Life thru a Lens

1997 debut solo studio album by Robbie Williams

Life thru a Lens is the first studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was Williams' first solo album following his departure from Take That. It was released on 29 September 1997.

Life thru a Lens
Studio album by
Released29 September 1997
Recorded1996–1997
Studio
  • Battery, London
  • Maison Rouge, London
Genre
Length52:46
LabelChrysalis
Producer
Robbie Williams chronology
Life thru a Lens
(1997)
I've Been Expecting You
(1998)
Singles from Life thru a Lens
  1. "Old Before I Die"
    Released: 14 April 1997
  2. "Lazy Days"
    Released: 14 July 1997
  3. "South of the Border"
    Released: 15 September 1997
  4. "Angels"
    Released: 1 December 1997
  5. "Let Me Entertain You"
    Released: 16 March 1998

Track listing

change
Life Thru a LensStandard edition
No. Title Length
1. "Lazy Days"   3:54
2. "Life thru a Lens"   3:07
3. "Ego A Go Go"   3:34
4. "Angels"   4:25
5. "South of the Border"   3:53
6. "Old Before I Die"   3:53
7. "One of God's Better People"   3:33
8. "Let Me Entertain You"   4:22
9. "Killing Me"   3:56
10. "Clean"   3:55
11. "Baby Girl Window"   3:18
12. "Hello Sir" (hidden track[note 1]) 1:27
Total length:
52:46
Life Thru a LensJapanese edition bonus tracks
No. Title Length
13. "Teenage Millionaire"   3:11
14. "She Makes Me High"   3:23
15. "Hello Sir" (hidden track[note 1]) 1:27
16. "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" (hidden track[source?]) 3:03
Total length:
56:57
Life Thru a LensRW 25th Anniversary bonus DVD
No. Title Length
1. "Old Before I Die" (Live on TOTP)  
2. "Lazy Days" (Live on TOTP)  
3. "South of the Border" (Live on TOTP)  
4. "Angels" (Live on TOTP)  
5. "Angels" (Unplugged – live on TOTP)  
6. "The Full Monty Medley" (with Tom Jones) (Live at the Brit Awards)  
7. "Michael Parkinson Interview"    
8. "Let Me Entertain You" (Live on TOTP)  
9. "Killing Me" (Live on TOTP)  
CD2 - Life On The Flipside; B-Sides and Bonus TracksRW 25th Anniversary
No. Title Length
1. "Freedom" (Full Length Version) 5:52
2. "Better Days"   3:30
3. "Average B Side"   2:58
4. "Making Plans For Nigel"   4:04
5. "Kooks"   2:33
6. "Teenage Millionaire"   3:10
7. "Falling In Bed (Again)"   3:29
8. "She Makes Me High"   3:23
9. "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye"   3:03
10. "Lazy Days" (Original Version) 4:30
11. "Cheap Love Song"   4:10
12. "Walk This Sleigh"   2:58
13. "Karaoke Overkill"   3:29
14. "Get The Joke"   3:03
15. "Angels" (Acoustic) 4:27
16. "Angeles" (Spanish Version) 4:28
17. "Let Me Entertain You" (Full Length Version) 5:18
18. "The Full Monty Medley" (with Tom Jones) (Live at the Brit Awards) 5:28
19. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing"   3:08
20. "Iam The (Res)Erection"   3:49
Total length:
77:00
CD3 - Work In Progress: The Making of Life Thru A LensRW 25th Anniversary
No. Title Length
1. "Freedom" (Ambient Mix) 5:34
2. "Freedom" (New Sound Dub) 11:14
3. "Hey Little Girl" (Axis Studios Demo, October/November 1996) 4:04
4. "Clean" (Axis Studios Demo, October/November 1996) 4:12
5. "Old Before I Die" (Crescent Moon Studios Demo, October 1996) 4:03
6. "Lazy Days" (Tower Studios Demo, January 1997) 3:54
7. "Angels" (Tower Studios Demo, January 1997) 4:19
8. "Red Lights" (Tower Studios Demo, January 1997) 2:58
9. "Average B Side" (Westside Studios Demo, February 1997) 3:00
10. "Teenage Millionaire" (Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997) 2:24
11. "South Of The Border" (Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997) 4:03
12. "Killing Me" (Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997) 3:56
13. "Life Thru A Lens" (Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997) 3:15
14. "South Of The Border" (Mother's Milkin' It Mix) 7:09
15. "Let Me Entertain You" (The Bizarro Mix) 5:54
Total length:
70:07
CD4 - Life On The StageRW 25th Anniversary
No. Title Length
1. "Let Me Entertain You" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 7:24
2. "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Things" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 3:14
3. "Clean" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 3:47
4. "South Of The Border" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:06
5. "Average B Side" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 3:21
6. "Baby Girl Window" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 3:37
7. "One Of God's Better People" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 3:13
8. "There She Goes" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 2:56
9. "Killing Me" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:06
10. "Life thru A Lens" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:07
11. "Teenage Millionaire" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 3:51
12. "Lazy Days" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 6:22
13. "Ego A Go Go" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:41
14. "Old Before I Die" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:51
15. "Angels" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:51
16. "Back For Good" (Live At The Forum, London, UK/1998) 4:09
Total length:
68:46

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Hello Sir" is a hidden track on the original compact disc version of the album. It is a spoken word lyric poem addressed to a former schoolteacher.[5]

References

change
  1. Bush, John. "Life Thru a Lens – Robbie Williams". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
  2. Fawthrop, Peter. "Ronan – Ronan Keating". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 February 2021. while Robbie Williams went all out with an egocentric rock album and became a British landmark
  3. 3.0 3.1 Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  4. Ranking the top 10 Robbie Williams albums from worst to best
  5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kw711