Lonestar Rising

About

Lone Star Rising was written by Robbie Williams, Kelvin Andrews and Danny Spencer, and produced by Soul Mekanik. It appeared as the B-side to “Rudebox” in 2006 and was later included on In and Out of Consciousness. The track continues the album’s experimental streak, blending electronic and country-inspired textures into a slow, atmospheric piece that contrasts sharply with the single it accompanied.

Williams’s vocal is filtered through light auto-tune, giving the song a ghostly, detached quality that suits its introspective lyrics. “The sun is shining, so why am I feeling the cold?” he asks, in one of his most melancholic refrains. The arrangement pairs a steady, spacious beat with mournful synths, evoking the sense of drifting through an empty landscape — the emotional isolation that often shadows fame.

“It’s one of those songs that just appeared out of nowhere. It’s not a single, it’s not a hit, but it’s a mood — and I like it for that.”Robbie Williams

Though not widely discussed or performed, Lone Star Rising has developed a small following among fans for its sombre tone and cinematic atmosphere. Its title and Western imagery suggest solitude and endurance, themes that run throughout Williams’s more reflective work. As a B-side, it stands as one of the more understated but revealing entries from the Rudebox sessions.