If someone stopped me in the street and demanded an answer to the question: ‘Does Nicole Kidman have a UK number one single to her name?’, chances are I’d panic and say ‘no’. The existence of this record always passes me by…
Somethin’ Stupid, by Robbie Williams (his 5th of seven #1s) & Nicole Kidman
3 weeks, from 16th December 2001 – 6th January 2002
Yet Nicky K does have a number one, and not just any old number one: a Christmas number one. Why did this happen? It seems incongruous now, looking back, but there must have been a reason for this combo, which we can explore in a bit.
First, though, the song. And it’s a pretty faithful cover of the Frank ‘n’ Nancy classic. A bit more of a bossa nova beat, perhaps, while I don’t personally think it suits Robbie’s voice very well. It’s not that he can’t compete with Sinatra – who wasn’t an amazing singer – more that this song forces a restraint on him that doesn’t work. Kidman, meanwhile, is fine, purring her way through, though I’m not sure you’d ever work out that it was her unless told. They harmonise well, however, it has to be said.
It is far, far from the worst musical crime to be committed at Christmas. The worst accusation you could level at this record is that it’s underwhelming, and fairly superfluous while the original still exists. But we’ve been saying that a lot recently, about covers of golden-oldies which have made #1. And hey, unlike the original, at least Robbie and Nicole aren’t blood relations…
This was the lead single from Robbie’s ‘Swing When You’re Winning’ album of jazz and swing standards, which kicked off a good decade-long resurgence for the genre. Think Rod Stewart’s Great American Songbooks, and endless ‘Big Band Weeks’ on X-Factor. But why Nicole Kidman? There were rumours that she and Robbie may have been an item, but it’s probably as simple as her having starred in the year’s big musical hit ‘Moulin Rouge’, and also having charted earlier in the year with ‘Come What May’, in which she duetted with co-star Ewan McGregor.
And so we come to the end of 2001. Suddenly we’re two whole years into the twenty-first century! And only twenty-three years away from the present day… It’s all getting a bit close. What to make of 2001: a chart odyssey? It hasn’t been a classic year for chart-toppers, if we’re honest. The few classics have been padded out with lots of cheap and cheerful cheese, and it’s felt like a step down from the cool highs of the Year 2000. Heading into 2002 I’m not sure things are going to improve, as we’re about to go into Reality TV overdrive…
The UK Number Ones Blog 
I love this song. I never knew the Sinatra version so this was the original one in my experience. And I can’t fault it. The lyrics are superb, especially: “And though it’s just a line to you for me it’s true and never seemed so right before”. There are good lyrics in pop music (I’m using “pop” to mean all popular commercial music), but they are rarely actual whole sentences joined together properly, fitting perfectly with the rhythm of the music. And it’s genuinely romantic and sentimental without any irony or cheesiness. It creates a mood perfectly.
I never even knew it was number one. I think I first heard it on a Christmas compilation.
Maolsheachlann
Somethin’ Stupid was a childhood fave of mine, I loved Nancy Sinatra way more than I love Frank (still do, her body of work is impressively cool) and I got hold of a copy of the single finally in 1975. The novelty of Frank and Nancy singing together was always going to be a thing, and they got it right – despite the lyrics being more romantic love – cos, frankly, pop songs in those days were creations to be covered as songs and it usually wasn’t a personal statement of “sob! this is me baring my soul”. They were usually works of fiction, telling a story. So, as a Robbie fan, I was always going to enjoy this one, and it getting a new life in a new century. It’s very pleasant – but it ain’t Frank n Nancy!
As Nancy & Lee Hazlewood peaked at 2 in the singles charts, a quick push for their epic hippie-trippie dreamy portic folk classics of the 60’s, courtesy of Lee – Some Velvet Morning, Sand, Summer Wine, and much more remain amazing and evocative.
Love those Nancy & Lee Hazlewood hits you mention, but my favourite is ‘Jackson’. Love the ad-libs and the way they play off one another.