When You Gonna Learn?
| "When You Gonna Learn" | |
|---|---|
Single by Jamiroquai from the album Emergency on Planet Earth | |
| B-Side | When You Gonna Learn? (Canté Hondo Mix)
When You Gonna Learn? (Original Demo)
When You Gonna Learn? (Digeridoo Instrumental) |
| Released | October 12, 1992 |
| Recorded | 1992 |
| Played Live | Yes |
| Genre | Acid Jazz |
| Length | 3:50 |
| Writer | Jay Kay |
| Producer | Jay Kay |
When You Gonna Learn? is the first single off English funk band Jamiroquai's debut album Emergency on Planet Earth. It was released originally in October 1992 by Acid Jazz Records as an act of goodwill, before being re-released in September 1993 for the band's debut album.
Similar to other songs on the album (including the title track), the song features themes of environmentalism, capitalism, climate change, and war. The music video, directed by Morgan Lawley, was infamously pulled from MTV due to its graphic footage of seal clubbing, Nazi parties, animal experimentations, and whaling operations. The uncensored video remains up on the Jamiroquai channel.
Background
Prior to the release of "When You Gonna Learn?", Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay recorded the track "Natural Energy"[1], which has not seen a wide release as of February 2026.
"When You Gonna Learn?" would be first played by Kiss 100 FM during the summer of 1992, albeit with a different structure to the released version. The song features a chord progression similar to that of Johnny "Hammond" Smith's "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", taken from his 1975 album "Gears". The booklet of the Acid Jazz Records release of the single bears a "special thanks" to Smith, although it is unknown whether he received any royalties.
The Cantè Hondo mix of the song borrows more heavily from the song, sampling a wind sound effect.
Lyrics
The song is of the protest song style, and the lyrics criticise a number of social, political, environmental, racial, and humanitarian injustices.
The chorus references the Ike & Tina Turner song "River Deep - Mountain High".
Gallery
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Acid Jazz 12 inch single pressing cover
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Acid Jazz 7 inch cover
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Cassette cover
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Alternate cover for CD and 12 inch pressings
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Promo CD cover
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12 inch single vinyl cover
Trivia
Listen
When You Gonna Learn? (J.K. Mix)
When You Gonna Learn? Music Video 1
When You Gonna Learn? Music Video 2
When You Gonna Learn? (Digeridon't)
When You Gonna Learn? - Cante Hondo Mix
When You Gonna Learn? - Cante Hondo Instrumental
When You Gonna Learn? (Kiss 100 FM Version)