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Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space is the third studio album by Spiritualized, released in June 1997, and features guest appearances from the Balanescu Quartet, The London Community Gospel Choir and Dr. John.[10]
The title of the album is taken from the philosophical novel Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder, the context being: "Only philosophers embark on this perilous expedition to the outermost reaches of language and existence. Some of them fall off, but others cling on desperately and yell at the people nestling deep in the snug softness, stuffing themselves with delicious food and drink. 'Ladies and Gentlemen,' they yell, 'we are floating in space!' But none of the people down there care."[11][12]
The album itself was written shortly after the breakup of Spiritualized's Jason Pierce and Kate Radley, the band's keyboard player. Radley had secretly married Richard Ashcroft of The Verve in 1995.[13][14]
Original pressings had an alternative version of the title track, incorporating the lyrics and melody of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love."[15] The Presley estate initially objected to this, and a remixed version of the track was included on the commercial release, with new lyrics. However, Spiritualized continue to use both sets of lyrics in live performances. By 2009, they were allowed to use the version of the song with the Presley lyrics on the reissued edition of the album, with the proviso that the song is now titled "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space (I Can't Help Falling in Love)." Album closer "Cop Shoot Cop..." references lyrics from the John Prine song "Sam Stone," incorporating variations on a key line from that song's chorus.
The artwork was designed by Pierce in collaboration with Mark Farrow. A special edition of the album was packaged in a box designed to resemble prescription medicine, complete with "dosage advice" and a foil blister pack containing the CD.[16] A limited edition was also released, featuring each of the 12 songs in its own individually-wrapped 3-inch CD, inside a large blister pack and box.[17]
The album reached number four on the UK charts,[18] during the height of the Britpop period. It attracted favourable reviews from the music press, including Allmusic, who hailed the album as "a masterpiece" and awarded the album 4.5 out of 5 stars.[1] Ladies and Gentlemen went on to win the NME album of the year award at the end of 1997, beating Radiohead's critically acclaimed OK Computer and The Verve's Urban Hymns.
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