In 2009 The Primitives reformed, releasing their first album for 21 years, Echoes and Rhymes, in May 2012. The album features covers by lesser-known female fronted bands from the 1960s.
There are other bands called The Primitives:
2. A band from the United States with Lou Reed and John Cale
3. A garage rock band from the United Kingdom
4. An alternative country band from the United States
2. The Primitives were a band from New York formed in 1964, they released one 7" that year; "The Ostrich/Sneaky Pete. The band was fronted by Lou Reed and featuring John Cale, both later of the Velvet Underground. Ostrich guitar tuning, the all-D tuning particularly credited to the Velvet Underground, originated from the Primitives single the Ostrich. They disbanded in 1965.
The ostrich guitar or ostrich tuning is a type of trivial tuning. It assigns one note to all strings, e.g. E-E-e-e-e'-e' or D-D-D-D-d'-d'.
The term "ostrich guitar" was coined by Lou Reed in 1965 after the song "The Ostrich" by Lou Reed and the Primitives, on which he first used this tuning. John Cale, a collaborator with avant-garde composer La Monte Young, recognised the similarity between Reed's guitar tuning and Young's work involving drone music when he was hired to play Reed's song 'The Ostrich' as part of a fabricated touring group.
Reed and Cale (who would play viola, keyboards and bass) began to collaborate and investigate the connections between ostrich tuning and drone music, as the band introduced new members (such as guitarist Sterling Morrison and percussionist Angus MacLise, another student of La Monte Young) and became known as The Velvet Underground. Cale had composed and recorded 'Loop' in 1964, but which became the first EP released under this band name, composed of drones played on an electric viola, and the combination of both Cale's viola and Reed's guitar tunings would be an early hallmark of their work. Reed used ostrich tunings on the 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico on the songs "Venus in Furs" (appearing at the end of the song) and "All Tomorrow's Parties", which also included Cale playing drones on viola.
According to an interview with drummer Maureen Tucker in What Goes On? No. 4, Reed's ostrich guitar was a guitar that had its frets removed, and was stolen shortly after the album sessions.
3. The Primitives, from Northampton UK, were also known as Mal & the Primitives. They released their debut (Help Me) in November 1964. They released a couple more 45's before relocating to Italy where they released 3 more albums.
4. The Primitives were an alternative country group formed in 1987. Upon discovering the existence of the British band of the same name, they changed their name to Uncle Tupelo.
Spacehead
The Primitives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking round like he just don't care
Looks so cool in his purple socks
Saw him sitting on a pillar box
Singing sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
When he walks on by
What is that boy on
He's a strange person
Lives all alone ina beat up car
Don't have to drive so he don't go far
Guess his head must be some place else
Cause he's always talking to himself
Singing sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
When he walks on by
He looks at the sky
What is that boy on
He's a strange person
Who's that boy with the turquoise hair
Walking round like he's still in bed
Guess his head must be some place else
Cause he's always talking to himself
Singing sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
Sha la la la la
The song "Spacehead" by The Primitives is a portrayal of an outsider who is deemed strange by society due to his unconventional behavior and appearance. The lyrics describe a boy marked by his empty stare, nonchalant attitude, purple socks, and turquoise hair. He is a loner who lives in a beat-up car and remains confined within his own thoughts. Despite being an outsider, the boy has a certain appeal which is reflected in the way he walks and gazes at the sky. The song hints at the possibility of drug use, with the lines "What is that boy on" suggesting that his behavior is not entirely lucid.
The repetition of the sha la la la la refrain creates a catchy melody that is reminiscent of the '60s pop music but the lyrics move away from the usual themes of lightheartedness and romance. Instead, it explores the topic of social alienation and non-conformity which provoke questions about the society's role in creating and marginalizing outsiders. Overall, the song embodies a sense of empathy for the boy and his situation while making a social commentary on the treatment and understanding of unconventional people.
Line by Line Meaning
Who's that boy with the vacant stare
Who is the person with a blank and empty gaze?
Walking round like he just don't care
Moving around aimlessly without any worries
Looks so cool in his purple socks
Appears fashionable and stylish with his purple socks on
Saw him sitting on a pillar box
Observed him sitting on a mailbox post
Singing sha la la la la
Singing a nonsensical phrase
When he walks on by
When he passes by
He looks at the sky
Gazes towards the heavens
What is that boy on
What substance is he under the influence of?
He's a strange person
he is an unusual individual who behaves distinctively
Lives all alone ina beat up car
Resides all by himself in a rundown automobile
Don't have to drive so he don't go far
He doesn't need to drive for long as he doesn't travel beyond necessary
Guess his head must be some place else
Speculating his mind is immersed in dreams and thoughts
Cause he's always talking to himself
Whenever he speaks, it's seemingly to his own self
Who's that boy with the turquoise hair
Who is this person with blue-green hair?
Walking round like he's still in bed
Moving sluggishly like he just woke up
Guess his head must be some place else
Thinking his head is elsewhere engaged in thought
Cause he's always talking to himself
Since he keeps conversing to himself
Singing sha la la la la
Muttering 'sha la la la la' for no reason
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.