Robbie Williams – Life Thru A Lens / Chrysalis Audio CD 1997
UPC 724382131328
Life thru a Lens is the debut solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was Williams' first solo album following his departure from Take That. Released on 29 September 1997 through Chrysalis Records, it is influenced by Britpop, a departure from the poppier tone of music Take That employed. The album's working name was The Show-Off Must Go On.
The album's first three singles, "Old Before I Die", "Lazy Days" and "South of the Border" (the only single to miss the top 10), were all moderate successes, but it was the fourth single "Angels" which catapulted Williams to international fame as a solo artist. Peaking at number 4, it has sold over 1 million copies in the UK and is his biggest-selling single to date. Fifth and final single "Let Me Entertain You" reached number three, becoming the album's third top-5 hit. "Freedom," Robbie's first solo success, a cover of George Michael's 1990 hit, is not featured on the album.
Life thru a Lens debuted at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart and initially remained in the lower regions, but, upon the chart success of "Angels", it began steadily climbing and finally reached number one in April 1998, five months after its release. Though never selling more than 60,000 copies in a single week, the album has sold over 2,094,000 copies as of November 2013, making it Williams' fourth-best-selling studio album and fifth-best-seller overall.
| Label: |
Chrysalis – 724382131328
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| Format: |
CD, Album
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| Country: |
Europe |
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| Released: |
1997 |
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| Genre: |
Rock |
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| Style: |
Soft Rock, Pop Rock |
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Tracklist:
1
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Lazy Days
Backing Vocals – Andre Barreau, Andy Caine, Robbie Williams, Steve McEwan
Bass – Fil Eisler
Drums – Geoff Dugmore
Guitar – Andre Barreau, Steve McEwan
Keyboards – Steve Power
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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3:54
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| 2 |
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Life Thru A Lens
Backing Vocals – Andre Barreau, Gary Nuttall, Steve McEwan
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar, Bass – Fil Eisler
Leader [Orchestra Led By] – Gavin Wright
Orchestra – London Session Orchestra
Sounds [Backward Cacophony] – Jim Brumby
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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3:08
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| 3 |
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Ego A Go Go
Backing Vocals – Andre Barreau, Dave Catlin-Birch, Guy Chambers
Bass – Dave Catlin-Birch
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar – Fil Eisler, Gary Nuttall
Leader [Brass Led By] – Steve Sidwell
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Programmed By – Steve Bush (3), Steve Power
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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3:35
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| 4 |
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Angels
Backing Vocals – Andre Barreau, Gary Nuttall, Nicole Patterson
Bass – Mark Smith
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar – André Barreau, Chester Kamen, Gary Nuttall
Keyboards – Steve Power
Leader [Orchestra Led By] – Gavin Wright
Orchestra – London Session Orchestra
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Programmed By – Mark Smith, Steve Power
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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4:25
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| 5 |
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South Of The Border
Backing Vocals – Gary Nuttall, Robbie Williams
Bass – Fil Eisler, Mark Smith
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar – Fil Eisler, Gary Nuttall
Harmonica – Mark Feltham
Keyboards – Steve Power
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Programmed By – Mark Smith, Steve Power
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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3:53
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| 6 |
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Old Before I Die
Backing Vocals – Robbie Williams, Steve McEwan
Bass – Fil Eisler
Drums, Percussion – Geoff Dugmore
Guitar – Fil Eisler, Steve McEwan
Keyboards – Steve Power
Written-By – D. Child, E. Bazilian, R. Williams
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3:54
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| 7 |
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One Of God's Better People
Backing Vocals – Gary Nuttall, Smiley (6)
Guitar, Tom Tom – Fil Eisler
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Snare – Chris Sharrock
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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3:33
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| 8 |
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Let Me Entertain You
Backing Vocals – Beverly Siceete, Carroll Thompson, Claudia Fontaine, Robbie Williams
Bass – Dave Catlin-Birch
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar – Chester Kamen, Fil Eisler
Leader [Brass Led By] – Steve Sidwell
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Programmed By – Kerry Hopwood, Steve Power
Trumpet, Soloist – Derek Watkins, Steve Sidwell
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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4:22
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| 9 |
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Killing Me
Backing Vocals – Andre Barreau, Gary Nuttall, Steve McEwan
Bass – Fil Eisler
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar – Oscar O'Loughlin
Leader [Orchestra Led By] – Gavin Wright
Orchestra – London Session Orchestra
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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3:57
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| 10 |
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Clean
Backing Vocals – Andre Barreau, Gary Nuttall, Steve McEwan
Bass – Fil Eisler
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Keyboards – Martin Slattery
Percussion – Andy Duncan
Written-By – A. Glenn, M. Slattery, P. Cook, R. Hawley, R. Williams
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3:55
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| 11 |
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Baby Girl Window
Backing Vocals – Gary Nuttall
Bass – Fil Eisler
Drums – Chris Sharrock
Guitar – Gary Nuttall, Steve McEwan
Written-By – G. Chambers, R. Williams
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- Art Direction – Mat Cook (2)
- Engineer [Assistant, Battery Studios] – Jim Brumby
- Engineer [Assistant, Rouge Studios] – Matt Hay
- Guitar – Guy Chambers (tracks: 1 to 3, 5 to 7, 9 to 11)
- Keyboards – Guy Chambers
- Photography By – Andy Earl
- Producer, Arranged By – Guy Chambers
- Producer, Mixed By – Steve Power
- Vocals – Robbie Williams
