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"Emergency on Planet Earth" is a song by British funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released as the fourth and final single from their debut studio album of the same name (1993). The song was written by Jay Kay, and has an environmentalist tone, urging the listener to "stop modernisation going on." The track peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and at number four on the US Dance Chart.

"Emergency on Planet Earth"
Single by Jamiroquai
from the album Emergency on Planet Earth
B-side	"If I Like It, I Do It" (acoustic) "Revolution 1993" (demo)
Released	2 August 1993 (1993-08-02)[1]
Length	3:34
Label	Sony Soho Square
Songwriter(s)	Jay Kay, Toby Smith
Producer(s)	Mike Nielsen
Jamiroquai singles chronology
"Blow Your Mind" (1993) "Emergency on Planet Earth" (1993) "When You Gonna Learn" (1993)

A remix 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, High Times: Singles 1992–2006.

Composition

"Emergency on Planet Earth" is in the key of B flat major. Kay's voice in the song ranges in pitch from F4 to B♭5.[2]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "U.K. acid jazz/funk act is given a second shot at stateside acceptance with this house-fried throwdown." He added further, "Remixer Danny Tenaglia lays a crafty groove beneath the song that will work for discerning DJs, but maintains the integrity of the song and vocal. At a time when post-production seems to mean tossing out the entire track and starting all over, this is a nice change of pace. Deserves a shot."[3] Music writer James Masterton deemed it "another piece of soul-funk revival" in his weekly UK chart commentary.[4]

Alan Jones from Music Week rated it four out of five, noting, "A cinematic widescreen intro ushers in a typical but slightly more uptempo retro-funk workout, complete with period electronic squelching that lopes purposefully under some fine vocal emoting."[5] James Hamilton from the magazine's RM Dance Update described it as "another uncompromisingly late Seventies style jazz-funk burbler".[6] Also Tony Cross from Smash Hits gave it four out of five, stating that "this is still strong stuff and the message is as important as the music - a green warrior that pop can be proud of."[7]

Music video

The accompanying music video for the single was directed by W.I.Z. It features the members of Jamiroquai on a spaceship, resembling the Sith spaceship from Star Wars: A New Hope, receiving a video message from Kay, who is singing and dancing in the middle of nowhere. The video was published on YouTube in November 2009. It has amassed more than 3.9 million views as of November 2021.[8]

Track listing

• UK CD single

1. "Emergency on Planet Earth" – 3:39
2. "Emergency on Planet Earth" (extended version) – 4:12
3. "If I Like It, I Do It" (acoustic) – 4:26
4. "Revolution 1993" (demo) – 10:19

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Europe Dance (Music & Media)[9]	20
UK Singles (OCC)[10]	14
UK Dance (Music Week)[11]	13
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[12]	4

References

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