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"High Times" is the fourth and final single from British funk-acid jazz band Jamiroquai's third studio album, Travelling Without Moving (1996). Released on 1 December 1997, The song peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart and reached the top 10 on the American and Canadian dance charts.

"High Times"
Single by Jamiroquai
from the album Travelling Without Moving
B-side	"High Times" (remix)
Released	1 December 1997 (1997-12-01)[1]
Genre	Funk rock R&B
Length	6:00 (album version) 4:08 (radio edit)
Label	Sony Soho Square
Songwriter(s)	Jay Kay Toby Smith Stuart Zender Derrick McKenzie
Producer(s)	Rick Pope
Jamiroquai singles chronology
"Alright" (1997) "High Times" (1997) "Deeper Underground" (1998)
Music video
"High Times" on YouTube

Background

The song was written by Jason Kay. The song begins with the quote "You don't need a name in bright lights, you're a rock star. In some tinfoil, with a glass pipe, is your guitar." This refers to crack cocaine. Cocaine and many other drugs are referenced in the song, all in a negative light, but it is jet lag that is the main reference during the chorus: "Last night, turned to daylight, and a minute became a day", a desynchronosis that is often caused when travelling around the world during the tours. The radio edit of the song is widely ridiculed among fan circles for its poor editing. There are some abrupt cuts in the song, and some words are cut out in an odd manner, such as the word "this" from the "This twisted, crystal kingdom" line. The Radio Edit was featured on the group's greatest hits compilation, High Times: Singles 1992-2006. Some releases of Travelling Without Moving include a version of the song without the sample "Last Night Changed It All" as sung by Esther Williams and written by Joe Wheeler.[2]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "If you're a fan Jamiroquai's recent MTV hits, ya ain't heard nothin' yet. "High Times" shows the band at its funky best. The track jiggles with a classic soul sound, juiced with enough electronic flavor to keep it from sounding quaint. Frontman Jay Kay has perfected his Stevie Wonder inflections while also honing an individual style that demands to be heard in a live setting."[3]

Music video

The music video for the song is filmed like a documentary with an inexpensive digital camera by the band manager of the band during the Latin American tour. In the video, the group is shown landing in a city airport, happy and excited. The remainder of the video shows candid scenes of Jamiroquai laughing at jokes, television, and having general fun. Chilean fans appreciated this music video for lead singer Jay Kay's cultural jacket throughout the video. The last few seconds were censored in some countries due to the usage of cannabis.

Track listing

Charts

Chart (1997–1998)	Peak position
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[4]	9
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[5]	55
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[6]	19
Scotland (OCC)[7]	23
UK Singles (OCC)[8]	20
UK Dance (OCC)[9]	5
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[10]	4
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[11]	1
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[12]	9

References

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