Interpretations:Through Being Cool

• Song
• Lyrics
• Interpretations
• Credits
• Guitar Tab
• Bass Tab
• Chronology

We're through being cool
We're through being cool

Cool carries the connotation of "hip" or "groovy," however it can also refer to maintaining self-control, as well as indifference. This can be interpreted to mean that an issue has finally been decided upon, or that a period of complacency (tolerance) has ended.

Eliminate the ninnies and the twits

Ninnies and twits are people of low intelligence, as well as people perceived as worthless or an annoyance. This is the essential message of eugenics.

Gotta go to the moon

Indicates that there is no way to escape the objects of derision, as they have infested Earth.

Too late to be a clone
Time to show the in crowd that it's out

This clever couplet plays upon the double meaning of "cool". In the obvious sense, it refers to fashionability and exclusion. However, it can also be interpreted as a threat: it's too late to join us, the lines have been drawn, and we are about to overthrow you.

If you live in a small town
You might meet a dozen or two
Young alien types who step out
And dare to declare

A key section. Many racialist philosophies divide humanity into separate groups, claiming (for instance) that their favored race was descended from starfarers, or evolved separately from the other groups, or some other distinction that sets them above the targets of their hatred. Self-identification as an "alien" is a clear message: we are not the same; I am superior.

We're through being cool
We're through being cool
Spank the pank who try to drive you nuts

This strongly supports the notion that "cool" is not a reference to mere trendiness. A spank is a violent action. The message here is: we're fed up, and it's time to do something violent about it.

Time to clean some house

To "clean house" means to wipe out utterly and is an obvious reference to genocide.

Be a man or a mouse

Another racialist separator. Are you part of the humans, or are you an animal who needs to be cleansed?

Chase those who make it tuff to get around

i.e., ethnic cleansing.

If you live in a big place
Many factions underground

Underground factions refers to subversive illegal groups, such as Neo-Nazis, who must stay under the radar of general law enforcement in order to avoid prosecution. This is an encouragement to seek out and network with such factions.

Chase down mister hinky dink
So no trace can be found

Another clear reference to genocide.

If you live in a big place
Many factions underground
Chase down mister hinky dink
So no trace can be found

Repeat encouragement.

We're through being cool
We're through being cool
Eliminate the ninnies and the twits

Back to eugenics.

Put the tape on erase

To erase a tape is to destroy its data; this is incitement to annihilate and "erase" identities of undesirable personages from the "tape" of society.

Rearrange your face
We always liked picasso anyway

The message here is to do victimize and commit violence upon the target group of hatred, to ruin their faces through bashing so that they resemble a Picasso painting after the violence is done.

Despite the proclamations of Kitten Intro, this song essentially upholds Nazi ideals, encourages them and asserts their validity. It is distressing that They would choose to cover this evil work.

You're not the first person to succumb to the erroneous assumption that DEVO is fascist. Rolling Stone once referred to a DEVO concert as a "new Nuremberg rally." Yes, really.

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Oh really?

I thought this song was about the put-upon nerd factions getting pissed off and rising up - showing the in crowd that it's out.

The pun in the phrase "we're through being cool" is that the in crowd is "cool" and the nerds are declaring they are not trying for that anymore, and maybe they'll go out and beat up some of the cool kids.

Can I invoke Godwin's Rule or is it too early? ~~Christina Miller Dec 2005

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If it helps, the original meaning of the song was how Devo was angry with the audience they had gained with the hits that were the "Whip It" single and the "Freedom Of Choice" album. Before then they'd had a stranger audience who was just following them because of their talent and understood their lyrical messages (about how humans are de-evolving into apes). They were a weird band. Then Whip It was accidentially a hit, and a bunch of pop people followed them around. So the followup to "Freedom Of Choice", a very pessimistic album called "New Traditionalists", featured this song; explaining that they were not doing their thing to be cool and just intend to do what they've been doing; show the evil spuds ("mutants"; had been used in Devo volcabulary since the beginning) what's what (in other words, sing about society and de-evolution and other issues.) 141.156.218.35Tenniru Jan 2006

Im sorry but the long explanation here about genocide etc. is entirely wrong. The replies, about nerds/the devo audience/etc. are correct.