Let's Not Go Shopping

Let’s Not Go Shopping was released in 2019 as a promotional single from The Christmas Present. Written by Robbie Williams with Kelvin Andrews and Danny Spencer, the song is one of the album’s original compositions. It was first mentioned publicly during a YouTube live session in 2018, when Williams jokingly stopped himself from previewing it, suggesting it might otherwise end up in an advert.

The track was written and produced in collaboration with Williams’ long time Stoke on Trent partners. Inspired by his own dislike of Christmas shopping, the lyric turns festive consumerism into comic subject matter. Williams later remarked, “Shopping’s not my favourite thing to do. Fortunately, I have a wife that takes care of everything, and I pay for it.”

Musically, Let’s Not Go Shopping draws on mid century big band traditions, featuring jaunty brass, rhythm guitar and a lively swing arrangement. Its refrain contrasts with the more sentimental moments on the album, favouring humour over nostalgia. Lines such as “No retail tension, no stress or strife, just do it online” frame the song as a light hearted rejection of seasonal excess.

It’s about the materialism of Christmas and the act of going out there amongst all those people that are cramming in all their shopping because it’s too late. It’s not a pleasurable experience.Robbie Williams

Balancing vintage swing style with contemporary satire, Let’s Not Go Shopping stands out among the original material on The Christmas Present for its wit and observational humour.