"South of the Border" | ||||
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Single by Robbie Williams | ||||
from the album Life thru a Lens | ||||
B-side | "Cheap Love Song" | |||
Released | 15 September 1997 [1] | |||
Studio | Matrix Maison Rouge (London, England) | |||
Length |
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Label | Chrysalis | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Robbie Williams singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"South of the Border" on YouTube |
"South of the Border" is a song by English recording artist Robbie Williams, released as the third single from his debut studio album, Life thru a Lens (1997). The song reached No. 14 on the UK Singles Chart, his only single to miss the top 10 until "Sin Sin Sin" in 2006. This was the only Life Thru a Lens single that did not appear on Williams' Greatest Hits album (2004).
According to his home page, at the last second, Williams changed his mind and made this his single. This explains why the video is uncohesive and mostly a performance shoot. Williams has stated that the song was inspired by Kate Moss, giving way to the opening line "I know a freaky young lady name of cocaine Katie" (the line is changed to "no shame Katie" on the single version). After a few relatively unknown songs parallel to Gary Barlow's career and "South of the Border" failing, many thought this was the end of Williams. [2]
A reviewer from Music Week rated the song three out of five, adding that "though fairly flat in its radio version, this single will only benefit from the superior house and garage mixes getting the play in clubs." [3] The magazine's Martin Aston described it as "a touch of the funky Black Grapes and bluesy Ocean Colour Scene", "with lippy, declamatory vocals." [4] Claudia Connell from News of the World felt that the song "is powerful and up-beat, in contrast to the more relaxed [previous single] Lazy Days. There are clear rap influences-Robbie's own favourite music-and a mean and moody edge to his vocals. Taken from the forthcoming album Life Thru' A Lens , Robbie has shown that, unlike some of his former Take That colleagues, he isn't afraid to develop and move on." [5]
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Credits are taken from the Life thru a Lens album booklet. [11]
Studios
Personnel
Chart (1997) | Peak position |
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Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [12] | 74 |
Scotland (OCC) [13] | 11 |
UK Singles (OCC) [14] | 14 |
"Rock DJ" is a song by English singer and songwriter Robbie Williams, featured on his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000). The song was released on 31 July 2000 as the lead single from the album. It samples Barry White's song "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me", "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe Called Quest and has a quote from "La Di Da Di" by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh.
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"Angels" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was included on Williams's debut solo album, Life thru a Lens (1997), and released as a single on 1 December 1997. "Angels" was written by Williams and Guy Chambers, based on an earlier song written by Ray Heffernan.
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"Sexed Up" is a song by British pop singer Robbie Williams, released as the fourth and last single from his album Escapology in November 2003. It was originally recorded for Natalie Imbruglia, who turned it down. Williams had earlier released it in 1998 in demo form as the B-side to his single "No Regrets".
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