Just push a button - retractable cord
     
     I pull her back when I get bored
     
     One word from her and she'd be free
     
     But she's exactly where she wants to be
     
     Magnetic Madonna she glows in the night
     
     Reciprocal pull, I flow to her light
     
     Woman I am bound to you
     
     But what do I want to do?
     
     Woman what do I want?

Video:

None.

Fan Lyric Video: “Devo - The Rope Song Lyrics”, uploaded by Nevada Kriger to YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQ8ybQljyg

Fan Art: “Woman, I'm bound to you❤”. Color Illustration uploaded to Instagram by butterknivesdevo

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCI5LrfNcaS/?img_index=1

Additional Info:

• “The Cosmiks - DEVO's Gerald V. Casale THIRD EYE Interview (WAWTC Radio Show)” uploaded to YouTube by @The Cosmiks

[Q:] What's the character trying to convey in that tune?

[A:] You know, it was just a silly exercise – cute – about, um, the man thinks that, you know, he's supposed to rope the woman and control her – but in the end, she reverses the procedure, and he's on the wrong end of the rope. – Jerry (2025)

• To some listeners, the lyrics may have a “...lack of clarity about the narrator's true intentions or desires. - This ambiguity creates an unsettling atmosphere, as the listener is left to wonder about the nature of the relationship and the power dynamics involved.”

• “Ultimately, the song encapsulates the intricate dance of human connection—one that can be both beautiful and constraining, revealing deep truths about love, possession, and the search for freedom within relationships.”

External Links:

• DEVO Live Guide. "04/23/74 - Governance Chambers, Kent State University (Creative Arts Festival), Kent, OH"

huboon.com/1973_76.html (https://archive.ph/ZJe7Y#selection-197.0-205.10)

• BBB. "1974-04-23 – Kent, OH – Governance Chambers, Kent State University (Creative Arts Festival)"

https://boojiboysbasement.com/product/1974-04-23/

• The Rope Song -- last.fm
• The Rope Song - MP3 -- Amazon Amazon UK