About
Robbie Williams performed White Christmas live on ITV’s Ant & Dec’s Christmas Show, broadcast in the UK in December 2001. The appearance formed part of the programme’s festive musical line up and coincided with the promotion of his swing material, which would be released the following year.
The rendition was arranged in a classic big band style, reflecting Williams’s growing interest in mid twentieth century standards. The performance featured live brass and rhythm sections, with Williams delivering the Irving Berlin song in a relaxed crooning style suited to televised variety formats.
Williams approached White Christmas as a traditional seasonal number, keeping close to the phrasing established by earlier interpreters while adding a lighter, conversational tone for the studio audience. The arrangement emphasised warmth and familiarity rather than stylistic reinvention.
It is all about having a bit of Christmas fun and doing songs that everyone knows.Robbie Williams
Although not issued as a single or included on a commercial release, the performance has been noted in broadcast rundowns and fan catalogues as an early televised example of Williams tackling classic standards. It contributed to the perception that his move into swing repertoire was already taking shape before the release of Swing When You’re Winning in 2001.
Lyrics
Be able to follow with the best of the business! [Dec]
Alright then! Well, eh... [Robbie]
What do you fancy [Dec]
I got it! [Robbie]
Are you ready? [Robbie]
Okay! [Ant]
Okay! [Robbie]
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh[Choir]
I'm dreaming of a white [Robbie]
A wop wop bow wop bow woppie doo bie dob bow [Choir]
He's dreaming, dreaming, dreaming, dream, dream, dream, dreaming [Choir]
A wop wop bow wop bow woppie doo bie dob bow [Choir]
Oy, aren't they good, are you liking that? [Ant]
Yeah, they're ace, aren't they [Ant]
You carry on Rob [Ant]
Anything you sing, they follow, anything you sing [Ant]
Okay, let me gather myself, here we go [Robbie]
Okay, to three [Robbie]
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas [Robbie]
He wants it white, not red or green [Choir]
The whitest Christmas he'd ever seen [Choir]
Yeaahh [Choir]
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh[Choir]
Just like the ones I used to know [Robbie]
That he used to know, used to know, used to know [Choir]
Ah wap wap boo wap boo wappie doo boo wap pow [Choir]
He really only used to know of white [Choir]
That's right, they where white, white, white [Choir]
Carry on Rob, we will follow [Ant]
Alright then! [Robbie]
Where the tree tops glisten and children listen [Robbie]
They listen, listen, they lis, lis, listen [Choir]
To hear [Robbie]
Lis, lis, listen [Choir]
Sorry man, they won't say another word [Ant]
You promise? [Robbie]
They won't say another word [Ant]
Not another word [Dec]
Okay [Robbie]
To hear the sleigh bells in the snow [Robbie]
Dong dong dong dong dong dong dong doooooong![Choir]
Dong dong dong dong dong dong dong doooooong![Choir]
I see what you did there! You didn't say a word, you just donged [Robbie]
Just donged a bit [Ant]
Yeah okay [Robbie]
To hear the sleigh bells in the snow [Robbie]
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow[Choir]
Ah fair enough [Robbie]
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow[Choir]
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow[Choir]
The snow, the snow, the snow snow snow [Choir]
The snow like Robbie used to know [Choir]
A rateketak rateketak rateketak [Choir]
A rateketak rateketak rateketak [Choir]
Where the tree tops glisten and children listen [Robbie]
To hear the sleigh bells in the snow [Robbie]
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow[Choir]
Children do you listen to sleigh bells ring[Choir]
Ding dong ding[Choir]
May your days be merry and bright [Robbie]
And may all your Christmas' be white Robbie
Credits
-
Vocalist
Robbie Williams -
Songwriter
Irving Berlin -
Original Artist
Bing Crosby