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Old Before I Die

{{Short description|1997 single by Robbie Williams}}

{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Old Before I Die

| cover = Old Before I Die (Robbie Williams single - cover art).jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Robbie Williams

| album = Life thru a Lens

| B-side =

| released = {{start date|1997|4|14|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio = Matrix Maison Rouge (London, England)

| genre = Rock

| length = 3:50

| label = Chrysalis

| writer =

| producer =

| prev_title = Freedom

| prev_year = 1996

| next_title = Lazy Days

| next_year = 1997

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|mSCqeuaP3Lo|"Old Before I Die"}}}}

}}

"Old Before I Die" is a song by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released as the first single from his debut album, Life thru a Lens (1997). The Oasis-influenced song became a number-two hit in the United Kingdom and a number-one hit in Spain following its release on 14 April 1997. Williams wrote the song along with Desmond Child and Eric Bazilian, with production by Guy Chambers and Steve Power.

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media commented, "Williams certainly can't be accused of playing it safe in the wake of his departure from U.K popsters Take That. Instead, post-Freedom, he's opted for a radical change of musical direction. Gone is the sweet, middle of the road style, in favour of a solid and confident rock sound, somewhat reminiscent of his new pals, Oasis."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-10.pdf|title=Airborne|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=19|page=20|date=10 May 1997|access-date=8 December 2020}} A reviewer from Music Week rated the song four out of five, describing it as "a confidently composed return from the former Take That man, boasting a strong vocal, tuneful Beatlesesque melody and a ILR-friendly hook. On this evidence, Owen, Barlow and co may be left in Williams shadow."{{cite magazine|first=|last=|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-04-05.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=5 April 1997|page=28|accessdate=15 May 2022}} The magazine's Martin Aston complimented it as "pure Britpop/Beatles swagger and crunch."{{cite magazine|first=Martin|last=Aston|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-09-13.pdf|title=Robbie Williams — Painful Journey To A New Sound And Image|magazine=Music Week|date=13 September 1997|page=27|accessdate=13 September 2022}} Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror noted that the singer "has come up with some magic tracks", adding that songs like this are "stadium thrillers".Hyland, Ian (28 September 1997). "You've Gotta Hand It to the Club Master". Sunday Mirror.

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. It features Robbie Williams performing for the camera with ageing rock stars as his backing band, and some fade-ins by the cameraman. There are also shots of Williams flying through the air.

Track listings

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{{col-2}}

  • UK CD1{{cite AV media notes|title=Old Before I Die|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=UK CD1 liner notes|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=CDCHS 5055, 7243 8 83846 2 9}}
  1. "Old Before I Die"
  2. "Better Days"
  3. "Average B Side"
  • UK CD2{{cite AV media notes|title=Old Before I Die|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=UK CD2 liner notes|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=CDCHSS 5055, 7243 8 83847 2 8}}
  1. "Old Before I Die"
  2. "Making Plans for Nigel"
  3. "Kooks"
  • UK cassette single{{cite AV media notes|title=Old Before I Die|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=UK cassette single sleeve|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=TCCHS 5055, 7243 8 83846 4 3}}
  1. "Old Before I Die"
  2. "Making Plans for Nigel"
  3. "Better Days"
  • European CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Old Before I Die|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=European CD single liner notes|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=7243 8 83823 2 8}}
  1. "Old Before I Die"
  2. "Average B Side"

{{col-2}}

  • Australian CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Old Before I Die|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=Australian CD single liner notes|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=8838222}}
  1. "Old Before I Die"
  2. "Kooks"
  3. "Average B Side"
  4. "Making Plans for Nigel"
  5. "Better Days"
  • Japanese mini-album{{cite AV media notes|title=Old Before I Die|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=Japanese mini-album liner notes|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=TOCP-40019}}
  1. "Old Before I Die"
  2. "Kooks"
  3. "Average B Side"
  4. "Making Plans for Nigel"
  5. "Better Days"
  6. "Freedom"

{{col-end}}

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Life thru a Lens album booklet.{{cite AV media notes|title=Life thru a Lens|title-link=Life thru a Lens|others=Robbie Williams|year=1997|type=UK CD album booklet|publisher=Chrysalis Records|id=CDCHR 6127, 7243 8 21313 2 8}}

Studios

  • Recorded at Matrix Maison Rouge (London, England)
  • Mixed at Battery Studios (London, England)

Personnel

{{div col}}

  • Robbie Williams – writing, vocals, backing vocals
  • Desmond Child – writing
  • Eric Bazilian – writing
  • Steve McEwan – backing vocals, guitar
  • Guy Chambers – guitar, keyboards, production, arrangement
  • Fil Eisler – guitar, bass
  • Steve Power – keyboards, production, mixing
  • Geoff Dugmore – drums, percussion
  • Jim Brumby – Battery Studios assistant
  • Matt Hay – Matrix Maison Rouge assistant

{{div col end}}

Charts

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=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1997)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/2a6YppC.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 24 Aug 1997|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|via=Imgur|access-date=11 February 2016}}

|56

{{single chart|Austria|30|artist=Robbie Williams|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Flanders|47|artist=Robbie Williams|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-03.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=18|page=20|date=3 May 1997|access-date=16 December 2020}}

|15

scope="row"|Europe (European Hit Radio){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-10.pdf|title=EHR Top 50|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=19|date=10 May 1997|page=25|access-date=10 April 2024}}

|6

{{single chart|Germany|37|songid=3446|artist=Robbie Williams|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Hungary (Mahasz){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-24.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=21|page=14|date=24 May 1997|access-date=6 May 2018}}

|2

scope="row"|Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40){{cite news|url=https://timarit.is/page/2954851#page/n1/mode/2up|title=Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 222 Vikuna 22.5. '97 – 28.5. '97)|work=DV|language=is|page=16|date=23 May 1997|access-date=12 July 2018}}

|23

{{single chart|Ireland2|11|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite web|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php|title=Classifiche|work=Musica e dischi|language=it|access-date=28 May 2022}} Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Robbie Williams".

|align="center"|23

scope="row"|Italy Airplay (Music & Media){{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1997/MM-1997-05-31.pdf|title=Major Market Airplay: Italy|magazine=Music & Media|volume=14|issue=22|page=31|date=31 May 1997}}

| 3

{{single chart|Dutch40|32|artist=Robbie Williams|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|53|artist=Robbie Williams|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Scotland|1|date=19970426|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE){{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

|1

{{single chart|Switzerland|33|artist=Robbie Williams|song=Old Before I Die|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|2|date=19970426|rowheader=true|access-date=2 July 2019}}

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=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1997)

!Position

scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC){{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles 1997|magazine=Music Week|page=27|date=17 January 1998}}{{cite web|url=http://hosting1642755.az.pl/sp%20uk%20best%201997.html|title=Najlepsze single na UK Top 40–1997|language=pl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150604144848/http://hosting1642755.az.pl/sp%20uk%20best%201997.html|archive-date=4 June 2015|access-date=2 July 2019}}

|79

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Robbie Williams|title=Old Before I Die|award=Silver|relyear=1997|certyear=2019|id=15513-533-1|access-date=16 December 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|14 April 1997

|{{hlist|CD|cassette}}

|rowspan="2"|Chrysalis

|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1997/Music-Week-1997-04-12.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=41|date=12 April 1997|access-date=7 June 2021}}

scope="row"|Japan

|21 May 1997

|CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/188736/products/262245/1/|title=オールド・ビフォー・アイ・ダイ {{!}} ロビー・ウィリアムス|trans-title=Old Before I Die {{!}} Robbie Williams|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=23 January 2024}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Robbie Williams singles}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1997 songs

Category:1997 singles

Category:Chrysalis Records singles

Category:English rock songs

Category:Number-one singles in Scotland

Category:Number-one singles in Spain

Category:Robbie Williams songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Guy Chambers

Category:Song recordings produced by Steve Power

Category:Songs written by Desmond Child

Category:Songs written by Eric Bazilian

Category:Songs written by Robbie Williams

he:Life thru a Lens#Old Before I Die