Album: Light Years (2000)
Charted: 2
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song by the two pop icons was written by Williams and his then writing partner Guy Chambers. It was originally intended just for Kylie, but Robbie liked the song so much that it was turned into a duet.
  • This was released a few months after the Australian singer's UK #1, "Spinning Around," which signalled a return to her pop roots after several years of attempting to be "Indie Kylie."
  • Lyrically this song appears to be about dancing, but it contains several mysterious lines, including the opening couplet:

    Me no bubbletious
    Me smoke heavy tar


    Some lyrics seem to be making reference to Minogue's illustrious pop career. "I've been dropping beats since Back in Black," for example, nods to how Minogue has been a superstar since the '80s, when her fellow Australians AC/DC released their seminal album of that name.
  • An altered version featuring a closing rap by Williams was included on his Sing When You're Winning album. The rap hears Williams taking a swipe at his former Take That bandmate Gary Barlow, who'd recently been dropped by his record label:

    Single-handedly raising the economy
    Ain't no chance of the record company dropping me


    It also playfully makes reference to Williams' sexuality, which was a hotly debated topic in the British tabloids at the time:

    Press be asking, "Do I care for sodomy?"
    I don't know. Yeah, probably.
  • This song samples the Mowest Records cut "Give Me Your Love" by Sisters Love, written by Curtis Mayfield.
  • The video, directed by Simon Hilton, sees Williams and Minogue re-creating some of the choreography performed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease. Hilton said he was also inspired by the old Hollywood dance sequences starring the likes of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
  • Robbie and Kylie performed this together at the 2000 MTV Europe Music Video Awards. Minogue has also sung "Kids" live with artists as diverse as Bono, Rick Astley, and her sister, Dannii Minogue.
  • This is one of the songs played by the fictional radio station Non Stop Pop FM in Grand Theft Auto V.
  • "Kids" was released as the second single from Williams' third album, Sing When You're Winning, and the third single from Minogue's seventh album, Light Years. The song peaked at #2 in the UK, kept off the top spot by U2's "Beautiful Day."
  • Williams and Chambers wrote two other songs for Minogue's Light Years album: "Loveboat" and "Your Disco Needs You."

Comments: 1

  • John Roberts from Sydney, AustraliaThe song is about sex. Full stop. Video, lyrics, the lot. That's why they're 'doing it for the kids.' Bit sad because Kylie has none.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

90s Metal

90s MetalFact or Fiction

Test your metal - Priest, Maiden, and Beavis and Butt-head show up in this one.

Psychedelic Lyrics

Psychedelic LyricsMusic Quiz

Whoa man! Do you know which band came up with these cosmic lyrics?

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."