Stillness in Time

{{Short description|1995 single by Jamiroquai}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Stillness in Time

| cover = Stilnessintime.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Jamiroquai

| album = The Return of the Space Cowboy

| B-side = "Space Cowboy" (classic radio edit)

| released = {{start date|1995|6|19|df=y}}{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-17.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=31|date=17 June 1995|access-date=20 August 2021}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 4:16

| label = Sony Soho Square

| writer = {{hlist|Jay Kay|Toby Smith}}

| producer = Rick Pope

| prev_title = Light Years

| prev_year = 1995

| next_title = Do U Know Where You're Coming From

| next_year = 1996

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Nb6EFh8HlV4|"Stillness in Time"}}|header=Music video}}

}}

"Stillness in Time" is a song by British funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai, released in 1994 on their second studio album, The Return of the Space Cowboy (1994), and the year after as a single by Sony Soho Square. The track was written by Jay Kay and Toby Smith, and peaked at number nine on the UK Singles Chart, making it the group's highest-charting release to that date. It also reached number one on the UK Dance Chart and number 14 in Scotland.

Background

Three main versions of the track exist: a radio edit, which runs at 3:43; the main album version, which runs at 4:11; and the extended vinyl version, which runs at 6:13 and appears on the vinyl version of The Return of the Space Cowboy.

Cover

The song was later covered by Scottish DJ Calvin Harris for Radio 1's 40th-anniversary album, Radio 1 Established 1967, which was released in 2007. This version features snippets of the Jamiroquai original; however, Jamiroquai is not credited on the release.

Music video

At least two edits of the music video exist—one for a UK release, and another one for an international release; the latter is still airing on some European music television channels.{{Cite web |title=Jamiroquai {{!}} Music {{!}} Music Videos {{!}} Stillness In Time |url=https://funkin.com/music/music_videos/stillness_in_time/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=funkin.com}} The music video, directed by Earle Sebastian, prominently features the entire band throughout (unusual for Jamiroquai videos, which typically tend to focus almost exclusively on singer Jay Kay). The video takes place in the Australian outback, with Kay claiming temperatures were around {{convert|110|F|C}} during filming.{{Cite web |last=television_oddities |date=2024-03-23 |title=A Jamiroquai Interview Compilation from Discord (not sure if it's been uploaded here already so I thought I would share it just in case) |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/jamiroquai/comments/1blhhwz/a_jamiroquai_interview_compilation_from_discord/ |access-date=2024-03-29 |website=r/jamiroquai}} The video intercuts between the band dancing around and brief moments of the band playing their respective instruments. The band's didgeridoo player, Wallis Buchanan, can be seen wearing a t-shirt with the Aboriginal flag.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb6EFh8HlV4 |title=Jamiroquai - Stillness in Time |language=en |access-date=2024-03-29 |via=www.youtube.com}}

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "By going retro the clock automatically stands still at '70s soul. From wine bars to chic night clubs to the more sophisticated stations, the song will be used to create ambience."{{cite magazine|title= New Releases: Singles |magazine= Music & Media |date= 8 July 1995 |page= 9 |accessdate= 18 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1995/MM-1995-07-08.pdf}} A reviewer from Music Week gave it three out of five, adding, "A slightly more down tempo funky Latin tune from The Return of the Space Cowboy with Morales mixes of the album's title track on the flip. A summery jaunt."{{cite magazine|title= Reviews: Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 17 June 1995 |page= 10 |accessdate= 9 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-06-17.pdf}} Roger Morton from NME felt its "fractal flute solos verge on cocktail bar friendliness."{{cite magazine|first=Roger|last=Morton|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/nothingelseon/53311600536/|title=Long Play|work=NME|date=22 October 1994|page=46|access-date=6 November 2023}}

Track listing

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • UK CD: 1 {{small|(662025 2)}}{{Cite web|url=http://funkin.com/music/singles/stillness_in_time/|title = Jamiroquai | Music | Singles | Stillness in Time}}
  1. "Stillness in Time" (radio edit) – 3:40
  2. "Space Cowboy" (classic radio edit) – 4:01
  3. "Space Cowboy" (classic club mix) – 7:52
  4. "Stillness in Time" (vinyl version) – 6:13
  • UK CD: 2{{Cite web|url=http://funkin.com/music/singles/stillness_in_time/|title = Jamiroquai | Music | Singles | Stillness in Time}}
  1. "Stillness in Time" (vinyl version) – 6:13
  2. "Emergency on Planet Earth" – 4:04
  3. "Space Cowboy" (radio edit) – 3:46
  4. "Light Years" (radio edit) – 3:59

{{col-2}}

  • UK 12-inch vinyl {{small|(662025 6)}}{{Cite web|url=http://funkin.com/music/singles/stillness_in_time/|title = Jamiroquai | Music | Singles | Stillness in Time}}
  1. "Stillness in Time" (vinyl version) – 6:13
  2. "Space Cowboy" (classic radio edit) – 4:01
  3. "Space Cowboy" (classic club mix) – 7:52

{{col-end}}

Charts

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1995)

!Peak
position

Scotland (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/19950625/41/|title=Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 25 June 1995 – 01 July 1995|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=13 October 2021}}

|align="center"|14

UK Singles (OCC)

|align="center"|9

UK Dance (OCC){{cite magazine|title= Dance Singles |magazine= Music Week |date= 1 July 1995 |page= 23 |accessdate= 10 May 2021 |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-07-01.pdf}}

|align="center"|1

References