Robbie Williams’ comeback single Party Like A Russian mocks Vladimir Putin and he even had to censor cheeky lyrics
The Take That star's track 'Party Like A Russian' is bound to stir up some trouble
ROBBIE WILLIAMS was never going to make a comeback without causing some trouble.
And he might want to avoid a trip to Eastern Europe after the release of new single Party Like A Russian today.
The track is an audacious, tongue-in-cheek take-down of Russian president VLADIMIR PUTIN and his chums, which kicks off with the line: “It takes a certain kind of man with a certain reputation to alleviate the cash from a whole entire nation, take my loose change and build my own space station.”
Robbie Williams claims he may have offended the whole of Russia with his new tune
But even these lyrics are not a patch on his original version.
In an exclusive chat, Robbie said he had to censor the song to avoid becoming a target in Russia.
He told me: “I had to chisel and whittle at the lyrics.
"There’s 147million people in Russia and I don’t want to upset them in any way and I don’t know what kind of sense of humour they’ve got.
"I’m not making fun of anybody but I had to take a few things out just to make it more PC — and this is the PC version you’re getting.”
The single is one of Robbie’s quirkiest songs, featuring reggae-inspired vocals and a sample from SERGEI PROKOFIEV’s Romeo And Juliet, which many will recognise as the theme tune to TV’s The Apprentice.
Robbie is notorious for his cheeky lyrics and in another line he sings: “I put a bank inside a car inside a plane inside a boat, it takes half the western world just to keep my ship afloat, and I never ever smile unless there’s something to promote.”
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But when I asked whether he was worried about being put on Putin’s hit-list, he said: “I doubt that very much. I hope not.
“I think the spirit of the record is saying party like a Russian. And we as Brits or you as a New Zealander think that we party really hard.
“I can assure you we’re nothing compared to the Russians who are ridiculously good partiers.”
Robbie should know. Last month he was paid £1.6million to sing at the wedding of a Russian oil magnate’s daughter.
The Brit star will crown his comeback with the release of 11th studio album Heavy Entertainment Show on November 4.
And he hopes his new tunes will stand out from the current crop of pop stars, who he finds a little stale. He said: “There doesn’t seem to be a lot of personality out there.
“There should be a LIAM GALLAGHER making music and being dangerous. Everyone seems to be politicking and sticking to scripts.
“We seem to be getting Olympic-scale pop stars. They’re great too and a sight to behold, but I like my pop with dysfunction.”
He can say that again.
Bully for them
TEAM GB’s gold medal- winning women’s hockey team are eyeing their next big prize – a Christmas No1.
They feature on GARETH MALONE’s festive album, out on December 2, singing O Come All Ye Faithful with the London Youth Choir.
It came about after forward HANNAH MACLEOD joked on Twitter that they could be the maestro’s new project as they struggled with the national anthem in Rio.
Choirmaster Gareth had festive No1s with MILITARY WIVES CHOIR in 2011 and last year with LEWISHAM & GREENWICH NHS CHOIR.
Cheer we go, Louisa
LOUISA JOHNSON clearly has her sights set on the US market, judging by her latest outfit.
The X Factor winner, dresses up as a cheerleader in my exclusive picture from Notion magazine.
Wearing a red latex bra and thigh-skimming skirt, she looks a world away from the shy teen who tells the magazine she was plagued by body insecurities growing up.
She said: “I always hated how skinny I was. All I wanted was some curves.”
She’s certainly come out of her shell now.
In one track off her upcoming debut album, Louisa, shot here by photographer Rebecca Naen, refers to waking up “hungover and horny”.
She explains: “Boys can sing about stuff like that, so why can’t girls?”
Mentor RITA ORA will be proud.
Cumb-fortably numb
THIS is the moment BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH cranks up his photobombing selfies.
The Sherlock star crashed a gig by DAVID GILMOUR, at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday.
As the rock legend performed PINK FLOYD classic Comfortably Numb, Benedict recited its verses in very sombre theatrical tones.
The unlikeliest collaboration in recent music history was all thanks to Benedict’s friendship with Dave’s wife, Polly Samson.
In 2013, Benedict – who has photobombed MERYL STREEP and U2 – recorded Can’t Keep It Inside for the August: Osage County film soundtrack, alongside BON IVER and KINGS OF LEON.
I’m not sure he should hang up his acting hat just yet.
Queen Camilla
CAMILLA KERSLAKE made her name warbling classical music for the QUEEN – but now she’s undergone a raunchy reinvention.
She dropped by Bizarre HQ yesterday to premiere two attitude-packed songs live on my Facebook page.
And Camilla, who has performed at Wembley, Twickenham and Buckingham Palace, thinks Her Maj would approve of her new sexually charged sound, saying: “She’s a girl and she loves girl power.”
Camilla got her big break in 2009 when she signed to “proper babe” GARY BARLOW’s record label.
She’s still in touch with the TAKE THAT star and hopes he’ll invite her on his BBC talent show Let it Shine to advise the contestants.
After performing single Little Red, out October 28, Camilla told me: “Nurturing talent is always fun and I’ve been in the industry for seven years, so maybe I’ll have some wisdom.”
She’ll definitely keep Gary on his toes.