About
Idlewild appears as the second track on the Christmas Future disc of The Christmas Present, released in November 2019. Written by Robbie Williams with Karl Brazil and Tim Metcalfe, it offers a rock-influenced contrast to the record’s opening single Time for Change.
Williams described the song as the “companion” to Darkest Night, both drawn from the same period of reflection on his mid-1990s experiences. The title refers to a lost moment of youth and the “idle wild” energy of a life spent in motion. The arrangement, driven by guitars and drums, evokes the spirit of 1990s British pop-rock, recalling the swagger of his early solo years.
Lyrically, Idlewild is confessional, addressing a past relationship with regret and perspective. Lines such as “I never got to apologise about the man who made you sad” and “We drank into the morning light like we were never going home” link nostalgia with remorse. Its melody rises through the chorus into a chant-like refrain, balancing self-reproach with celebration.
“I managed to get two songs out of one experience. Idlewild is the companion for Darkest Night—same period, same time, same feel.”Robbie Williams
The track’s lively production and candid lyricism earned it praise from listeners who viewed it as a return to Williams’s storytelling roots. Though not overtly festive, its placement on The Christmas Present highlights the album’s broader theme of reflection and reconciliation.
Lyrics
Da da da da da da
Where we met on Christmas Eve
She's an aristo, I'm working class
And I've treated her real bad
I never got to apologise
About the man who made you sad
I knew I said a lot because I was wired
When you're young you're a machine
We were drinking with the Idlewild
In the days of speed, and we met on Christmas Eve
We drank into the morning light
Like we were never going home
And we sang a song a million sing
Just like we scored a goal
I must have made promises I couldn't keep
But if you trust a fool then a fool you will be
But I looked into your eyes and sold you a dream
Then we fled the scene, where we met on Christmas Eve
And then I moved into her big old house
I'd never been to St. John's Wood
There were movie stars and media types
We were all up to no good
And we all said a lot because we were wired
What a twisted web we weave
We were living with the Idlewild
In the days of speed, and we met on Christmas Eve
We drank into the morning light
Like we were never going home
And we sang a song a million sing
Just like we scored a goal
I must have made promises I couldn't keep
But if you trust a fool then a fool you will be
But I looked into your eyes and sold you a dream
Then we fled the scene, where we met on Christmas Eve
I know who you're with and I know where you are
I know you found love and you deserved it
I was just a kid, but I know what I did
I ask for forgiveness if I'm worth it
We drank into the morning light
Like we were never going home
And we sang a song a million sing
Just like we scored a goal
I must have made promises I couldn't keep
But if you trust a fool then a fool you will be
But I looked into your eyes and sold you a dream
Then we fled the scene, where we met on Christmas Eve
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Where we met on Christmas Eve
Da da da da da da
Da da da da da da
Where we met on Christmas Eve
Credits
-
Vocalist
Robbie Williams -
Producer
Guy Chambers, Richard Flack