View source for Primitive Cool

{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2012}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Primitive Cool
| type       = Studio album
| artist     = [[Mick Jagger]]
| cover      = pcool.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 14 September 1987
| recorded   = 17 November&nbsp;– 18 December 1986, and January–May 1987
| studio     = 
* [[Wisseloord Studios]] (Hilversum)
* Blue Wave Studios (Barbados)
* [[Right Track Recording]] (New York City, New York, USA)
| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| length     = 49:20
| language   = English
| label      = [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
| producer   = 
* [[Keith Diamond (songwriter)|Keith Diamond]]
* [[Mick Jagger]]
*  [[David A. Stewart]]
| prev_title = [[She's the Boss]]
| prev_year  = 1985
| next_title = [[Wandering Spirit (album)|Wandering Spirit]]
| next_year  = 1993
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Primitive Cool
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = [[Let's Work (Mick Jagger song)|Let's Work]]
 | single1date = August 1987<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1987/Music-Week-1987-08-22.pdf|title=Music Week|page=32}}</ref>
 | single2     = Throwaway
 | single2date = November 1987 (UK/US)
 | single3     = Say You Will
 | single3date = November 1987 (EU)
}}
}}

'''''Primitive Cool''''' is the second solo album by English singer [[Mick Jagger]], released in 1987. As the follow-up to Jagger's 1985 album ''[[She's the Boss]]'', ''Primitive Cool'' was another attempt by Jagger to become a solo star.

==Background==
Following the release of the [[Rolling Stones]] album ''[[Dirty Work (The Rolling Stones album)|Dirty Work]]'' in 1986, relations between Jagger and [[Keith Richards]] soured after Jagger decided to not tour to promote the album in favour of starting his second solo project. Richards was vocal about his discontent in the media—which Jagger replied to, also publicly; "Kow Tow" and "Shoot Off Your Mouth" were reportedly written in response to disparaging remarks made about Jagger by Keith Richards.{{Citation needed|date=June 2009}} Undeterred, Jagger promptly began work on ''Primitive Cool'', recording in the Netherlands and Barbados.

Joining up with [[David A. Stewart]] and [[Keith Diamond (songwriter)|Keith Diamond]] in the producer's chair, Jagger used [[Jeff Beck]] as the regular guitarist for the sessions, seeking to have more uniformity in the recordings.

==Reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r10132}}</ref>
| rev2      = [[Robert Christgau]]
| rev2Score = B−<ref name="Christgau">{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=27 October 1987|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv10-87.php|title=Consumer Guide|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|publisher=VV Publishing Corporation|location=New York|accessdate=16 August 2012}}</ref>
| rev3      = ''[[Number One (magazine)|Number One]]''
| rev3Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="NumberOneReview">{{cite magazine|last=Panos|first=Andrew|url=https://api.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/50119228653/in/album-72157715121842036|title=Review: Mick Jagger — ''Primitive Cool'' (CBS)|magazine=[[Number One (magazine)|Number One]]|date=10 October 1987|page=12|issue=225|location=London|publisher=IPC Magazines Ltd.|issn=0266-5328|access-date=18 November 2022|via=[[Flickr]]}}</ref>
| rev4      = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev4Score = favourable<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/mickjagger/albums/album/154819/review/5942763/primitive_cool ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015193300/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/mickjagger/albums/album/154819/review/5942763/primitive_cool|date=15 October 2007 }}</ref>
}}
Released in September 1987 with "[[Let's Work (Mick Jagger song)|Let's Work]]" as the lead single, the commercial reaction to ''Primitive Cool'' was not as welcoming as the reception for ''[[She's the Boss]]'', with the album merely reaching No. 26 in the UK and No. 41 in the United States with "[[Let's Work (Mick Jagger song)|Let's Work]]" and follow-ups singles "Throwaway" and "Say You Will" were minor hits, not at all rivalling "Just Another Night" in commercial success. As a result, although Jagger toured ''Primitive Cool'', it was only in Japan, Australia & New Zealand, not feeling confident enough to attempt American or British shows.

==Reissue==
Although originally released by [[Columbia Records]], ''Primitive Cool'' was acquired and reissued by [[Atlantic Records]] in 1993, following the release of Jagger's third album, ''[[Wandering Spirit (album)|Wandering Spirit]]'', which was issued by Atlantic.

==Track listing==
{{track listing
|headline = Side one
|all_writing = [[Mick Jagger]], except where noted
|title1 = Throwaway
|writer1 = 
|length1 = 5:03
|title2 = [[Let's Work (Mick Jagger song)|Let's Work]]
|writer2 = Jagger, [[David A. Stewart]]
|length2 = 4:50
|title3 = Radio Control
|writer3 =
|length3 = 3:56
|title4 = Say You Will
|writer4 = Jagger, Stewart
|length4 = 5:07
|title5 = Primitive Cool 
|writer5 =
|length5 = 5:50
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side two
|title6 = Kow Tow
|writer6 = Jagger, Stewart
|length6 = 4:55
|title7 = Shoot Off Your Mouth
|writer7 =
|length7 = 3:35
|title8 = Peace for the Wicked
|writer8 =
|length8 = 4:02
|title9 = Party Doll
|writer9 =
|length9 = 5:20
|title10 = War Baby
|writer10 =
|length10 = 6:39
|total_length = 49:17
}}

== Personnel ==
* Mick Jagger – vocals, guitars, [[autoharp]], [[harmonica]], percussion
* Phil Ashley – keyboards
* Richard Cottle – keyboards
* [[Jeff Beck]] – lead guitar
* [[G. E. Smith]] – guitars
* [[Doug Wimbish]] – bass
* [[Simon Phillips (drummer)|Simon Phillips]] – drums

'''Additional musicians'''
* Denzil Miller – keyboards
* [[Greg Phillinganes]] – keyboards
* [[Patrick Seymour]] – keyboards
* [[Keith Diamond (songwriter)|Keith Diamond]] – programming
* [[Olle Romo]] – programming
* [[Sendelica|Jim Barber]] – rhythm guitar
* [[Vernon Reid]] – rhythm guitar
* [[Jimmy Rip]] – rhythm guitar
* [[David A. Stewart]] – rhythm guitar
* [[Dean Garcia]] – bass 
* [[Omar Hakim]] – drums
* Ernst Hanes – [[gamelan]]
* [[David Sanborn]] – saxophone
* [[Jon Faddis]] – trumpet
* [[Paddy Moloney]] – [[whistle]], [[Uilleann pipes]]
* [[Seán Keane (fiddler)|Seán Keane]] – [[fiddle]]
* [[Jocelyn Brown]]  – backing vocals
* Craig Derry – backing vocals 
* Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals
* Brenda White King – backing vocals 
* Harrison College Choir, Barbados – backing vocals

=== Production ===
* Mick Jagger – producer 
* David A. Stewart – producer (1, 2, 4, 6)
* Keith Diamond – producer (3, 5, 7, 8, 10)
* Jon Bavin – engineer 
* Manu Guiot – engineer 
* Bob Rosa – engineer 
* [[Ed Stasium]] – engineer, mixing (1, 3-10)
* [[Michael Barbiero]] – mixing (2)
* Steve Thompson – mixing (2)
* Albert Bucholz – assistant engineer 
* Michiel Hoogenboezem – assistant engineer
* Glen Johansen – assistant engineer
* Scott Mabuchi – assistant engineer
* Moira Marquis – assistant engineer
* Danny Mormando – assistant engineer
* Paul Hamingson – mix assistant (1, 3-10)
* Rhonda Schoen – digital editing 
* [[Greg Calbi]] – mastering at Sterling Sound (New York, NY)
* Tony King – album coordinator 
* Roger Davies – creative consultant 
* Christopher Austopchuk – package design 
* [[Francesco Clemente]] – package concept, illustration

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Chart (1987)
! Peak<br/>position
|-
| Australian Albums ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name="Kent">{{cite Kent|page=153}}</ref>
|align="center"| 25
|-
| UK Top 100 Albums
|align="center"|26
|-
| US ''Billboard'' 200
|align="center"|41
|}

==Certifications and sales==
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Entry|title=Primitive Cool|type=album|artist=Mick Jagger|relyear=1987|region=Canada|award=Gold|certyear=1987|accessdate=20 August 2019}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

== Singles ==
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"|Year
! scope="col"|Single
! scope="col"|List
! scope="col"|Position
|-
|rowspan=8|1987
|rowspan=5|"Let's Work"
|text align="left"|UK Top 100 Singles
|31
|-
|text align="left"|Mainstream Rock Tracks
|7
|-
|text align="left"|''Billboard'' Hot 100
|39
|-
|text align="left"|Hot Dance Music/Club Play
|32
|-
|text align="left"|Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales
|48
|-
|rowspan=2|"Throwaway"
|text align="left"|Mainstream Rock Tracks
|7
|-
|text align="left"|''Billboard'' Hot 100
|67
|-
|"Say You Will"
|text align="left"|Mainstream Rock Tracks
|39
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.miamiherald.com/miami-com/miami-com-news/article234618297.html Miami Herald article]
*[https://www.todomusica.org/mick_jagger/ Mick Jagger] at [https://www.todomusica.org/ Todomusica.org] {{in lang|es}}

{{Mick Jagger}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1987 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Mick Jagger]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Dave Stewart (Eurythmics)]]
[[Category:Atlantic Records albums]]
[[Category:Columbia Records albums]]
[[Category:Mick Jagger albums]]