About
Time for Change opened the Christmas Future disc of Robbie Williams’s double album The Christmas Present, released on 22 November 2019. Issued as the lead single the same day, it charted at number 33 in Belgium and number 89 in Germany.
Written by Williams with Guy Chambers, Karl Brazil and Tom Longworth, the track was produced to evoke a classic, orchestral Christmas mood. Bells, strings and a children’s choir are used with restraint, aiming for seasonal warmth rather than pastiche.
Lyrically, Time for Change balances reflection and resolve. It considers family ritual, small acts of generosity and the pull of memory, while keeping its refrain focused on hope. The bridge swells to a choral peak before Williams lands the line “It’s your year,” a neat statement of renewal.
“It is about optimism, melancholy, hope and hopefully joy. I wanted a song that sticks around forever and gets played once a year for the rest of my life.”Robbie Williams
The video, directed by Vaughan Arnell and filmed at Williams’s home in Wiltshire, plays on domestic scenes of Christmas morning, with light comic touches and family participation. Critics noted the sincerity of the arrangement and the clear, radio-friendly chorus, positioning the song as a contemporary addition to the festive canon.
While not a major chart hit, Time for Change set the emotional tenor for the album’s second half, establishing its blend of nostalgia, humour and heart.
Lyrics
For once in your life, let it be
Why don't you hand it all over
And sing it out loudly with me
Soon we will all be forgotten
But while we're all still here on earth
Sing about love and forget about loss
And shout for whatever you're worth
(Christmas time)
Come on, spread the word
(Christmas time)
Doesn't everyone hurt?
Do you remember the good old days
When all the children would cheer?
Well, the time's arrived my friends
Santa's nearly here
Christmas time, Christmas time
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Seasons come, seasons go, winter's song
A time for change is here
Mum's got a lot to get together
And Dad, he provides what he can
They've been saving up forever and ever and ever
Just to do it all over again
(Christmas time)
Got me dreaming of home
(Christmas time)
Fills my heart full of hope
Do you remember the good old days
When all the children would cheer?
Well, the time's arrived my friends
Santa's nearly here
Christmas time, Christmas time,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Seasons come, seasons go, winter's song
A time for change is here
A time for a change, must be here
So send all your loving out into the world
It's your year
Do you remember the good old days
When all the children would cheer?
Well, the time's arrived my friends
Santa's nearly here
Christmas time, Christmas time,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Seasons come, seasons go, winter's song
A time for change is here
Credits
-
Vocalist
Robbie Williams -
Songwriter
Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers, Tom Longworth, Karl Brazil -
Producer
Guy Chambers, Richard Flack