Back to the Primitive

"Back to the Primitive" is a song by heavy metal band Soulfly, released in 2000. The song, composed by Max Cavalera, is played as the first track of the second Soulfly album, Primitive.

"Back to the Primitive"
Single by Soulfly
from the album Primitive
Released	December 4, 2000
Recorded	1999–2000
Genre	Nu metal
Length	4:22
Label	Roadrunner
Songwriter(s)	Max Cavalera
Producer(s)	Max Cavalera Toby Wright
Soulfly singles chronology
"Tribe" (1999) "Back to the Primitive" (2000) "Son Song" (2001)

Music and lyrics

The song features simple downtuned riffs, plus tribal drumming and blabbering; it also plays berimbau to begin the song. Lyrically, this political song is about demoting national government back to local tribal society.^[1] Every choruses begin with 'Back to the Primitive', except for the first line of lyric Um, dois, treis, quatro ("one, two, three, four" in Portuguese) to begin the song, and verses containing just "primitive" per line.^[2]

Music video

The song begins with a berimbau, but it is not the case for the accompanying music video. Instead, the intro plays tribal percussion with 'Soulfly' chants alternately by Cavalera and spectators; the berimbau is shown, but not heard. The drumming intro lasts 29 seconds, compared to just 23 seconds for the berimbau intro. Interspersed in the video are religious imagery and people of different cultures while the band performs the song in front of an audience. At the end of the video, Ozzy Osbourne makes a cameo by saying "Primitive!" into the camera.^[3]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Max Cavalera except where noted; all music is composed by Max Cavalera.

CD single

No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Back to the Primitive"		4:01
2.	"Terrorist" (Total Destruction Mix)	Max Cavalera Tom Araya	4:39
3.	"Back to the Primitive" (Dub Shit Up Mix)		4:35
Total length:			13:15

• include music video "Back to the Primitive"

UK Promo CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Back to the Primitive"	3:58
Total length:		3:58

Canada Promo CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Back to the Primitive" (Uncensored Version)	3:58
2.	"Back to the Primitive" (Censored Version)	4:00
Total length:		7:58

Germany Promo CD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Spineshank – New Disease"	3:16
2.	"Soulfly – Back to the Primitive"	4:20
Total length:		7:36

Promo cassette

No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Back to the Primitive"
2.	"Terrorist"	Max Cavalera Tom Araya

Personnel

Soulfly Max Cavalera – vocals, rhythm guitar, berimbau Mikey Doling – lead guitar Marcello D. Rapp – bass, percussion Joe Nuñez – drums

Additional personnel Tom Araya – vocals on "Terrorist" Max Cavalera – production Toby Wright – production Andy Wallace – mixing The Rootsman – remixing

Charts

Chart (2000)	Peak position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[4]	120