You Got Old

About

You Got Old was released as the B-side to Robbie Williams’ 2013 single Go Gentle, taken from his album Swings Both Ways. It marked the final time a Robbie Williams single was issued on CD, making this track one of the last physical-only exclusives in his catalogue. The duet features Williams’ long-time friend and stage partner Johnny Wilkes, with whom he had previously recorded Me and My Shadow for Swing When You’re Winning.

Written by Williams, Kelvin Andrews, Richard Scott and Scott Ralph, You Got Old continues the pair’s tradition of tongue-in-cheek swing numbers. Recorded during sessions for Swings Both Ways, it showcases the same orchestral production style and playful banter that characterised the parent album. Its arrangement includes brassy big-band flourishes and a comic call-and-response vocal exchange between the two performers.

Lyrically, the song deals with ageing and male vanity in typically self-mocking fashion. Lines such as “Keep your clothes on since everything’s shrunk” and “There’s ladies who think I’m a hunk, are they religious, ‘cause your hair’s like a monk” capture the duo’s affectionate humour. The song’s refrain—spelling out its title in deliberately muddled fashion—underlines its cabaret tone. Both singers trade gentle insults, turning the subject of getting older into light entertainment rather than lament.

“He asked everyone to get old with him. He knew it was inevitable. Some of us already started that way.”Robbie Williams Rewind podcast

Although not included on any official album or streaming service, You Got Old is remembered fondly by fans for its warmth and comic charm. It stands as a nostalgic postscript to Williams’ swing collaborations with Wilkes, combining showmanship and friendship in equal measure.