Rudolph

Rudolph is an original composition from the first disc of The Christmas Present, released in 2019. The song was written by Robbie Williams with Calvin Harris, Richard Scott and Danny Spencer. It incorporates melodic elements from the 1965 French television theme The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, composed by Robert Mellin and Gian Piero Reverberi, and the Ukrainian carol Carol of the Bells by Mykola Leontovych.

The track blends these recognisable motifs into a pop swing arrangement. Richard Scott proposed combining the two themes, shaping the song’s distinctive structure. The production features prominent bells, sweeping strings and choral backing, creating a cinematic atmosphere aligned with the album’s orchestral style.

Lyrically, Rudolph follows Santa’s journey with playful internal rhymes and geographical references, including the line “Down to Cannes and Kazakhstan.” Williams delivers the vocal with theatrical exuberance, matching the grand scale of the arrangement. The song reflects his stated intention to craft new Christmas music that feels instantly familiar.

I think the big trick about writing Christmas songs is writing songs that you think you’ve heard before, and quite literally in Rudolph, there are elements of songs that you have heard before.Robbie Williams

By combining established seasonal melodies with original lyrics and contemporary production, Rudolph stands as one of the more inventive tracks on The Christmas Present, illustrating Williams’ approach to updating traditional festive forms with humour and spectacle.