Old Before I Die

Album: Life Thru A Lens (1997)
Charted: 2
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Songfacts®:

  • "Old Before I Die" can be seen as a response to The Who's "My Generation," which contains the line "I hope I die before I get old." Instead, Robbie Williams sings, "I hope I'm old before I die."

    Williams explained: "What is scary is that a lot of people do these songs that can be self-fulfilling prophecies about how they're going to die, or how they're going to end up when it happens to them. I genuinely want to be old when I die."
  • Robbie Williams wrote "Old Before I Die" in Miami alongside Desmond Child and Eric Bazilian (of The Hooters). It was the only successful song to emerge from the short-lived partnership, with Williams eventually flying back to London to work with The Lemon Trees' Guy Chambers.
  • Shot in February 1997, the David Mould-directed video sees Williams performing with a band of aging rock stars.
  • The Mexican artist Alejandra Guzmán recorded a cover of this song called "Quiero Vivir (I Want to Live)." Featured on her Grammy Award-winning album Soy, "Quiero Vivir" was produced by the aforementioned Desmond Child.
  • "Old Before I Die" was the first single released from Williams' debut solo album, Life Thru a Lens. The song, which peaked at #2 in the UK, heard Williams leaving behind the pop roots of Take That in order to embrace a rockier sound inspired by the likes of Oasis and Blur.

Comments: 1

  • Bettyblu from ParisThis song marks a new beginning for young Robbie. New look, new sound, and, hopefully, new fans. I think this is Robert Williams who finally expresses all his talent, which had been kept compressed by long-dated, disappointing Take That experience. We are not what the others define us, we are what we deserve to be. And Robbie Williams has always deserved to be the great pop star he has finally become
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