Screamadelica

Screamadelica is the third studio album by the Scottish alternative rock group Primal Scream. It was their first to be a commercial success. It was released on 23 September 1991 in the UK by Creation Records,^[2] and 8 October 1991 in North America by Sire Records.^[3] Screamadelica peaked at #8 on the UK Albums Chart upon its initial release.^[4] The album was released to widespread critical acclaim, and is frequently acknowledged as one of the best albums of the 1990s. Screamadelica also won the first Mercury Music Prize in 1992.^[5]

History

The album was a significant departure from the band's early indie rock sound, drawing inspiration from the house music scene (and associated drugs) that was becoming popular at the time of its production. The band enlisted house DJs Andrew Weatherall and Terry Farley on producing duties, although the album also contained a wide range of other influences including gospel and dub.

Although the band wrote a track also called Screamadelica, it does not appear on the album. The ten-minute dance track was also produced by Andrew Weatherall and sung by Denise Johnson. It appears on the Dixie Narco EP released in 1992, and is featured in the opening credits of the now rare Screamadelica VHS video tape.

The album includes "Loaded", which was a top twenty hit single in the UK. Dance DJ Andrew Weatherall began remixing "I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have", from their previous album, and the resulting track disassembled the song, adding a drum loop from an Italian bootleg mix of Edie Brickell's "What I Am" and a sample from the Peter Fonda B-movie The Wild Angels. The single "Movin' on Up" was the band's breakthrough hit in the United States, reaching #2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, and also making #28 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Album cover

The album cover for Screamadelica was painted by Creation Records' in-house artist Paul Cannell.^[6] Cannell was allegedly inspired by a damp water spot he'd seen on the Creation Records offices ceiling after taking LSD.^[7]

Screamadelica was among ten album covers chosen by the Royal Mail for a set of "Classic Album Cover" postage stamps issued in January 2010.^[8]^[9]

Musicology and samples

"Movin' on Up" opens the album. It is in the key of C and is similar in style to the Rolling Stones. The song features Bobby Gillespie's vocals in the verse section with a gospel chorus, accompanied throughout by acoustic guitar, electric guitar and percussion. The song originally had a slower tempo and was described as a Ballad, the song only featured a piano and Gillespie's vocals. The song's first verse borrows from the lyrics to Can's "Yoo Doo Right": "I was blind, now I can see / You made a believer out of me". It was produced by Jimmy Miller and is frequently acknowledged as one of the standout songs on the album.
"Slip Inside this House" is a version of a 1967 song by the 13th Floor Elevators. Primal Scream's version features Sly Stone's laugh from the end of the song "Sex Machine" (from the 1969 album Stand!) and the Amen break.
"Don't Fight It, Feel It", in the Italo house style, with vocals by Denise Johnson. The refrain "I'm gonna live the life I love, gonna love the life I live" is lifted from the Holland–Dozier–Holland song "(I'm a) Road Runner", which in turn echoes the title of a Willie Dixon composition most famously recorded by Muddy Waters. It is almost certainly intended as a reference to both songs.
"Higher Than the Sun" uses a sample from "Wah Wah Man" by the Young-Holt Unlimited Trio. It also has a recurring spoken word sample from "Get Away Jordan" by Take 6. Leader singer Gillespie claimed the single 'Higher Than the Sun' was the most important record since 'Anarchy in the UK'.^[10]
"Inner Flight" samples the closing sound on Brian Eno's "The Great Pretender" from the album Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy).
"Loaded", in E-flat major, features lines spoken by Peter Fonda's character in the 1966 movie The Wild Angels, as well as a drum loop from an Italian bootleg mix of Edie Brickell's "What I Am", and the Emotions' "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love". There are brass pedal notes between the sections with vocals. It is a remix of Primal Scream's own "I'm Losing More than I'll Ever Have", from their second album Primal Scream.
"Damaged", in contrast to the previous track, has a slower tempo and more reflective mood. Sparse percussion, acoustic guitar and piano accompany quiet vocals. "Damaged" is similar to "Movin' On Up" in the sense that it is produced by Jimmy Miller.
"Come Together" is the longest track on the album. On the UK version, the track opens with part of a speech given by Jesse Jackson at the Wattstax concert held in Los Angeles in 1972. About half-way through the track, a repeated female vocal line "Come... together as one" kicks in and repeats for the rest of the track.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
BBC	(very positive)^[11]
Q	^[12]
Robert Christgau	^[13]

Screamadelica has received widespread acclaim, frequently appearing in critics' lists and audience polls. Allmusic writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Screamadelica "an album that transcends its time and influence."^[1] Pitchfork Media praised the album on their 2003 list of the "Top 100 albums of the '90s," saying: "Screamadelica's atmospheric and imaginative hybrid of past, present and future captured its moment in vivid color and splendor, and it still radiates with a kaleidoscopic glow."^[14] In a 2009 review, the BBC hailed the album as "a solid gold classic."^[11]

It won the first Mercury Music Prize in 1992.
It was Melody Maker's album of the year in 1991.^[15]
It was Select's album of the year in 1991.^[16]
In 1996, Select named it as the #1 album of the 1990s.
NME placed it at no. 3 in its "Best Albums of 1991" list.^[17]
In 2003, NME placed it at no. 23 in its "100 Best Albums Ever" list.^[18] In 2006, the magazine also placed it at no. 15 in its "Greatest British Albums Ever" list.^[19]
NME also named it the "Druggiest Album Ever" in 2011.
In 2000, Q placed the album at #18 on their list of the "100 Greatest British Albums."^[20] In 2001, Q placed it at #81 on a list of the "Top 100 Albums of All Time."^[21] The album ranked #2 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime" list.^[22]
In 2003, Pitchfork Media placed it at #77 in a list of the "Top 100 Albums of the '90s."^[14]
Also in 2003, the album topped The Scotsman‍ 's list of 100 Best Scottish Albums.^[23]
It appeared in Channel 4's list of the "100 Greatest Albums of All Time."^[24]

"Movin' on Up" was used on the previous Telewest Broadband commercials before Virgin Media bought them out. Subsequently, Bacardi spirits used the song on a UK television ad. The song was also featured in the popular game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on fictional alternative radio station Radio X. A Northern soul version was also recorded by the late Edwin Starr for the cult British surfing film Blue Juice.

Commercial reception

The album reached #8 on the UK Albums Chart, and was later certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry, however the album has now sold 680,000 copies as of September 2011, meaning the album should be certified double platinum and is thus undercertified.^[25]

Legacy

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the release of the album, Primal Scream performed the entire album live at Olympia London in West London on 26 and 27 November 2010. The performance included a full gospel choir and horn section.^[26] The first of these gigs was broadcast live on BBC 6 Music, presented by Steve Lamacq.^[27] These gigs were followed by a UK tour in March 2011, where the band performed the album in full.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, and Robert Young, except "Slip Inside This House" written by Roky Erickson and Tommy Hall.

No.	Title	Notes	Length
1.	"Movin' On Up"		3:47
2.	"Slip Inside This House"	^[A]	5:14
3.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It"		6:51
4.	"Higher Than the Sun"		3:36
5.	"Inner Flight"		5:00
6.	"Come Together"	^[B]	10:21
7.	"Loaded"		7:01
8.	"Damaged"		5:37
9.	"I'm Comin' Down"		5:59
10.	"Higher Than the Sun (A Dub Symphony in Two Parts)"		7:37
11.	"Shine Like Stars"		3:45

20th Anniversary Limited Collector's Edition

All songs written and composed by Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, and Robert Young, except "Carry Me Home" written by Dennis Wilson and Gregg Jakobson.

Dixie-Narco EP
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Movin' On Up"	3:48
2.	"Stone My Soul"	3:02
3.	"Carry Me Home"	5:16
4.	"Screamadelica"	10:49

Mixes
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Loaded" (Terry Farley 12" Mix)	6:02
2.	"Loaded" (7" Mix)	4:24
3.	"Come Together" (Terry Farley 7" Mix)	4:26
4.	"Come Together" (7" Mix)	4:56
5.	"Come Together" (Terry Farley Extended 12" Mix)	8:04
6.	"Come Together" (Hypnotone Brain Machine Mix)	5:18
7.	"Come Together" (BBG Mix)	6:28
8.	"Higher Than the Sun" (Higher Than the Orb)	5:02
9.	"Higher Than the Sun" (12" Mix)	6:47
10.	"Higher Than the Sun" (American Spring Mix)	6:25
11.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It" (7" Mix)	4:09
12.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It" (Graham Massey Mix)	5:00
13.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It" (Scat Mix)	7:57
14.	"I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have"	4:39

All songs written and composed by Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes, and Robert Young, except "Cold Turkey" written by John Lennon, and "No Fun" written by Dave Alexander, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, and Iggy Pop.

Live at the Hollywood Palladium
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Movin' on Up"	5:05
2.	"Slip Inside This House"	5:55
3.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It"	5:53
4.	"I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have"	4:45
5.	"Damaged"	6:41
6.	"Screamadelica"	6:14
7.	"Loaded"	8:07
8.	"Come Together"	8:11
9.	"Higher Than the Sun"	8:54
10.	"Cold Turkey"	5:02
11.	"No Fun"	4:13

DVD 1: The Making of Screamadelica Documentary
No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Making of Screamadelica"

DVD 2: Screamadelica: The Videos
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Screamadelica" (Promo video)
2.	"Movin' On Up" (Promo video)
3.	"Slip Inside This House" (Promo video)
4.	"Don't Fight It, Feel It" (Promo video)
5.	"Higher Than the Sun" (Promo video)
6.	"Come Together" (Promo video)
7.	"Damaged" (Promo video)
8.	"Loaded" (Promo video)
9.	"Shine Like Stars" (Promo Video)
10.	"Inner Flight" (Promo Video)

Notes

A ^ The lyrics of "Slip Inside This House" were truncated and altered in places in comparison to the song's original recording by the 13th Floor Elevators. A notable example of such modification is in the chorus, where "Slip inside this house" was altered to "Trip inside this house".
B ^ On the American pressings of the album, the Terry Farley mix of "Come Together" was featured in place of the original UK mix. The Farley mix runs 8:06.

Release history

Country	Date	Label	Format	Catalogue #
United Kingdom	23 September 1991^[2]	Creation Records	CD	CRECD 076
			2LP	CRELP 076
			MD	CREMD 076
Japan	1 October 1991^[28]	Columbia Music	CD	COCY 7985
United States	8 October 1991^[3]	Sire Records/WEA	CD	9 26714-2

Singles

Song	Release date	Release info	UK^[4]
"Loaded"	February 1990	Creation (CRE 070)	16
"Come Together"	September 1990	Creation (CRE 078)	26
"Higher Than the Sun"	June 1991	Creation (CRE 096)	40
"Don't Fight It, Feel It"	August 1991	Creation (CRE 110)	41
"Movin' on Up" (U.S.-only release)	October 1991	Sire/Warner Bros.	—
Dixie-Narco EP	January 1992	Creation (CRE 117)	11
"Damaged" (Japan-only release)	August 1992	Columbia (COCY-5181)	—

Personnel

Primal Scream

Bobby Gillespie - lead vocals
Andrew Innes - guitar
Robert Young - guitar, vocals on "Slip Inside This House"
Martin Duffy - keyboards, piano
Henry Olsen - bass, guitar solo on "Damaged"
Phillip "Toby" Tomanov - drums, percussion

Guests

Denise Johnson – lead vocals on track 3
Jah Wobble – bass on track 10

Additional personnel

Jimmy Miller, the Orb, Hypnotone, Andrew Weatherall, Hugo Nicolson – production
Paul Anthony Taylor – programming
Dave Burnham – engineering
Jimmy Miller – mixing

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Screamadelica". Allmusic. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
↑ 2.0 2.1 "Screamadelica: Primal Scream: Amazon.co.uk (this is the first/original Creation issue)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ 3.0 3.1 "Screamadelica: Primal Scream". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ 4.0 4.1 "Primal Scream". Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 2012-12-06. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ "1992 Shortlist - Barclaycard Mercury Prize". Mercuryprize.com. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ Sloan, Billy (10 January 2010). "Primal Scream star Bobby Gillespie hails artist who [was] behind iconic Screamadelica cover after stamp tribute". Daily Record (Scotland). Retrieved 9 June 2010.
↑ Caspar Llewellyn Smith. "Primal Scream: The band who made a rave new world | Music | The Observer". Theguardian.com. Retrieved 2014-06-09.
↑ "Classic Album Covers: Issue Date – 7 January 2010". Royal Mail. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
↑ Michaels, Sean (8 January 2010). "Coldplay album gets stamp of approval from Royal Mail". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
↑ Reynolds, Simon Energy-Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture, 2013, p. "Gillespie described 'Higher Than the Sun' as the most important record since 'Anarchy in the UK'. Certainly the lyric (about being your own god) recalled the solipsistic sovereignty of 'Anarchy in the UK' (albeit fuelled by Ecstasy rather than amphetamine), but what Gillespie really meant was that 'Higher' was a rock-historical 'cut-off record.."
↑ 11.0 11.1 Wade, Ian (11 March 2009). "BBC - Music - Review of Primal Scream - Screamadelica". BBC. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
↑ Q magazine, August 1999 issue
↑ "Robert Christgau: CG: Primal Scream".
↑ 14.0 14.1 Plagenhoef, Scott. "Pitchfork - Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Retrieved 2012-10-30.
↑ "Rocklist.net...Melody Maker End of year Lists - The '90's". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ "Rocklist.net...Select End Of Year Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ "Rocklist.net...NME End Of Year Lists 1991". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. 1992-05-09. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ "Rocklist.net...NME Writers Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ "Rocklist.net...NME Writers Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-03.
↑ Q magazine, June 2000 issue
↑ "Radiohead romp home in Q poll". BBC. 2001-09-13. Retrieved 2007-02-21.
↑ Q magazine, October 2001 issue
↑ "100 best Scottish albums". The Scotsman.
↑ "Channel4 - 100 Greatest Albums". Retrieved 2008-02-29.
↑ "Mercury Prize Winners - The Guardian Google spreadsheet". Retrieved 2012-03-06.
↑ "Primal Scream to play Screamadelica for 20th anniversary". Metro (Associated Metro Limited). 17 February 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
↑ "6Music Live Primal Screamdelica". BBC. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
↑ Product details Oricon

Primal Scream

Bobby Gillespie Andrew Innes Martin Duffy Darrin Mooney Barrie Cadogan Jim Beattie Paul Harte Martin St. John Denise Johnson Mani Stuart May Tom McGurk Paul Mulreany Phillip "Toby" Tomanov Robert "Throb" Young

Studio albums	Sonic Flower Groove Primal Scream Screamadelica Give Out But Don't Give Up Vanishing Point XTRMNTR Evil Heat Riot City Blues Beautiful Future More Light

Live albums/videos	Live in Japan Riot City Blues Tour Screamadelica Live

Compilation/remix albums	Echo Dek Dirty Hits Shoot Speed - More Dirty Hits

EPs	Dixie-Narco EP

Associated people	Brendan Lynch Hugo Nicholson Kevin Shields Andrew Weatherall

Record labels	Creation Elevation Sony B-Unique

Related articles	Discography Tours