The Return of the Space Cowboy

The Return of the Space Cowboy
A white silhouette of a human male with buffalo horns, his head slightly tilts to the left. Above him is text of both the band name and album title. The background is a closeup of the moon.
Studio album by
Released17 October 1994[1]
Studio
  • Townhouse
  • Battery
  • Falconer
Genre
Length65:44 (CD)
67:42 (LP)
Label
Producer
Jamiroquai chronology
Emergency on Planet Earth
(1993)
The Return of the Space Cowboy
(1994)
Jay's Selection
(1996)
Jamiroquai studio album chronology
Emergency on Planet Earth
(1993)
The Return of the Space Cowboy
(1994)
Travelling Without Moving
(1996)
Singles from The Return of the Space Cowboy
  1. "The Kids"
    Released: 12 December 1993
  2. "Space Cowboy"
    Released: 26 September 1994
  3. "Half the Man"
    Released: 7 November 1994
  4. "Light Years"
    Released: 20 February 1995
  5. "Stillness in Time"
    Released: 19 June 1995

The Return of the Space Cowboy is the second album by English funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai. The album was released on 17 October 1994 under Sony Soho Square. The album continues the musical direction of their debut, Emergency on Planet Earth (1993), and is characterised by its complex songwriting as a result of Jay Kay's creative block mid-production. Its lyrics addressed street life, hope, loss, Kay's drug use, and social matters regarding Native Americans and youth protests.

Critical reviews of the album were generally positive, with some considering it an improvement from Jamiroquai's first album. It ranked at number 2 in the UK and was certified platinum in the country, with 1,300,000 copies sold worldwide. Its singles "Half the Man" and "Stillness in Time" reached number 15 and number 9, respectively, on the UK Singles Chart, while "Space Cowboy" and "Light Years" peaked at number 1 and number 6 on the US Dance Charts, respectively. The album was reissued in 2013 in remastered form with bonus material.