Swing When You're Winning represented a complete departure from anything we had come to expect from our loveable likely lad. All but the opening number are covers of classic swing songs, many Frank Sinatra inspired.
The interesting thing is that (without wishing to be disrespectful to the earlier artists) almost all of them are an improvement on the original! Robbie adds something to the songs that I have studied quite carefully, playing first the originals and then Robbie's version.
I think the key differences are, most importantly, he sings with joy, even if the song is sad. So that no matter what the words are, the song is uplifting. Secondly, one can hear the words so clearly- Robbie's diction is exceptional! Even non English speaking fans know all the words to his songs because he puts such effort into expression.
We start with the only original song on the album, ' I Will Talk And Hollywood Will Listen'. All of who follow the adventures of Robbie Williams realise that his one outstanding ambition is to conquer the American market, to which this song seems to refer.
It is neither swing nor pop, defining categorisation yet pleasing the ear with every note. It puts one in mind of a classic prelude to a musical, starting with a very gentle vocal, yet building to a soaring orchestral melody of beauty and worth. I love this song, and I think it was brave to open with a home spun cloth, even if it is of a very fine texture. I am sure Hollywood will listen to every word soon!
Now to Robbie's version of 'Mac The Knife'. This is the classic Sunday afternoon North London pub circuit song, sung by a thousand hopeful Ella Fitzgeralds with as many different interpretations.
However, Rob's arrangement, famously recorded in one take, is by far the best I have ever heard. A bouncy backing track is enhanced by bursts of various brass blasts and pulled together by Robbie's stunning vocals.
You can't help but see the smile on his face- only Robbie could sing about a murderer with such sunshine! As the big band creschendos, it is impossible not to dance. I can imagine that even the most hardened critics of modern musicians would find it impossible not to like- it certainly converted my Dad!
Now we come to my only major disappointment on this album, the perhaps aptly named 'Somethin' Stupid'. I can only guess why a singer of such majesty as RW would do a duet with such a mediocre singer as Nicole Kidman.
I am sure she is a great actress, but she should stick to her profession. It irritates me so much that I have to skip it, even though an earlier version by Ol' Blue Eyes has me singing my head off with the exquisite, sultry lady duet partner.
Robbie is straight back in my good books with 'Do Nothing 'Till You Hear From Me'. He says on the commentary that he sung his backside off- I am happy to kiss the same after hearing this elegant, beautifully tight Duke Ellington classic!
The drummer, Harold Jones, needs a special mention to my way of thinking, because there are so many cross rhythms from the brass section that it must have been real work to hold together the syncopated rhythm - thanks mate! I won't be doing ANYTHING till I hear it from Rob- and I wont tell my mamma!
Next a very novel concept of a duet with a dead person - none other than Frank himself on 'It Was A Very Good Year'. A strange concoction, I have never been really sure if it works. Their voices so similar you have to concentrate to know who is who, but since one could hardly ask Frank to retake, Rob's usual joyous interpretation is lacking.
I find this one depressing, despite being very clever. It would work better for me done by Rob alone - please note, Mr Williams!
Back with a bang, another jazz pub fave - 'Straighten Up And Fly Right'. By the way, the album is perfect from here on, so don't worry fans! I adore the way he says 'Take it away boyzzzzzzz....!!' and the giggle in the middle eight is so irrepressibly gorgeous that I want to kiss Robbie whenever I hear it!
A perfect treatment of a classic 'cheer you up' song, it puts a wiggle in my bottom and a smile on my mouth - I can't help thinking that the monkey might be the one who so famously returned to steal two grand on Escapology in Rob's only story song to date, 'Me and My Monkey'!
Now to a duet that that really works, 'Well Did You Evah?' with Jon Lovitz, who I admit to not knowing before. The perfect communication and contrasting voice tones show the world how to do a duet properly. This is one of those songs one hears more in every time you listen.
The music is no more that a backdrop to the boys performance - apart from the booming bass drum! There are so many changes of style that it must have been a real challenge to play and sing - well done to The London Session Orchestra.
I am playing the songs as I write about them, so you have to excuse me now while I have a quiet moment alone with my hero. The reason? One of my favourite Robbie songs of all time, 'Mr Bogangles'.
When I first bought the album I put it on continuous replay for hours! The scratchy, deep vocal Rob uses when Mr B speaks in the first verse makes my insides go all funny, oooohhhh, do it again and again please Rob! I really can't type properly when it is playing - I recommend the ladies to send your fella down the pub and snuggle up with this one for a few hours at least- you wont regret it!
The snugly mood continues with 'One For My Baby'. A slow, late night classic, with Frank Sinatra's original pianist - what a pleasure! You can't call our hero 'Robbie' with this deep resonant voice - he is in a very grown up mood for this gorgeous, sax and piano heartbreaker- Robert, please take a bow.
Next is the duet 'Things', a funny and irreverent light-hearted nostalgic song. Jane Horrocks works so much better than Nicole - there is something very funny about the whole performance.
The song is so upbeat, that even though it deals with a break up, it makes you smile. It certainly cheered me up the last time I parted company from a significant other! Strongly recommended, thanks Jane!
'Ain't That A Kick In The Head?' is just that! This is 'Winning while you are swinging' for me - listening to it is like going on a fairground ride with Robbie, you simply have to play it over and over: it is optimistic, upbeat and irreverent The rhythm is so perfect and the band and Robbie are so tight, that it should be used to teach the art of swing.
'Your life is bound to be beautiful' if you can sing like this Robbie! Listen particularly for Rob's intonation - each cadence has a different feel, yet the song gels throughout in a hip hugging heaven of sounds.
Next we have another get over the break-up duet, 'They Can't Take That Away From Me'. Rob and Rupert Everett slide deliciously through this Perry Como song - funnily enough, this took me longer to get into than the others, but is now one of my favourites.
A totally stunning brass middle eight, perfect harmony between the two singers - I like the contrast between the voices here, it gives a much richer texture than 'It Was A Very Good Year' or the later 'Me And My Shadow', where it is so hard to tell who is who! No point for us listeners doing a duet if we can't tell the difference, however much you enjoy it Robbie!
'Have You Met Miss Jones?' is my current favourite on the album. A late starter for me, like the last one, but now I am into it - totally addictive! This is so upbeat that I might have to stop work for a dance, help I am off!!
Dizzy yet satisfying, to misquote Lion King, I am transported to another universe by the big band and Robbie's harmonious partnership. The snare drum forces the heart to beat at the same rate as the song - it could be used as a pacemaker for heart attack victims! Another real heal of a song, love it!
We stay in the stratosphere for the duet to beat all duets - Rob and his old pal (now independently famous) Jonathan Wilkes. Timing, timing and timing is the key to this one. A very familiar song, yet magnificently different because of the chemistry between the participators, the reprise has to be one of the best sequences in any of Mr Williams albums to date.
However, as I mentioned above, I have one tiny problem with this song these days (despite it being my original favourite). There is not enough contrast between the voices - I still don't know who's who!
A beautiful closing track is found in 'Beyond The Sea'. I love the ad lib to fade at the end, so swingy, such a gentle wave of piano and a very softly sung Robbie rocks us to sleep. Or, on to our real lives - enlivened, transported and uplifted by this walk round the park of the best classic swing songs in the world.
Give us more, please Rob, the world needs your kind of magic!
Reviewer: Danielle Stewart
REVIEWS
Albums | | 2005 | Intensive Care | | | 2004 | Greatest Hits | | | 2003 | Robbie Williams Live at Knebworth | | | 2003 | Escapology | | | 2003 | ...Me and My Monkey | | | 2001 | Swing When You're Winning | | | 2000 | Sing When You're Winning | | | 1998 | I've Been Expecting You | | | 1997 | Life Thru A Lens | | | DVDs | | 2003 | The Robbie Williams Show - on DVD | | | Books | | 2004 | Feel | | | Concerts | | 2003 | Knebworth | | | Singles | | 2005 | Tripping | | | 2004 | Misunderstood | | | 2004 | Radio | | | 2003 | Something Beautiful | | | 2003 | Come Undone | | | 2002 | Feel | | | 2002 | The Coppice Charity CD - Rock DJ | | | 2001 | Something Stupid | | | 2001 | Eternity/ The Road to Mandalay | | | 2001 | Let Love Be Your Energy | | | 2000 | Supreme | | | 2000 | Kids [duet with Kylie Minogue] | | | 2000 | Rock DJ | | | 1999 | She's The One/ It's Only Us | | | 1998 | Strong | | | 1998 | No Regrets | | | 1998 | Millennium | | | 1998 | Let Me Entertain You | | | 1997 | Angels | | | 1997 | South Of The Border | | | 1997 | Lazy Days | | | 1997 | Old Before I Die | | | 1996 | Freedom | |
|  |
Robbie looking rather 'smooth'
