The Return of the Space Cowboy

The Return of the Space Cowboy
Studio album by Jamiroquai
Released	17 October 1994 (1994-10-17) (UK) 9 May 1995 (1995-05-09) (US)
Recorded	1993-1994
Genre	Acid jazz, Funk, Jazz Fusion
Length	71:57
Label	Sony Soho Square (UK) Work (US)
Producer	Mike Nielsen / Al Stone
Jamiroquai chronology
Emergency on Planet Earth (1993) The Return Of The Space Cowboy (1994) Travelling Without Moving (1996)

The Return Of The Space Cowboy is the second album by the band Jamiroquai. Released in 1994, it is usually classified under the acid-jazz and funk genre.

Album information

This album has become somewhat uncommon in the United States but remains a classic in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Many consider it to be the best and most refined example of the unique Jamiroquai sound. The album has sold 4,000,000 copies to date. Bassist Stuart Zender does not appear on the album version of the song "Space Cowboy". Zender's explanation of the events which led to his non-appearance on the title track refer to a situation that occurred during the last stages of the album recording.

Jay Kay informed Zender that he wanted to record a new version of the title track. However, Zender had scheduled some time off to patch up his relationship with model Milla Jovovich. Kay gave his blessing to take the time off, but when Zender returned he found that Kay had recruited a session bassist, known only as "Mr X", to play on the song. Mr X is credited on the liner notes. The track "Morning Glory" was sampled in "Bite Our Style (Interlude)", a track by Missy Elliott from her album, Supa Dupa Fly. A similar occurrence occurred with "Manifest Destiny", sampled in "Who Do U Believe In", a track by Tupac from his album Better Dayz.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Entertainment Weekly	B−
Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, claiming "Jason Kay is a wonderfully nimble singer with a Stevie Wonder jones, and Jamiroquai parlay jazzy soul pop so tight it crackles....Nowadays, when most funk comes out of cans, Jamiroquai's live spark glows." Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B- rating, claiming "No idle nostalgia broker, Jamiroquai is a funk-making machine with a bright future in the past." Q magazine also gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, claiming "An ebullient follow-up to his storming debut." The Source claimed "The Return Of The Space Cowboy is a mixture of acid jazz-like keyboards with an overlay of bright horns and hard basslines....This group may still be light years ahead of the hip-hop world." Musician claimed "...sounds like a bastard spawn of Stevie Wonder and Mandrill with its vintage keyboards, jazz harmonies and fondness for rambling, jam-oriented arrangements..."

Track listing

1. "Just Another Story" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith) – 8:48
2. "Stillness in Time" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith) – 4:15
3. "Half the Man" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith) – 4:48
4. "Light Years" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith) – 5:53
5. "Manifest Destiny" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith) – 6:19
6. "The Kids" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith) – 5:08
7. "Mr Moon" (Jason Kay, Stuart Zender, Toby Smith) – 5:28
8. "Scam" (Jason Kay, Stuart Zender) – 7:00
9. "Journey To Arnhemland" (Jason Kay, Toby Smith, Wallis Buchanan) – 5:19
10. "Morning Glory" (Jason Kay) – 6:21
11. "Space Cowboy" (Jason Kay) – 6:25

• Japanese Bonus Track

12. "Space Cowboy" (Stoned Again Mix) - 7:58

• American Bonus Track

12. "Light Years" (Live At The Theatre Du Moulin, Marseille, December 1994) – 5:53

• French Bonus Track

12. "Space Cowboy" (David Morales Mix) - 4:59

Note: The running time of "Stilness In Time" on the LP release of the album is 6:13.

Outtakes

• "Do That Dance" - An original track performed several times during live performances in 1993
• "Life Goes On" - A original track which was later merged together with "Do That Dance" to create "Scam"
• "Let Me Believe" - An original version of "Manifest Destiny", performed live in Milan in December 1993
• "The Kids Got Funky Soul" - An outtake from the band's debut album, adapted to create "The Kids"

Singles

• "The Kids" - March 21, 1994
• "Space Cowboy" - September 26, 1994
• "Half the Man" - November 7, 1994
• "Stillness In Time" - June 19, 1995
• "Light Years" - September 6, 1995
• "Morning Glory" - was originally intended to be a single, but the release was cancelled for unknown reasons. The only trace of the cancelled release lies in the promo release of the single. The release itself is the holy grail of Jamiroquai releases for many fans, since two more tracks aside from the album version appear on the promo. The tracklisting of the promo is:

1. Morning Glory (Edit) - 4:18
2. Morning Glory (Instrumental) - 4:25
3. Stillness In Time (Edit) - 4:14