"White Knuckle Ride" | ||||
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Single by Jamiroquai | ||||
from the album Rock Dust Light Star | ||||
Released | 31 October 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2005–2007 | |||
Studio | Jam (London) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Jay Kay | |||
Jamiroquai singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"White Knuckle Ride" on YouTube |
"White Knuckle Ride" is the first single from British funk/acid jazz group Jamiroquai's studio album Rock Dust Light Star . [1] The single was released via Digital Download on 31 October 2010, with a Limited Edition Vinyl release due to appear on 1 January 2011. [2] The song was written by band frontman Jay Kay and Matt Johnson and produced by Kay. It is the band's first record to be released under Mercury Records. [1] [3]
The band's official website originally announced that the single would be released on 11 October. [1] The band describe "White Knuckle Ride" as "a hi-octane retrospective on Jay's career experiences – a cautionary tale equally applicable to anyone's life in these pressure cooker times." [3] It appears that the Jamiroquai logo typeface has been stretched vertically for this release. The video for the single was made available on the group's YouTube account on 25 September. [4] The single charted at No.39 in the UK Singles Chart and as of 2025, remains their last UK Top 40 hit.
The music video shows Jay Kay piloting a helicopter in pursuit of a Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 along a winding desert road. After several unsuccessful attempts at losing the helicopter – including driving in wide circuits to raise a cloud of dust to blind Kay, and taking a detour down a tree-lined dirt road – the driver comes to a halt under a viaduct and escapes on foot. Kay arrives to find the car abandoned with no sign of the driver, whose face is never shown. The helicopter is a Robinson R44 Raven 2 owned by Jay Kay, [5] who is a qualified private helicopter pilot, however a stunt pilot was used for some scenes. [6]
The video was filmed on the Tabernas Desert, in Almeria, Spain and was directed by Howard Greenhalgh.
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Chart (2010–2012) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA) [7] | 96 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [8] | 37 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [9] | 41 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [10] | 34 |
France (SNEP) Download Chart [11] | 24 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [12] | 16 |
Germany (GfK) [13] | 49 |
Italy (FIMI) [14] | 1 |
Italy Airplay (EarOne) [15] | 1 |
Japan (Japan Hot 100) [16] | 11 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [17] | 25 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [18] | 15 |
Scotland (OCC) [19] | 43 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [20] | 20 |
UK Singles (OCC) [21] | 39 |
US Hot Dance Club Songs ( Billboard ) [22] | 7 |
Chart (2010) | Position |
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Italy (FIMI) [23] | 65 |
Italy Airplay (EarOne) [24] | 55 |
Japanese Top 100 [25] | 76 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Italy (FIMI) [26] | Gold | 15,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |