Primary (song)

"Primary"
Single by The Cure
from the album Faith
Released	March 20, 1981
Format	7", 12"
Genre	New wave, post-punk, gothic rock
Length	7" - 3:39 12" - 5:56
Label	Fiction Records
Producer(s)	Mike Hedges, Robert Smith
The Cure singles chronology
"A Forest" (1980) "Primary" (1981) "Charlotte Sometimes" (1981)

"Primary" is the only single from The Cure's third studio album Faith, released in 1981 on Fiction Records. It was the first song by The Cure to be remixed as a separate extended mix for release on 12" single (and not co-released on other formats, in the way the 12" version of A Forest was also the album version appearing on Seventeen Seconds, for example). In fact, the original 12" extended mix is, to this day, still only available on the original 12" single, which has never been reproduced on any other album, making it quite a rare item. The main difference between the 7" mix (also the album mix), and 12" mix is that the extended mix lengthens the instrumental introductions to the song's verses.

The song is unusual in that both Simon Gallup and Robert Smith play bass, with the effects pedals on Smith's giving the leads a unique sound. There are no guitars or keyboards played in the song.

History

"Primary" was first played during the Seventeen Seconds tour under the name "Cold Colours", with completely different lyrics (aside from the chorus) and a slightly different bassline. A studio demo of this version (renamed "Primary" by the time of recording), from September 1980, can be heard on the second disc of the deluxe reissue of "Faith". The song was usually dedicated to the late Ian Curtis of Joy Division when played live.

The song is still played live to this day, though less frequently than others from this era.

Track listing

7" single

1. "Primary"
2. "Descent"

12" single

1. "Primary [Extended]"
2. "Descent"

Personnel

• Simon Gallup - bass
• Robert Smith - vocals,six string bass
• Lol Tolhurst - drums

External links

• Full lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics