Although "Whip It" was released as the second single from Freedom of Choice, Warner Bros. Records did not expect it to be a hit, due to its nonstandard tempo and strange lyrics.

The disc jockey (DJ) Kal Rudman took an interest in the song and it was soon being played on several radio stations in the Southeastern United States.

An accompanying music video depicts these sexual themes; it features Mothersbaugh whipping clothing from a woman on a dude ranch.

[1][2] Warner Bros. Records was also unhappy with Duty Now for the Future and issued an ultimatum to Devo that they needed to produce a successful follow-up album, or they would be dropped from the label.

[4][12] The chorus features two synthesizer notes that are a half step apart, which creates what AllMusic's Steve Huey describes as "a disorienting aural effect".

[11] The singers take alternate turns on vocals; Mothersbaugh uses a nasal drawl while Casale sings in a more powerful "cartoonish" voice.

[12] For example, its central theme revolves around the ability to solve one's problems by "whipping it"; other lines include motivational statements like "go forward, move ahead" and "it's not too late".

He took inspiration from communist propaganda posters and Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon, a 1973 novel that contains satirical limericks about capitalist can-do clichés.

[14] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Dave Swanson interpreted the lyrics as being "an observation...on the struggles of the common man, woman and mutant.

"[15] Mothersbaugh offered a different interpretation of the lyrics, saying they were written in the form of a subtle pep talk for United States President Jimmy Carter during the 1980 presidential election.

Warner Bros. heavily favored the commercial viability of the first single "Girl U Want" because its music and lyrics were more radio-friendly and akin to "My Sharona" by the Knack.

Shortly into the tour, disc jockey (DJ) Kal Rudman programmed "Whip It" to be played on several radio stations in the Southeastern U.S.,[19] which led urban music programmer Frankie Crocker to push the song at powerhouse WBLS in New York City.

[20] Within a week, "Whip It" had become so popular that Devo was forced to temporarily stop its tour to book larger venues because the concerts were selling out too quickly.

[21] When Devo returned home, they played a series of large concerts at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in late August 1980, attended by Hollywood celebrities and other L.A. musicians.

Casale later said that the rising popularity of "Whip It" helped to fill such large venues, along with the continued "big booster" promotion of Devo by KROQ radio in Southern California.

"[36] In a retrospective review, Huey said the song has "an irresistibly odd novelty appeal" and that it was "one of the best arguments that punk ideology didn't necessarily lose its bite when placed in the more pop-oriented musical context of new wave".

[12] PopMatters' Chris Gerard noted the song's originality and described it as "a bold and provocative recording that still sounds fantastic blasted out of a good set of speakers".

[38] Devo's previous material often included sexual innuendos or blatant references to sex in the lyrics, which made "Whip It" appear consistent with this style of songwriting.

[17][21] Devo was heavily committed to adding film aspects to its act; the band asked Warner Bros. to provide non-recoupable promotional money to make videos for "Girl U Want" and "Freedom of Choice".

The American television channel MTV, which was launched in 1981, gave the video so much exposure that it temporarily revived the song's popularity, shortly before the release of Devo's next studio album New Traditionalists (1981).

[14] The claims of misogyny increased when Devo was cut from a live performance on an episode of The Midnight Special hosted by Lily Tomlin.

Undoubtedly the band's most recognizable song, 'Whip It' elevated Devo from an underground art-rock outfit to a (briefly) mainstream pop act, albeit one that still retained its pointed and satirical view of society.

[16] In his book 99 Red Balloons: And 100 All-time One-hit Wonders, Brent Mann wrote; "It's hard to find anyone between the ages of 30 and 50 who does not have a vivid recollection of 'Whip It' ... the kind of unusual track that made listeners want to bop their heads and break into a herky-jerky dance.

[46][48][49] Mann noted that the band's strange philosophy on devolution offset its accessibility, and wrote; "Devo's songs were, quite simply, too far out and counter-culture for mainstream radio".

Mothersbaugh stated that performing in the commercial "is coming full circle, to be commenting on a conspicuous, consumptive culture ... and to be fed into the hopper and spit back out the other side".