Somethin’ Stupid by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman

New Zealand’s 2001 Christmas number one was a cover of a 1960s chestnut, recorded by a famous actress and a laddish singer at the peak of his popularity.

Somethin’ Stupid

‘Somethin’ Stupid’ was written by American songwriter Carson Parks, the older brother of composer Van Dyke Parks. Carson Parks started his career in the LA folk scene in the 1960s. He recorded the first version of ‘Somethin’ Stupid’ in 1966, a duet with his wife Gaile Foote.

Lee Hazelwood, who was producing Nancy Sinatra’s records, picked up the song. He played Carson and Gaile’s version to Frank Sinatra, suggesting a duet with his daughter. It topped the charts for four weeks in 1967, and it’s still the only father-daughter duet to reach #1 on the Billboard chart.

“Some people call (Something Stupid) the Incest Song, which I think is, well, very sweet!” 

Nancy Sinatra, The Guardian

Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams started his career as a member of the boy band Take That. They were huge in the UK, but failed to chart in the US. Williams was just 16 years old when he joined Take That in 1990. Although Gary Barlow was the group’s lead singer, Williams sang lead on the hits ‘Could It Be Magic’, ‘I Found Heaven’, and ‘Everything Changes’.

By 1994, Williams was becoming frustrated with Take That. His alcohol and cocaine use caused tensions in the band, while he tried to push the group into hip hop instead of ballads.

Williams left Take That in 1995 and went solo. Charismatic and blessed with a strong voice, Williams was a natural star. He collaborated with Guy Chambers, who formerly worked with Karl Wallinger in World Party. Williams and Chambers enjoyed a run of hits around the turn of the millennium, including ‘Rock DJ’, ‘Feel’, ‘Millennium’, ‘Let Me Entertain You’, and ‘Angels’. Like Take That, Williams’ solo career was huge in the UK (and its former colonies) and negligible in the US.

Williams turned to the Great American Songbook for his fourth album, Swing When You’re Winning. The first single was a cover of ‘Somethin’ Stupid’. Williams duetted with actress Nicole Kidman, who’d recently sung on the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.

The Verdict

This version is a faithful cover of the original. It’s likeable, but it’s an odd megahit. There’s nothing wrong with Williams using his fame to spotlight music that he enjoys—he’d return to swing music again in his career. It’s more the fault of the record-buying public for rewarding the star power of Nicole Kidman and Robbie Williams—this single feels redundant when it’s such a facsimile of the Sinatras’ version.

Williams has continued to be a huge star in the UK. Only one of his 14 studio albums has failed to top the charts.

Read more

• NZ #1 hits
• 2000s album reviews