Teenage Millionaire (Rehearsal Recording, Spring 1997)

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Teenage Millionaire appears as a rehearsal recording on CD3 of the 25th anniversary edition of Life Thru a Lens. Recorded in spring 1997, the track documents the song in a near complete form, captured during run throughs rather than formal studio sessions. It reflects a period when Robbie Williams’ solo direction was rapidly crystallising.

The song was written by Williams with Guy Chambers and Chris Sharrock. By this stage, the Williams and Chambers partnership was firmly established, and the rehearsal recording shows a band already confident in the song’s structure and intent. Musically, it closely resembles the later released version, with only minor variations in delivery and arrangement.

This early take includes an alternate second verse that was removed before release. Lines referencing excess, notoriety and bravado underline the song’s satirical edge, presenting fame as chaotic and absurd rather than glamorous. Williams’ vocal is exaggerated and playful, leaning into caricature to emphasise the irony at the heart of the lyric.

Thematically, Teenage Millionaire explores the fantasy and volatility of sudden success, drawing on Williams’ own experiences of fame at a young age. In rehearsal form, the song feels particularly unfiltered, with humour and provocation pushed further than in the final edit. The looseness of the performance enhances its sense of recklessness.

Teenage Millionaire (Rehearsal Recording) stands as one of the most revealing documents from the album sessions. Its inclusion highlights how closely Williams’ personality and songwriting were aligned by early 1997, and how little separation existed between rehearsal and finished product. As an archival recording, it captures the confidence, satire and excess that would become defining traits of Williams’ early solo work.