Abstract In this paper, we are concerned with unbounded solutions of the singularly perturbed forced pendulum equation in the presence of friction, namely $$\varepsilon ^2u_\varepsilon ^{{\prime}{\prime}} + \sin u_\varepsilon = \varepsilon ^2\alpha (t)u_\varepsilon + \varepsilon ^2\beta (t)u_\varepsilon ^{\prime} \quad {\rm in}\;(-L,L).{\rm }$$ Using a limiting energy function, we describe the behaviour of the solutions as the parameter ε approaches zero. We also prove the existence of a family of solutions having a prescribed asymptotic profile and exhibiting a highly rotatory behaviour alternated with a highly oscillatory behaviour in some open subsets of the domain. The proof relies on a combination of the Nehari finite dimensional reduction with the topological degree theory.