Shine My Shoes

Album: Swings Both Ways (2013)
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Songfacts®:

  • This was written by Williams with his original songwriting partner, Guy Chambers, and his biographer Chris Heath. It is one of three songs on Swing Both Ways that were written by the trio during one week in Los Angeles in January 2013 (the others being lead single "Go Gentle" and "No One Likes a Fat Pop Star."
  • This marked the first time Williams and Chambers had worked together on a full album since Williams and Chambers fell out while recording Escapology in Los Angeles in 2002. "It never felt like the end," Chambers told The Daily Telegraph. "I stayed at his house with my family in 2008 and we did try to write then, but it just didn't work. But I always hoped we would write together again; I thought, be patient, and when he asked me I was ready. I was so pleased that he wanted to do the swing record – his voice has matured and he sings these songs better than he ever did."

    "We have a certain chemistry," Williams added, "and we churned out loads of songs that week and it was very easy and a lot of fun. Guy annoys me less and I annoy him less, and I think that's maturity and experience on both our parts. I love him to bits."
  • The music video features Williams performing the song at his London Palladium concert in November 2013.

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