About
Puttin’ on the Ritz appears on Swings Both Ways and pays tribute to one of the most recognisable standards in swing history. Written by Irving Berlin in 1927 and popularised by Fred Astaire, the song became a touchstone of the era’s sophistication and wit. Robbie Williams recorded his version for the album as both an homage to the golden age of Hollywood and a celebration of the music that first inspired his love of swing.
Williams said, “I think if you distilled what a swing album should be, it would sound like Puttin’ on the Ritz.” He first encountered the song as a child watching Mel Brooks’s film Young Frankenstein, in which it is performed comically by Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle. Later he discovered its original renditions by Astaire and others, linking the tune to fond memories of sitting at his nan’s house watching old musicals on television. He described recording the song as “a chance to revisit something that feels like home.”
The arrangement, created by Steve Sidwell, mirrors the big-band splendour of the 1930s while giving the piece a fresh vitality. The tempo is brisk, the brass bright, and Williams’s delivery mixes charisma with self-deprecating charm. Lyrically, the song’s celebration of dressing up and “mixing with those millionaires” aligns perfectly with Williams’s lifelong fascination with show business and glamour.
“I think if you distilled what a swing album should be, it would sound like Puttin’ on the Ritz. I remember watching Fred Astaire’s version at my nan’s, eating doughnuts on the sofa. This song has been with me ever since.”Robbie Williams
Puttin’ on the Ritz became one of the standout live moments of the Swings Both Ways tour, featuring tap dancers, top hats and Williams’s tongue-in-cheek imitation of Astaire’s footwork. His performance on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing final was widely praised for capturing the song’s timeless glamour. Blending nostalgia with theatrical flair, Williams’s version reaffirmed his natural affinity for the swing genre and his gift for turning classic material into lively modern entertainment.
Lyrics
Upon Lennox Avenue
On that famous thoroughfare
With their noses in the air
High hats and coloured collars
White spats and fifteen dollars
Spending every dime on a wonderful time
If you're blue and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where Harlem flits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Spangled gowns upon the bevy of high browns
Down the levy all misfits
Put-tin' on the Ritz
That's where each and every lulu-belle goes
Every Thursday evening with her swell beaus
rubbin' elbows.
Come with me and we'll attend their jubilee and
See them spend their last two bits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Have you seen the well-to-do
Upon Lennox Avenue
On that famous thoroughfare
With their noses in the air
High hats and coloured collars
White spats and fifteen dollars
Spending every dime for a wonderful time
If you're blue and you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits
Put-tin' on the Ritz
Spangled gowns upon the bevy of high browns
From down the levy all misfits
Puttin' on the Ritz
That's where each and every lulu-belle goes
Every Thursday evening with her swell beaus
Rubbin' elbows
Come with me and we'll attend their jubilee
And see them spend their last two bits
Puttin' on the Ritz
Credits
-
Vocalist
Robbie Williams -
Songwriter
Irving Berlin -
Original Artist
Fred Astaire