Primitive Man (album)


Primitive Man is the second studio album by Australian synthpop band Icehouse, released in September 1982. In January 1982, Icehouse founder Iva Davies started recording Primitive Man essentially as a solo project, it was co-produced with Keith Forsey who later worked with Simple Minds and Billy Idol. Forsey supplied additional percussion; Davies supplied vocals, lead guitar, keyboards, bass guitar and programmed the Linn drum machine. Released as an Icehouse album, Primitive Man reached #3 on the National album charts and provided their international breakthrough single, "Hey Little Girl" which peaked at #7 in Australia, #2 in Switzerland, #5 in Germany, Top 20 in UK, Sweden and Netherlands, and #31 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. Another single "Great Southern Land" made the Australian Top 5, it was later featured in the 1988 Yahoo Serious film Young Einstein, and remains their most popular song according to listeners of Triple M in 2007. To promote Primitive Man on tour, Davies re-assembled Icehouse with Michael Hoste and John Lloyd, and new members: Bob Kretschmer, Guy Pratt and Andy Qunta.
After the United Kingdom Top 20 chart success of "Hey Little Girl" the album was re-released as Love In Motion in 1983 and contained the same tracks in different order except "Break These Chains" being replaced by "Love in Motion"; the alternate cover work was a still from the Russell Mulcahy directed video for "Hey Little Girl". In 1996, Icehouse released a compilation album called Love in Motion on dIVA / Massive Records, which contains "Love in Motion" but does not have any material from the original Australian release of Primitive Man.
Primitive Man represented a slight departure from earlier material and a move from the more rock based style of their first album to the synth based, more atmospheric albums such as Sidewalk and Measure for Measure. This style is exemplified in "Hey Little Girl", a very relaxed, introspective song which reflects the overall tone of the album punctuated by the heavier "Glam" and the more dance based "Mysterious Thing". The final track "Goodnight Mr. Matthews" was Iva Davies by his own account directly referencing John Lennon's songwriting and singing style for the first and only time.
The "Street Café" music video clip was filmed in Tunisia, in a four-day visit into which was packed a lifetime’s worth of difficult, unpleasant and even hazardous living experience for performers and film crew alike. Iva Davies flew out of Tunisia still covered with dust and camel dung, clad in the boots, breeches and bandolier used in the filming, and vowing never to return to that part of the world again.

Track listing

All songs written by Iva Davies.

1982 Australian release

  1. "Great Southern Land" – 5:19
  2. "Uniform" – 4:14
  3. "Street Café" – 4:13
  4. "Hey Little Girl" – 4:25
  5. "Glam" – 3:27
  6. "Trojan Blue" – 5:03
  7. "One By One" – 4:02
  8. "Break These Chains" – 3:43
  9. "Mysterious Thing" – 4:26
  10. "Goodnight Mr. Matthews" – 4:00
The album was re-issued on CD in 1983 with the following bonus tracks:
  2. "Over The Line" – 2:46
  3. "Uniform" – 4:06
  4. "Glam" – 6:34
  5. "Hey Little Girl" – 6:59
The 2002 remastered CD contained the following alternative bonus tracks:
  2. "Over The Line" – 2:46
  3. "Glam" – 6:34
  4. "Uniform" – 6:08
  5. "Street Cafe" – 4:14
  6. "Love in Motion" – 3:37
  7. "Can't Help Myself" – 5:39
  8. "We Can Get Together" – 3:55
The 2012 remastered CD contained the following alternative bonus tracks:
  2. "Over the Line" – 2:46
  3. "Glam" – 6:34
  4. "Uniform" – 6:08
  5. "Hey Little Girl" – 6:59
  6. "Street Cafe" – 4:14
  7. "Love in Motion" – 3:37

    1983 US / UK release

The US release was titled Primitive Man, but in the UK was re-titled Love in Motion and had the alternate cover. Despite the different titles and cover art, both the UK and US releases had exactly the same track listing. The US/UK track listing was resequenced from the original Australian LP and substituted the song "Love In Motion" for "Break These Chains".
  1. "Uniform" – 4:15
  2. "Street Cafe" – 4:13
  3. "Hey, Little Girl" – 4:25
  4. "Glam" – 3:27
  5. "Great Southern Land" – 5:19
  6. "Trojan Blue" – 5:03
  7. "Love in Motion" – 4:02
  8. "Mysterious Thing" – 4:26
  9. "One By One" – 4:03
  10. "Goodnight Mr. Matthews" – 4:00

    Singles

YearChartPeak
1982Australian Chart3
1982New Zealand Album Chart1
1982Billboard Top Pop Albums129
1983United Kingdom Charts64

Personnel

Credited to:
Icehouse members
Additional musicians
Recording details
Art work