Robbie stole my thunder, says McCartney

SIR Paul McCartney has revealed that Robbie Williams stole his thunder with his collection of swing classics.

The former Beatle said he was planning to record a selection of Rat Pack tunes, but abandoned the idea when Robbie did the same with chart-topper Swing When You’re Winning.

Sir Paul dropped his plan for fear of being branded a copycat.

In an interview with the Real Radio network to be broadcast today, he told presenter Terry Underhill of his abandoned plan.

“I love old standard songs. So that’s a long-standing ambition of mine.

“I must say that I was shaping up to do it but then Robbie Williams went and did one and I thought, ‘Well, if I do it now it’s going to look like oh he’s just copying Robbie’.

He said the situation was compounded with Rod Stewart’s It Had To Be You album of classic songs.

“Every time that happens it puts the kibosh on it for me,” said Sir Paul.

“But I love those songs and for me they remind me of my parents’ generation, New Year’s parties. All that music of that era is special to me.”