Song Name: Gates of Steel
Artist: DEVO
Appears On:
- Freedom of Choice, Greatest Hits, Hot Potatoes, Pioneers Who Got Scalped, Social Fools: The Virgin Singles 1978-1982 (album/ "7 single version)
- DEV-O Live (Live EP/ promo 12" & split 7" single versions) (3:32)
- DEVO Live: 1980, New Traditionalists: Live 1981 Seattle, Now It Can Be Told: DEVO at the Palace 12/9/88,
- Live in Central Park, Live at the Observatory, Santa Ana, CA (other live versions)
- Recombo DNA (demo / alternate version)
- "DEVO Muzak" - E-Z Listening Cassette Volume 2, E-Z Listening Disc (EZ version)
Run Time: 3:28 (album version)
Year Released: 1980 (album version)
Years Performed: [1] 1979-present setlist.fm stats
Writing Credits: Mark Mothersbaugh/Gerald V. Casale/Susan Schmidt/Deborah Smith
Sung By: Mark Mothersbaugh (lead), Gerald V. Casale (backing)
Alternate Versions: Gates Of Steel (EZ) Run Time: 2:55
Demo Versions: Freedom of Choice Home Version Demo
Song Connections: Human Rocket ("secret voice" lyric)
Trivia / Info:[]
- Based on a riff Mark heard in the jam session he taped with Susan Schmidt and Deborah Smith - who were in the Akron bands The Poor Girls, followed by Chi-Pig - the riff was in the track titled "Pimple On My Plans" before the release of the DEVO track Gates of Steel.
- Jerry exclaims "a man is real" and sings backup.
- "The beginning was the end" references the Oscar Kiss Maerth book "Der Anfang war das Ende – Der Mensch entstand durch Kannibalismus." DEVO has referenced it many times.
- "Secret voice" is also in the lyrics of "Human Rocket."
- 2014 split single release of "Gates Of Steel (Live)" performed by DEVO (1980) and The Flaming Lips (2013) facebook
Onstage Trivia:
- As Mark sings "half a goon and half a god," he gestures to divide himself and then moves to the left and right.
- First performed by DOVE, The Band of Love on 31 December 1979, then performed later by DEVO that same night.
- Performed as a medley on the New Traditionalists and Total DEVO tour, segueing from "Gut Feeling." Played after Mongoloid from 1989-1991. Played after Mr. DNA from 2005-Present.
Lyrics:
- Twist away the Gates of Steel !
- Unlock the secret voice
- Give in to ancient noise
- Take a chance a brand new dance
- Twist away the Gates of Steel
- Twist away, now twist and shout
- The Earth, it moves too slow
- But the Earth is all we know
- We pay to play the human way
- Twist away the Gates of Steel
- (A man is real, not made of steel !)
- But the Earth is all we know
- We pay to play the human way
- Twist away the Gates of Steel
- The beginning was the end
- Of everything now
- The ape regards his tail
- He's stuck on it
- Repeats until he fails
- Half a goon and half a god
- A man's not made of steel
- Twist away, now twist and shout
- The Earth, it moves too slow
- But the earth is all we know
- We pay to play the human way
- Twist away the Gates of Steel !
- (A man is real - that's how he feels !)
Video:
- N/A. DEVO made no music video for "Gates of Steel."
Live Video:
- "Gates of Steel" appears on Live: 1980, In The Land Of The Rising Sun, and Live at the Observatory, Santa Ana, CA.
- Live in Toronto 2009-11-24 YouTube Unofficial live video by Avery Strok.
References:
External links:
- Gates of Steel (releases) MusicBrainz
- Gates Of Steel (Live EP promo single) Discogs
- Gates Of Steel b/w 1. Mr. B's Ballroom 2. Whip It (album promo single) Discogs
- Gates Of Steel Freedom Of Choice [Deluxe Remastered Edition] MySpace.com/DEVO
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