| "Angels" | ||||
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| Single by Robbie Williams | ||||
| from the album Life thru a Lens | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | 1 December 1997 | |||
| Studio | Matrix Maison Rouge (London, England) | |||
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| Label | Chrysalis | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Attributed to Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers | |||
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| Robbie Williams singles chronology | ||||
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| Music videos | ||||
| "Angels" on YouTube | ||||
| "Angels (XXV)" on YouTube | ||||
"Angels" is a song by the English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was included on Williams's debut solo album, Life thru a Lens (1997), and released as a single on 1 December 1997 by Chrysalis. "Angels" was written by Williams and Guy Chambers, who produced alongside Steve Power. The song is based on an earlier version written by Ray Heffernan.
Williams said he wrote "Angels" with Chambers about his aunt and uncle, while Heffernan said he wrote the first version in 1996 and finished it with Williams. Williams confirmed that he recorded a demo with Heffernan but said he rewrote the song significantly with Chambers. To avoid a lawsuit, Williams bought the song rights from Heffernan before it was released. Vaughan Arnell directed its music video, which was shot in black and white.
"Angels" is Williams's best-selling single, and the 34th-bestselling UK single of the 1990s. It was voted the best song of the previous 25 years at the 2005 Brit Awards, and in 2005, the British voted it the song they most wanted played at their funeral. The single also peaked at 53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Williams’ biggest hit in the U.S. It has been covered by artists including Jessica Simpson, David Archuleta, Beverley Knight, All Angels, Declan Galbraith and Josh Groban. It was recorded in Spanish (as "Ángel") by the Mexican singers Yuridia and Marco Moré, in Italian (as "Un Angelo") by Patrizio Buanne and in Brazilian Portuguese (as "Um Anjo") by KLB. Williams also recorded a Spanish version.