IT'S FRIDAY I'M IN LOVE....WITH GREAT SCOTTISH SINGLES (16)

And so at last the series features Primal Scream. But I'm thinking that a few of you will be a tad surprised with the single I've selected when you consider the quality of many of those I've discarded.

And I havent chosen it simply for its political message, powerful though it is (and I'm sure that the lyrics and sentiments were also partly inspired by Bobby Gillespie's father - who was a hugely respected trade union official here in Glasgow back in the days when that was a position that really meant something).

Actually, the lyric does have one huge glaring error that was remarked upon widely at the time. Tributes are paid to the 'late' Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.....but Rosa Parks was very much alive when the single was released in June 1997.

Nope, my sole reason for loving this above any other Primal Scream single is down to its laidback and gorgeous tune. Surely no-one can fail to be moved by the wonderful playing of the mellotron by the late Augustus Pablo and the subtle and understated use of the horn section. Bloody marvellous

mp3 : Primal Scream - Star

This was the second single to be lifted from the LP Vanishing Point and it climbed to a very respectable #16 in the UK charts. And here's the other tracks that appeared on the CD single.

mp3 : Primal Scream - Jesus
mp3 : Primal Scream - Rebel Dub
mp3 : Primal Scream - How Does It Feel To Belong

As you can imagine, I'm quite fond of the Rebel Dub version of the single......

Incidentally, the cover is a photo taken of Bobby Hutton outside Oakland Police Department on 23 May 1967. Within 12 months he would be dead after an altercation with said police department.