Swastika Eyes

"Swastika Eyes" (stylised as "SWSTK YS" and also known as "War Pigs") is a song by Scottish rock band Primal Scream, released on 8 November 1999 as the lead single from their sixth studio album XTRMNTR (2000). The attention-grabbing title is an example of the band's confrontational style in this period, although they have stated that the song is an attack on corporations and governments.^[2][3] The song peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Swastika Eyes"
Single by Primal Scream
from the album XTRMNTR
Released	8 November 1999 (1999-11-08)
Genre	Techno electronic rock house^[1]
Length	8:10 (Jagz Kooner mix) 7:05 (Chemical Brothers mix)
Label	Creation
Songwriter(s)	Primal Scream
Producer(s)	Jagz Kooner, the Chemical Brothers
Primal Scream singles chronology
"If They Move, Kill 'Em" (1998) "Swastika Eyes" (1999) "Kill All Hippies" (2000)

The "Swastika Eyes" single has two mixes of the song by the Chemical Brothers and Jagz Kooner respectively. Both mixes were included on the album XTRMNTR. The Spectre Mix by Kooner was listed as Jagz Kooner mix on the album.

Reception

Reviewing a live show from the XTRMNTR tour, Guardian critic Dave Simpson compared the song to the work of D.A.F.^[4]

Track listings

12-inch and cassette single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Swastika Eyes" (Chemical Brothers mix)	7:09
2.	"Swastika Eyes" (Spectre mix)	8:10

CD single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Swastika Eyes" (Chemical Brothers mix)	7:09
2.	"Swastika Eyes" (Spectre mix)	8:10
3.	"Swastika Eyes" (edit)	4:01

Japanese CD maxi-single

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Swastika Eyes" (Chemical Brothers mix)	7:09
2.	"Swastika Eyes" (David Holmes mix)	6:01
3.	"Swastika Eyes" (Spectre mix)	8:10
4.	"Swastika Eyes" (edit)	4:01

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[5]	71
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[6]	77
Scotland (OCC)^[7]	17
UK Singles (OCC)^[8]	22
UK Indie (OCC)^[9]	4

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	8 November 1999	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Creation	^[10]
Japan	26 November 1999	CD	Creation Epic	^[11]

References

1. Pitchfork Staff (October 2, 2009). "The 200 Best Albums of the 2000s". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 28, 2023. ...militant house workouts ("Swastika Eyes")...
2. Basham, David. "Primal Scream talks controversial 'Eyes' track". MTV. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
3. King, Simon. "Everybody's Fucked." Jockey Slut. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
4. Simpson, Dave. "A Dose of Castor Oil". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2016. Snatches of lyrics…struggle to be heard amid an aural cacophony, complete with wailing saxophones, guitars like electric drills and PiL-esque soundscapes like walls of sheet metal clattering from a tower block. It comes to something when the jazz terrorism of If They Move, Kill 'Em (from their previous album) comes as light relief…only the DAF-prototype electronic funk singles, Swastika Eyes and Kill All Hippies, escape a sonic mauling.
5. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 224.
6. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 16, no. 48. 27 November 1999. p. 11. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
7. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
9. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
10. "New Releases – For Week Starting 8 November, 1999: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 November 1999. p. 31. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
11. [Primal Scream]. Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on 16 July 2006. Retrieved 26 August 2023.

External links

• Music video (band YouTube page)