Angels (Tower Studios Demo, January 1997)

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Angels in its Tower Studios demo form appears on CD3 of the 25th anniversary edition of Life Thru a Lens. Recorded in January 1997, the demo documents the song at an early stage, before it was fully produced and released later that year as the single that would transform Robbie Williams’ solo career.

The demo was recorded at Tower Studios in London and written by Williams with Guy Chambers. It reflects the earliest period of their collaboration, when ideas were being shaped quickly and informally. This version is more restrained than the final release, with a simpler arrangement and a slightly slower tempo, allowing the song’s structure to be heard without later production layers.

Lyrically, the song is largely intact, though phrasing and emphasis differ in places. The absence of the dramatic guitar line and full band arrangement gives the demo a quieter, more reflective tone. Williams’ vocal is intimate and understated, placing focus on the melody and the reassurance at the heart of the lyric rather than the anthemic qualities that would later define the track.

I remember holding the tape of Angels and thinking that everything could changeRobbie Williams

The Tower Studios demo holds particular significance as a snapshot of possibility rather than outcome. It captures Angels before its commercial impact was known, as a simple song built on melody and sentiment. Its inclusion on the anniversary edition provides insight into how a modest acoustic style was developed into one of the most enduring British pop singles of the 1990s, and into the formative stages of Williams’ partnership with Chambers.