This week we take a look at the seventh track on Swings Both Ways, which sees Robbie team up with one of his favourite artists to share the vocals on the Jive-Bunnying, finger-snapping fire-cracker that is Soda Pop. Massively successful in the UK and his native Canada, swing aficionado Michael Bublé was Robbie’s first pick on his team sheet for this album and, during part two of the Swings Both Ways exclusive Facebook interview, Robbie admitted the extent of his admiration for Michael.
“Mr. Michael Bublé – A man that I have a man-crush on. He’s just so slick and funny and his voice should be in a museum, it’s really special. He is a great performer. I’ve got a big professional man-crush on him.”
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They come together to continue the fledgling man-crush on this all-action song which talks about making the most of the talents you’re given, something which Robbie says that Bublé really did in the studio.
“In he came, swung his socks off, impressed everybody and then left. I am on record with Mr. Michael Bublé.”
Robbie wrote Soda Pop with friends Richard Scott and Scot Ralph while staying at a ranch in Washington. It’s a song he calls “bonkers” and describes as a “1950s, Rockabilly, Swing-y kind of thing”.
Once he’d finished writing, all Robbie had to do was choose the perfect partner in crime for the vocals, and he knew straight away who he needed to help him capture the mood of the song.
“I was lucky enough to get Michael Bublé to sing on it with me. Michael Bublé is like something from a time capsule – he keeps the flame alive for me of that glamour and the promise and the naivety and the sass of the fifties.”
That glamour and sass has been joyfully distilled and poured into every single infectious walking bass line, blaring brass riff and huge West-end chorus line of this perfectly bottled Soda Pop perfection.
Swings Both Ways is out now; use the links below to buy your copy.
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