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All Points East has revealed four days of free community events in Victoria Park•
BTS are turning London into a citywide celebration ahead of their 'ARIRANG' shows•
Steve Lacy has teamed up with SZA on new single 'is it cool?'•
My First Time explore the urge to escape on new single 'Paris, Texas'•
deBasement have announced their new EP 'HARDBODY' and shared teaser track 'CUT THE LINE'•
Mura Masa and Ledbyher join forces on break-driven new single 'Needja'•
Beck and Sierra Ferrell have teamed up for a new version of 'Ride Lonesome'•
Baby Queen turns the spotlight on herself with new album 'I Hope You Don't Remember Me'•
Cara Delevingne has released new single 'Need It', co-written with Fiona Apple•
Empress Of has announced her new album 'Dream House', featuring Blood Orange and Cecile Believe•
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Cruz Beckham has announced his debut EP 'Wear & Tear'•
Brandon Flowers has 'Plans' ahead of his solo return 'Thrasher'•
Carly Rae Jepsen has dropped her new single 'On Wires' ahead of double album 'Day and Night'•
Audrey Hobert has unveiled a new video for 'Sex and the City' as she begins her headline tour•
The Dork 2025 Readers' Poll nominations are in, featuring CMAT, Turnstile, Wolf Alice, Djo, Hayley Williams and loads more•
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Mighty Hoopla and Olly Alexander have announced Trans Mission, a concert for trans solidarity•
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  1. Tracks
  2. Devo
  3. New Traditionalists
  4. Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth

TRACK

Devo

Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth

Release date: 26th August 1981

From New Traditionalists
Spotify
More on Devo

About This Track

"Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth" is a track by Devo, from the album New Traditionalists, released 26th August 1981. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about Devo.

About the Artist

Devo

Devo

Lyrics

Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth

I know I let you tell me what to do

You were confident you knew best

Now things aren't working like you want them to

Your confidence is what I detest

You got me lookin' up high

You got me searchin' down low

You got me, I know you know

You got me jerkin' back 'n' forth

You told me people like to suffer

You told me that's the way it is

You said that things were getting better

You said I should accept all this

You think it's funny

But what I say is true

The reason that I live like this

Is all because of you

You got me lookin' up high

You got me searchin' down low

You got me, I know you know

You got me jerkin' back 'n' forth

There is a thought that keeps me thinking

Like a stone inside my shoe

It is a vision reoccurring

A dirty window I can see you through

You think it's funny

But what I say is true

The reason that I live like this

Is all because of you

You got me lookin' up high

You got me searchin' down low

You got me I know you know

You got me jerkin' back 'n' forth

You got me lookin' up high

You got me searchin' down low

You got me, I know you know

You got me jerkin' back 'n' forth

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From New Traditionalists

1981
Listen
Album
New Traditionalists
New Traditionalists
Devo
Release year
1981
  1. —Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth
  2. —Race of Doom
  3. —Beautiful World
  4. —Love without Anger
  5. —The Super Thing
  6. —Soft Things
  7. —Through Being Cool
  8. —Enough Said
  9. —Going Under
  10. —It's a Beautiful World (E-Z Listening version)
  11. —Pity You
  12. —Nu-Tra Speaks (New Traditionalist Man)
  13. —One Dumb Thing
  14. —Faster and Faster
  15. —Modern Life
  16. —Psychology of Desire (Demo)

More from Devo

Albums & EPs

Oh, No! It’s Demos
2023
Somewhere With Devo (Live)
Somewhere With Devo (Live)
2021
Hardcore Devo Live!
2015
We Are Live! - Boarding House, San Francisco, USA 1979
2015
Miracle Witness Hour
2014
Function DNA
2013

Explore

More tracks by Devo

  1. Big MessOh, No! It’s Demos
  2. Deep SleepOh, No! It’s Demos
  3. ExplosionsOh, No! It’s Demos
  4. I DesireOh, No! It’s Demos
  5. Pigs Waddle
  6. Speed RacerOh, No! It’s Demos
  7. Time Out For FunOh, No! It’s Demos
  8. Whip It (Remix)
    2:38
  9. Androgyny
  10. Bahset Paralardan

Showing 10 of 50

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Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer
Gerald Casale, Mark Mothersbaugh
Producer
Devo
READ MORE ABOUT DEVOREAD MORE ABOUT DEVOREAD MORE ABOUT DEVOREAD MORE ABOUT DEVO
READ MORE ABOUT DEVOREAD MORE ABOUT DEVOREAD MORE ABOUT DEVOREAD MORE ABOUT DEVO
Coachella weekend 2 livestream times have been revealed - here's what you can watch, and when
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Coachella weekend 2 livestream times have been revealed - here's what you can watch, and when

Want to know which acts you can watch at what time at Coachella weekend 2? Find them all, plus the UK times, here.

16 Apr 2026 • 9:36 am