Life thru a Lens

After trying hard to find his own sound during a period of personal upheaval, Williams began recordings for the album at London's Maison Rouge studios in March 1997, shortly after his introduction to Guy Chambers. The title track, "Life thru a Lens" was written about his then-girlfriend Jacqueline Hamilton-Smith who was a socialite. It is often mistakenly attributed to Tara Palmer-Tompkinson, but they did not date until 2006. "Ego a Go Go" was written about Gary Barlow, "South of the Border" discusses Kate Moss, and "Baby Girl Window" was inspired by Samantha Beckinsale and her late father, actor Richard Beckinsale. "One of God's Better People" and "Angels" were inspired by Williams' mother, Jan. Hidden track "Hello, Sir" is a poem that takes a dig at one of Williams' former teachers. Williams reprised part of the poem on the 1 Giant Leap song "My Culture".

The sound of the album is influenced by Britpop, especially bands such as Oasis, a direction his former Take That bandmate Mark Owen had also chosen to pursue on his first solo album Green Man (1996). John Bush of AllMusic said that Life thru a Lens "continually betrays overt influences from Oasis and other Britpop stars, but triumphs nevertheless due to gorgeous production, Williams' irresistible personality, and the overall flavor of outrageous, utterly enjoyable pop music."

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/life-thru-a-lens-mw0000462941|title=Life Thru a Lens – Robbie Williams|last=Bush|first=John|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=1 April 2020}}

| rev2 = The Great Rock Discography

| rev2score = 7/10{{cite book |last1=Strong |first1=Martin C. |title=The Great Rock Discography |date=2006 |publisher=Canongate Books |location=Edinburgh |isbn=1-84195-827-1 |chapter=Robbie Williams |page=1,202}}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news|title=Robbie Williams: Life Thru a Lens (Chrysalis)|last=Sullivan|first=Caroline|work=The Guardian|date=26 September 1997}}

| rev4 = Music Week

| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine|first=|last=|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-20.pdf|title=Reviews: Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=20 September 1997|page=31|accessdate=13 September 2022}}

| rev5 = NME

| rev5score = 7/10{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101001264reviews.html|title=Robbie Williams – Life Thru A Lens (Chrysalis)|last=Cigarettes|first=Johnny|work=NME|date=27 September 1997|access-date=1 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816004041/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101001264reviews.html|archive-date=16 August 2000|url-status=dead}}

| rev6 = Paste

| rev6score = 7.0/10{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/robbie-williams/time-capsule-robbie-williams-life-thru-a-lens|title=Time Capsule: Robbie Williams, Life thru a Lens|website=Paste|last=Martin|first=Clare|date=18 January 2025|access-date=14 February 2025}}

| rev7 = Smash Hits

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|first=Alex|last=Needham|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/smashhits90s/35576898232/in/album-72157683066329024/|title=Albums|work=Smash Hits|date=24 September 1997|page=65|access-date=6 December 2024}}

| rev8 = The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music

| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=2000|edition=First|isbn=0-7535-0427-8|page=429}}

}}

Writing for Melody Maker in October 1997, Robin Bresnark gave Life thru a Lens a negative review; "There's nothing here... sure, Robbie Williams is as fascinating a hapless goon as we're ever likely to come across. But this album feels more like a press release than an album – and that's not what I call music."{{cite journal |first=Robin |last=Bresnark |title=Review: Robbie Williams – Life Thru A Lens, Chrysalis |journal=Melody Maker |issue=4 October 1997 |page=51}} However, John Bush of AllMusic was very positive in his four and a half stars out of five review, calling the album "excellent" and "one of the best U.K. debuts of the '90s".

Q ranked the album at number 43 in their 2004 list of "The 50 (+50) Best British Albums Ever"{{CN|date=December 2023}} and in their unordered 2005 list of the "Ultimate Music Collection".{{CN|date=December 2023}} Record Collector included the album in their unordered 2000 list of "10 Classic Albums from 21 Genres for the 21st Century",{{CN|date=December 2023}} whilst Robert Dimery included the album in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.{{cite book|author1=Robert Dimery|author2=Michael Lydon|title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition|date=23 March 2010|publisher=Universe|isbn=978-0-7893-2074-2}}

Martin C. Strong, writing in The Great Rock Discography, reflected that the general critical consensus on Life Thru a Lens was "that Williams was having the last laugh, beating his former Take That cronies hands down (both Gary Barlow and Mark Owen were taking the solo road with middling success) and winning over a cross section of musical palates with his irrepressible style." Colin Larkin of The Encyclopedia of Popular Music considers it an "excellent" album that eclipsed Barlow's album Open Road, "both musically and critically". Commenting on the album's music and it topping the UK charts 28 weeks after its initial release, Larkin wrote: "Never before had so many pundits and critics been proved so wrong." Rough Guides contributor Jane Holly writes that Life Thru a Lens shows "a wide mix of styles" from ballads to rockers.{{cite book |last1=Holly |first1=Jane |editor1-last=Buckley |editor1-first=Jonathan |editor2-last=Duane |editor2-first=Orla |editor3-last=Ellingham |editor3-first=Mark |editor4-last=Spicer |editor4-first=Al |title=The Rough Guide to Rock |date=1999 |publisher=Rough Guides |edition=2nd |location=London |isbn=1-85828-457-0 |pages=1,089-1,090 |chapter=Robbie Williams}}

Life thru a Lens was released in October 1997, not long after Williams's stint in rehab. It was launched with his first live solo gig at the Élysée Montmartre in Paris. At first, the album was slow to take off, debuting at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart, and falling to 104 not long after release, having sold a little over 30,000 copies.{{cite web|last=Scott |first=Paul |url=http://news.scotsman.com/robbiewilliams/Heavensent-hit-that-gave-Robbie.2438090.jp |title=Heaven-sent hit that gave Robbie solo wings – Scotsman.com News |publisher=News.scotsman.com |access-date=2011-09-28}} It reached the number one position after spending 27 weeks on the chart, as a consequence of the huge success of the "Angels" single, boosting the album's sales to 300,000.{{cite web|url=http://www.robbiewilliams.com/discography/albums/life-thru-a-lens|title=Life Thru a Lens|work=RobbieWilliams.com}} The album spent a total of 218 weeks on the chart and two weeks at number one, becoming the 58th best selling album of all time in the UK with sales of 2.4 million copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx |title=Certified Awards |publisher=British Phonographic Industry |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124005813/http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx |archive-date= 24 January 2013 }} Despite its success in Williams' homeland, the album failed to make a bigger impact in the international market. However, in Argentina, it reached the top ten in early 1998. Life thru a Lens has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and has been certified as 8× Platinum in the UK.

• "Old Before I Die", a track co-written by Williams, Eric Bazilian, and Desmond Child, was released as the album's lead single in April 1997, peaking at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song failed to make an impact in other international charts.
• "Lazy Days" was released as the album's second single in the summer of 1997, amidst Williams' battle with addiction. He was allowed to check out from rehab to shoot the video for the song. The single charted at number-eight in the United Kingdom but, because promotion was nonexistent, struggled to reach the top forty of any other European chart.
• "South of the Border" was released as the album's third single in September 1997. It failed to make a significant impact on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #14, and as such, many saw this as the end of Williams' solo career.{{cite web |url=http://rtl.musicbrigade.com/templates/ArtistPage____7326.aspx?View=4&ArtistID=5156 |title=Robbie Williams, "South of the Border" |publisher=Rtl.musicbrigade.com |access-date=2011-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626202205/http://rtl.musicbrigade.com/templates/ArtistPage____7326.aspx?View=4&ArtistID=5156 |archive-date=26 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}
• "Angels", a song penned by Williams and Guy Chambers, was released as the album's fourth single. The decision to release the song came after Williams met the record company to discuss concerns about his future. The single was released in December 1997, soon becoming Williams' best selling-single in the United Kingdom, being certified 2× Platinum by the BPI.[http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=27952 BPI Certification for "Angels"] The song became a hit around Europe and Latin America and sold almost two million copies worldwide, rocketing sales of his album.
• "Let Me Entertain You" was released as the album's fifth and final single in March 1998. It peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of Williams' signature songs and being the opening song for most of Williams' concerts throughout his career.

{{Track listing

| headline = Life Thru a Lens – {{nobold|Standard edition}}

| total_length = 52:46

| title1 = Lazy Days

| writer1 = {{hlist|Robbie Williams|Guy Chambers}}

| length1 = 3:54

| title2 = Life thru a Lens

| writer2 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length2 = 3:07

| title3 = Ego a Go Go

| writer3 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length3 = 3:34

| title4 = Angels

| writer4 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length4 = 4:25

| title5 = South of the Border

| writer5 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length5 = 3:53

| title6 = Old Before I Die

| writer6 = {{hlist|Williams|Desmond Child|Eric Bazilian}}

| length6 = 3:53

| title7 = One of God's Better People

| writer7 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length7 = 3:33

| title8 = Let Me Entertain You

| writer8 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length8 = 4:22

| title9 = Killing Me

| writer9 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length9 = 3:56

| title10 = Clean

| writer10 = {{hlist|Williams|Antony Genn|Martin Slattery|Richard Hawley}}

| length10 = 3:55

| title11 = Baby Girl Window

| writer11 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length11 = 3:18

| title12 = Hello Sir

| note12 = hidden track{{refn|group=note|name=hellosir|"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.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kw711 | title=BBC Radio 4 - Mastertapes, Series 3, Robbie Williams (A-Side), Robbie Williams performs 'hidden' poem, Hello Sir | date=4 November 2013 }}}}

| writer12 = Williams

| length12 = 1:27

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Life Thru a Lens – {{nobold|Japanese edition bonus tracks}}

| total_length = 56:57

| title13 = Teenage Millionaire

| writer13 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length13 = 3:11

| title14 = She Makes Me High

| writer14 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers|Gary Nuttall}}

| length14 = 3:23

| title15 = Hello Sir

| note15 = hidden track{{refn|group=note|name=hellosir}}

| writer15 = Williams

| length15 = 1:27

| title16 = Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

| note16 = hidden track{{cn|date=March 2024}}

| writer16 = {{hlist|Cole Porter}}

| length16 = 3:03

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Life Thru a Lens – {{nobold|RW 25th Anniversary bonus DVD}}

| total_length =

| title1 = Old Before I Die

| note1 = live on TOTP

| title2 = Lazy Days

| note2 = live on TOTP

| title3 = South of the Border

| note3 = live on TOTP

| title4 = Angels

| note4 = live on TOTP

| title5 = Angels

| note5 = unplugged – live on TOTP

| title6 = The Full Monty Medley

| note6 = with Tom Jones; live at the Brit Awards

| title7 = Michael Parkinson Interview

| title8 = Let Me Entertain You

| note8 = live on TOTP

| title9 = Killing Me

| note9 = live on TOTP

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD2 - Life On The Flipside; B-Sides and Bonus Tracks – {{nobold|RW 25th Anniversary}}

| total_length = 77:00

| title1 = Freedom! '90 (George Michael cover)

| note1 =

| writer1 = George Michael

| length1 = 5:52

| title2 = Better Days

| writer2 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length2 = 3:30

| title3 = Average B Side

| writer3 = {{hlist|Williams|Kevin King}}

| length3 = 2:58

| title4 = Making Plans for Nigel

| writer4 = Colin Moulding

| length4 = 4:04

| title5 = Kooks

| writer5 = David Bowie

| length5 = 2:33

| title6 = Teenage Millionaire

| writer6 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length6 = 3:10

| title7 = Falling in Bed (Again)

| writer7 = {{hlist|Williams|Matt Hay}}

| length7 = 3:29

| title8 = She Makes Me High

| writer8 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers|Nuttall}}

| length8 = 3:23

| title9 = Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

| writer9 = Porter

| length9 = 3:03

| title10 = Lazy Days

| note10 = original version

| writer10 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length10 = 4:30

| title11 = Cheap Love Song

| writer11 = {{hlist|Williams|Chris Abbott|Owen Morris}}

| length11 = 4:10

| title12 = Walk This Sleigh

| writer12 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length12 = 2:58

| title13 = Karaoke Overkill

| writer13 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length13 = 3:29

| title14 = Get the Joke

| writer14 = {{hlist|Williams|Nuttall}}

| length14 = 3:03

| title15 = Angels

| note15 = acoustic

| writer15 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length15 = 4:27

| title16 = Angeles

| note16 = Spanish version

| writer16 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length16 = 4:28

| title17 = Let Me Entertain You

| note17 = full length version

| writer17 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length17 = 5:18

| title18 = The Full Monty Medley

| note18 = with Tom Jones; live at the Brit Awards

| length18 = 5:28

| title19 = I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing

| writer19 = {{hlist|Neil Tennant|Chris Lowe}}

| length19 = 3:08

| title20 = I Am the (Res)Erection

| writer20 = {{hlist|Williams|Chambers}}

| length20 = 3:49

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD3 – Work in Progress: The Making of Life Thru a Lens – {{nobold|RW 25th Anniversary}}

| total_length = 70:07

| title1 = Freedom

| note1 = Ambient Mix

| length1 = 5:34

| title2 = Freedom

| note2 = New Sound Dub

| length2 = 11:14

| title3 = Hey Little Girl

| note3 = Axis Studios demo, October/November 1996

| length3 = 4:04

| title4 = Clean

| note4 = Axis Studios demo, October/November 1996

| length4 = 4:12

| title5 = Old Before I Die

| note5 = Crescent Moon Studios demo, October 1996

| length5 = 4:03

| title6 = Lazy Days

| note6 = Tower Studios demo, January 1997

| length6 = 3:54

| title7 = Angels

| note7 = Tower Studios demo, January 1997

| length7 = 4:19

| title8 = Red Lights

| note8 = Tower Studios demo, January 1997

| length8 = 2:58

| title9 = Average B Side

| note9 = Westside Studios demo, February 1997

| length9 = 3:00

| title10 = Teenage Millionaire

| note10 = Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997

| length10 = 2:24

| title11 = South of the Border

| note11 = Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997

| length11 = 4:03

| title12 = Killing Me

| note12 = Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997

| length12 = 3:56

| title13 = Life Thru a Lens

| note13 = Rehearsal Recordings, Spring 1997

| length13 = 3:15

| title14 = South of the Border

| note14 = Mother's Milkin' It Mix

| length14 = 7:09

| title15 = Let Me Entertain You

| note15 = The Bizarro Mix

| length15 = 5:54

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = CD4 – Life on the Stage – {{nobold|RW 25th Anniversary}}

| total_length = 68:46

| title1 = Let Me Entertain You

| note1 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length1 = 7:24

| title2 = I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Things

| note2 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length2 = 3:14

| title3 = Clean

| note3 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length3 = 3:47

| title4 = South of the Border

| note4 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length4 = 4:06

| title5 = Average B Side

| note5 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length5 = 3:21

| title6 = Baby Girl Window

| note6 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length6 = 3:37

| title7 = One of God's Better People

| note7 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length7 = 3:13

| title8 = There She Goes

| note8 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length8 = 2:56

| title9 = Killing Me

| note9 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length9 = 4:06

| title10 = Life thru a Lens

| note10 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length10 = 4:07

| title11 = Teenage Millionaire

| note11 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length11 = 3:51

| title12 = Lazy Days

| note12 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length12 = 6:22

| title13 = Ego a Go Go

| note13 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length13 = 4:41

| title14 = Old Before I Die

| note14 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length14 = 4:51

| title15 = Angels

| note15 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length15 = 4:51

| title16 = Back for Good

| note16 = live at the Forum, London, UK/1998

| length16 = 4:09

}}

Notes

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Robbie Williams – vocals, backing vocals
• Guy Chambers – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
• Chris Sharrock – drums, snare
• Andy Duncan – percussion
• Martin Slattery – keyboards
• Mark Feltham – harmonica
• Gary Nuttall – guitar, backing vocals
• Steve Power – keyboards, programming
• Geoff Dugmore – drums, percussion
• Steve Bush – programming
• Derek Watkins – trumpet
• Fil Eisler – guitar, bass guitar, tom-tom
• Mark Smith – bass guitar, programming
• Oscar O'Loughlin – guitar
• Mark Smith – guitar, programming
• Steve Sidwell – trumpet
• Chester Kamen – guitar
• Steve “Smiley” Barnard – drums, backing vocals
• Dave Catlin-Birch – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Kerry Hopwood – programming
• André Barreau – guitar, backing vocals
• Beverley Skeete – backing vocals
• Carroll Thompson – backing vocals
• Andy Caine – backing vocals
• Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals
• Nicole Patterson – backing vocals

{{div col end}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Life thru a Lens}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Australia|award=Gold|certyear=2006|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=24 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Belgium|award=Gold|certyear=2005|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=24 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Denmark|award=Gold|certyear=1998|certref={{cite web|url=https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1269134_56-robbie-williams-sales-award-life-thru-a-lens|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211124190457/https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/1269134_56-robbie-williams-sales-award-life-thru-a-lens|archive-date=24 November 2021|url-status=dead|title=Robbie Williams: Life Thru A Lens – August 1998 Certified by IFPI Denmark No. 1998/43|publisher=Liveauctioneers.com|access-date=24 November 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Germany|award=Gold|certyear=2023|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=27 May 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Ireland|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=1999|certref={{cite web|url=http://eil.com/Shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=186059|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050510054502/http://eil.com/Shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=186059|archive-date=10 May 2005|url-status=dead|title=Official 1999 I.R.M.A. Certified Quadruple Platinum Award – Robbie Williams: Life Thru A Lens|publisher=Eil.com|access-date=24 November 2021}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Netherlands|award=Gold|certyear=2001|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=24 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=New Zealand|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1999|certref={{cite book|first=Dean|last=Scapolo|title=The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006|publisher=Maurienne House|year=2007|isbn=978-1-877443-00-8}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Switzerland|award=Gold|certyear=2004|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=24 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=United Kingdom|award=Platinum|number=8|certyear=2003|id=3852-2807-2|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=24 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Summary}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|relyear=1997|relmonth=9|region=Europe|award=Platinum|number=3|certyear=2002|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Life Thru A Lens|access-date=24 November 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Robbie Williams}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1997 debut albums

Category:Robbie Williams albums

Category:EMI Records albums

Category:Britpop albums

Category:Albums produced by Guy Chambers

Category:Power pop albums by English artists