Be a Boy

About

Be a Boy opens Take the Crown and was later issued as its third single in March 2013 as a digital-only release. Written by Robbie Williams with Tim Metcalfe and Flynn Francis, and produced by Jacknife Lee, it set the tone for the album’s assertive pop revival. Although it did not chart in the UK, the single reached number 11 in Belgium and number 52 in the Netherlands.

Williams said the track was inspired by critics who had declared his career over. Lines such as “They said it was leaving me, the magic was leaving me” served as a defiant statement of intent following his reunion with Take That and his subsequent return to solo work. He described it as a “song of empowerment” and “a reminder to myself that I’m still in the game.” The track’s blend of anthemic electronic pop and confident lyrics made it an ideal album opener.

Recorded in California, the production combines driving synths, layered harmonies and a soaring chorus, recalling the 1980s influences that run through much of Take the Crown. The song’s upbeat tone contrasts with the more introspective work of his previous album, positioning Williams once again as a mainstream pop performer unafraid of self-reinvention.

“Hopefully it makes you go, ‘This ain’t over, I’m no joke, I’m back to reclaim what once was mine.’ It’s a big, warm, electronic sort of meditation.”Robbie Williams

Although not a major commercial hit, Be a Boy was widely praised by fans as a strong statement of renewal and as one of Williams’s most confident album openers. Its optimistic energy underscored his determination to prove that the “magic” of his earlier years remained fully intact.