According to the band, “Whip It” was inspired by the poems in Thomas Pynchon’s novel Gravity’s Rainbow.

Gravity’s Rainbow is a satirical novel that describes humanity’s evolution as often regressive and lacking self-awareness. This also ties into their band name “Devo” standing de-evolution. A satire into the idea that our society is regressing.

As it relates to Whip It, Devo is satirizing America’s insistence on violence and our lack of individuality.