It Began in Afrika

"It Began in Afrika" is a song by British electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers. It was released as the first single from their fourth album Come with Us on 10 September 2001. Originally named "Electronic Battle Weapon 5" and released for DJs as a white label in June 2001, "It Began in Afrika" became a hit in clubs and was renamed for its official release. The song contains vocal samples from the track "Drumbeat" by American musician Jim Ingram.

"It Began in Afrika"
Single by The Chemical Brothers
from the album Come with Us
B-side	"Hot Acid Rhythm 1"
Released	10 September 2001
Recorded	2000
Label	Freestyle Dust Virgin Astralwerks
Songwriter(s)	Tom Rowlands Ed Simons
Producer(s)	The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers singles chronology
"Music: Response" (2000) "It Began in Afrika" (2001) "Star Guitar" (2001)

The official release of the song came four months before Come with Us. The song received positive reviews from critics, and reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart. Despite this, the song does not feature on either of the standard versions of their singles compilations Singles 93–03 or Brotherhood, although the latter featured the original white label version on its bonus disc.

Background

The duo created the track in 2000, premiering it in December 2000 when the band supported U2. Tom Rowlands of the duo initially have mixed feelings about the track, saying it had "quite a lot of percussion, big, sweeping sort of stuff. Live conga playing, quite spaced out. It's like Body & Soul, but really, really hard and twisted, it's like high-impact, full-on, but with more organic sounds, and quite intense, without the good vibe."[1] Regardless, though the track was popular with fans, and eventually was released as a white label release, "Electronic Battle Weapon 5", in June 2001, the fifth installment in their series of "Electronic Battle Weapon" twelve-inch singles intended for disc jockeys to play in sets.

After completing their fourth album, Come with Us, the track was renamed "It Began in Afrika" and released as an official retail single on 10 September 2001. The original length of the song, which was almost 10 minutes, was now edited into two different versions, the standard version of the song, which lasts eight and a half minutes, and the radio edit, which lasts three and a half minutes. The version which appears on Come with Us lasts six and a quarter minutes, seguing into the following track, "Galaxy Bounce".

The single release reached number eight in the UK Singles Chart on 22 September 2001.[2] In addition to the full length and radio edit versions of the track, the single release also contained the B-side "Hot Rhythm Acid 1".

Critical reception

The track received positive reviews from critics. Nathan Rooney of Pitchfork Media said the track "is a rapid, heart-pounding conga workout that distills the quick reflexes and primal urges of a cheetah hunt under a deadpan voice repeating, "It Began In Afrika-ka-ka"," and, noting its position as the second track on Come with Us, stated the album "flies out of the gates unexpectedly with its first three tracks, immediately dragging the listener through a relentless torrent of beats and sonic energy."[3]

Robert Christgau called the track the best "disco disc" on the special edition of the duo's compilation album Brotherhood.[4]

Marshall Bowden of PopMatters said "It Began in Afrika" is "a kind of electronic exotica where the various percussion (both sampled and real), big cat sounds, and travelogue narrator sample combine to create an ersatz aural safari a la Les Baxter. The polyrhythmic percussion flights (timbales and bongos) are like a cross between a Sanatana concert and the Grateful Dead parking lot. Overall, though, the track is strong and trades on the aggressive Chemical beats sound while throwing a new angle into the mix that is sure to delight listeners and dancers."[5]

In a more mixed-to-positive review, after noting the album is "steeped in retro-synth glory", Sal Cinquemani of Select Magazine said "It Began in Afrika" is "ripe with tribal beats and jungle-cat snarls (is that He-Man's Battlecat?), swiftly building into a percussive techno jam session. The track's weakness, however, lies in its all-too-prominent spliced-up lyrical slogans."[6]

Track listing

UK CD/cassette / US CD / Europe CD

1. "It Began in Afrika" (radio edit) – 3:35
2. "It Began in Afrika" – 8:39
3. "Hot Acid Rhythm 1" – 5:04

UK 12"

1. "It Began in Afrika" – 8:39
2. "Hot Acid Rhythm 1" – 5:04

Charts

Chart (2001)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[7]	60
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8]	46
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[9]	3
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[10]	33
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[11]	11
France (SNEP)[12]	69
Hungary (Mahasz)[13]	3
Ireland (IRMA)[14]	15
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[15]	1
Italy (FIMI)[16]	13
Scotland (OCC)[17]	10
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[18]	1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[19]	49
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20]	89
UK Singles (OCC)[21]	8
UK Dance (OCC)[22]	1
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[23]	1
US Hot Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[24]	9

Release history

Region	Release date	Label	Format	Catalogue
UK	10 September 2001	Freestyle Dust	CD	CHEMSD12
			12"	CHEMST12
			cassette	CHEMSC12
US	11 September 2001	Astralwerks	CD	ASW38798-2
Japan	3 October 2001	Virgin Japan	CD	VJCP-12148

See also

• List of number-one dance singles of 2001 (U.S.)

References

1. http://planet-dust.laserjay.net/history.htm
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 May 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1417-come-with-us/
4. http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=The+Chemical+Brothers
5. https://web.archive.org/web/20020613010507/http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/c/chemicalbrothers-come.html
6. http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/the-chemical-brothers-come-with-us
7. "Issue 604" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
8. "Ultratop.be – The Chemical Brothers – It Began in Afrika" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
9. "The Chemical Brothers Chart History (Canadian Digital Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
10. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 40. 29 September 2001. p. 11. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
11. "The Chemical Brothers: It Began in Afrika" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
12. "Lescharts.com – The Chemical Brothers – It Began in Afrika" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
13. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19 no. 42. 13 October 2001. p. 17. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – It Began in Afrika". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
15. "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 13 September 2001". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
16. "Italiancharts.com – The Chemical Brothers – It Began in Afrika". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
18. "Spanishcharts.com – The Chemical Brothers – It Began I Afrika" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
19. "Swedishcharts.com – The Chemical Brothers – It Began in Afrika". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
20. "Swisscharts.com – The Chemical Brothers – It Began in Afrika". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
22. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
23. "The Chemical Brothers Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
24. "The Chemical Brothers Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 3 December 2019.