Emergency on Planet Earth

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Emergency on Planet Earth
File:JamiroquaiEoPE500x500.jpg
Cover art by James Marsh
Studio album by Jamiroquai
Released May 17, 1993 (UK)
June 24, 1993 (JAP)
August 10, 1993 (US)
Recorded 1992-1993
Genre Funk, acid jazz, dance
Length 55:22 (CD)
64:09 (LP)
Label Sony Soho Square (UK)
Columbia (US)
Producer Mike Nielsen
Jamiroquai chronology
Emergency on Planet Earth
(1993)		 The Return of the Space Cowboy
(1994)The Return of the Space Cowboy1994
Singles from Emergency on Planet Earth
  1. "When You Gonna Learn"
    Released: October 19, 1992
  2. "Too Young to Die"
    Released: March 1, 1993
  3. "Blow Your Mind"
    Released: May 24, 1993
  4. "Emergency on Planet Earth"
    Released: August 2, 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 4/5 stars[1]
Q 4/5 stars[2]
Entertainment Weekly B+[3]

Emergency on Planet Earth is the debut studio album released by British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released in the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States in 1993. The album features strong elements of the mixture of funk and acid jazz genres.

Background

The recurring theme on the album deals with lyrics about world issues and self-consciousness, along with several jazz instrumentals that made the album a success in the band's native country. The album produced several well-received singles, including "Too Young To Die" and "Blow Your Mind". The album was listed in the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die list. Entertainment Weekly described the album as helping the band "turn out gritty organic grooves with enthusiasm."[3] Q magazine gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, describing it as "A funky and beautiful record, a contender for best British soul album of the '90s, and frankly better than anything Stevie Wonder has made since Hotter Than July." BBC Music claims [4] - "...the album was an infectious, funk mezze of trumpets, saxophones, didgeridoos and flutes, spawning the hit singles Too Young To Die and Blow Your Mind which both entered the UK Top 10 in 1993."

Singles

  • "When You Gonna Learn" was released as the lead single from the album on 19 October 1992 via Acid Jazz Records, and was used to draw attention to the band, and secure them a later lucrative deal with Sony Records. The lyrical themes, like many of Jamiroquai's early songs, speak of environmental awareness. While the single commercially flopped, due to the lack of promotion, the song still remains well-known among fan circles, while its respective single is a rare collectible, also valued much among fan circles. The song was edited for the album release, whereas the version on the original vinyl record is the full length version, which is also included on the When You Gonna Learn and Blow Your Mind CD singles.
  • "Too Young to Die" was released as the second single from the album on 1 May 1993. The original version of the track runs at 10:18; however, both the single and album versions were cut, running at 3:22 and 6:05 respectively. The commercial single included all three versions of the track. The original vinyl version of the album includes the full 10:18 version of the song. The song's lyrics are about the fear of war and death due to political machinations. The music video for "Too Young to Die" was directed by W.I.Z., and consisted mainly of Jay Kay singing in what appears to be a desert military installation.
  • "Blow Your Mind" was released as the third single from the album on 4 June 1993. The single peaked at #12 on the UK Singles Chart. The single was also featured on the group's Greatest Hits album; however, in a substantially edited form. Two versions of the song exist: a heavily edited radio edit, running at 3:51, and the full-length album version, running at 8:35. The latter version has only ever been included on the group's debut album release. All other releases which include the track include the radio version.
  • "Emergency on Planet Earth" was released as the fourth single from the album on 2 August 1993. The song was written by Jay Kay, and has a marked environmentalist tone, urging the listener to "stop modernisation going on." The track peaked at #32 on the UK Singles Chart and at #4 on the U.S. Dance Chart. A new recording of the song, which uses a completely different bass track and intro, and includes some changes in the arrangements, was featured on the single and in the music video for the song. This version was later released on the group's Greatest Hits compilation.
  • "When You Gonna Learn" was re-released by Sony Records as the fifth and final single from the album on 13 September 1993. The re-release was slightly more successful than the original, peaking at #28 on the UK Singles Chart. The re-release was backed with an alternative music video to the original, but contained shots of the original in flashback scenes.

Track listing

CD release
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "When You Gonna Learn (Digeridoo)"   Jay Kay 3:50
2. "Too Young to Die"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 6:05
3. "Hooked Up"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:35
4. "If I Like It, I Do It"   Jay Kay, Nick Van Gelder 4:53
5. "Music of the Mind"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 6:22
6. "Emergency on Planet Earth"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 4:05
7. "Whatever It Is, I Just Can't Stop"   Jay Kay 4:07
8. "Blow Your Mind"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 8:32
9. "Revolution 1993"   Jay Kay, Toby Smith 10:16
10. "Didgin' Out"   Jay Kay, Wallis Buchanan 2:37
Total length:
 55:22

Personnel

Charts

References

  1. ↑ Carpenter, Troy. "Jamiroquai: Emergency on Planet Earth > Review" at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Q (3/01, p.124) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...A funky and beautiful record, a contender for best British soul album of the '90s, and frankly better than anything Stevie Wonder has made since HOTTER THAN JULY..."
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Preceded by UK number one album
June 26, 1993 – July 16, 1993		 Succeeded by
Zooropa by U2
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