History Music / RobbieWilliams

!!Tropes:

* YouCanLeaveYourHatOn: The video for "Rock DJ". Though [[spoiler:Robbie follows the striptease by [[BodyHorror literally taking off his skin]] and throwing it around at ladies, [[StrippedToTheBone leaving only his skeleton visible.]]]]
** Even the single's cover is [[spoiler:his skinless appearance from the video.]]
* YourCheatingHeart: "Let Me Entertain You" is about a man trying to convince a girl to cheat on her boyfriend with him.
-->He may be good, he may be out of sight
-->But he can't be here, so come around tonight

Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams (born 13 February 1974) is a British pop singer, former boy-bander and one-man entertainment machine, known for songs such as "Angels", "Let Me Entertain You" and "Rock DJ", and a fascination with the supernatural. Formerly of the incredibly popular '90s UK BoyBand [[Music/TakeThatBand Take That]], he has found a way to a successful and long solo career.

Having successful auditioned for Take That aged just 16, Williams rose to fame as the "cheeky chappie", exuberant dancer and occasional lead vocalist in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and group members, Williams left the group in 1995 to launch his solo career -- Take That would soldier on as a four-piece without him at first but split the following year.

Unlike many people who'd been in boy bands, Williams had a keen interest in rock music, particularly {{Britpop}} inspired by Music/{{Oasis}}, and worked with songwriter and producer Guy Chambers to create credible songs in this style, starting with the album ''Life Thru A Lens''. Despite this, diminishing returns for his first few singles saw Williams' solo career looking almost dead in the water by late 1997 -- at which point, however, he had a stunning breakthrough success with the ballad "Angels", which was released almost as a last resort but single-handedly salvaged him, becoming an instant classic. The GlamRock inspired "Let Me Entertain You" followed a few months later, was another big hit, and Robbie was set.

His second album ''I've Been Expecting You'' came out with a similar style to the first album but considerably more experimentation and a slightly more mature image. His third album, 2000's ''Sing When You're Winning'' set the standard for even bigger commercial success. At this stage he was so all-conquering it was swiftly followed to the top of the charts and massive sales by a companion album of big band covers, ''Swing When You're Winning'', and performances in front of hundreds of thousands at vast outdoors gigs at Knebworth House in 2003.

2004's first GreatestHitsAlbum produced his sixth UK Number One single, but things gradually slipped from this high plateau in the following years, as some less well-received music was coupled with the odd bit of 'personal difficulties' from the often wayward star. Strangely too, after years in which Williams had far eclipsed his former bandmates, he found himself unexpectedly outshone by the other members of Take That after the four got the group back together (still without him) in 2006. On 15 July 2010 however, it was announced that Robbie too had rejoined Take That and that the group intended to release a new album as a five-piece that November. ''Progress'' eventually became the second fastest-selling album in UK chart history and the fastest-selling record of the century so far. Williams shortly returned to his solo career and hit the top of the singles charts for the first time in several years with 2012's "Candy", and had his 10th UK Number One album with ''Take The Crown''. A belated second chart-topping swing album followed the next year. He bowed out from Take That for a second time in 2014 due to the birth of his second child, but amicably this time and both he and the band have said he may rejoin at an unspecified future date.

Williams has sold over 75 million records worldwide, which ranks him among the best-selling music artists worldwide. He is the best-selling British solo artist in the UK and the best selling non-Latino artist in Latin America. Six of his albums are among the top 100 biggest-selling albums in the UK. His December 2019 return to the top of the charts with [[ChristmasSongs festive album]] ''The Christmas Present'' marked yet another milestone, as it tied Music/ElvisPresley's record of 13 UK Number One albums (and from just 15 releases). A GreatestHitsAlbum in 2022 gave him a 14th Number One album, the most ever for a solo artist, with only Music/TheBeatles' total of 15 higher for any act in history. He has also been honoured with eighteen BRIT Awards -- more than any other artist -- and seven ECHO Awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame after being voted as the "Greatest Artist of the 1990s." He ended at #77 in ''Series/OneHundredGreatestBritons''.

* BodyHorror: The music video for "Rock DJ" has [[spoiler: Robbie strip off ''his own flesh, muscles, and organs.'' However, once he's nothing more than [[StrippedToTheBone a dancing skeleton]], the video quickly transitions from NightmareFuel to CrossesTheLineTwice]].

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams (born 13 February 1974) is a British pop singer, former boy-bander and one-man entertainment machine, known for songs such as "Angels", "Let Me Entertain You" and "Rock DJ", and a fascination with the supernatural. Formerly of the incredibly popular '90s UK BoyBand Music/TakeThatBand, he has found a way to a successful and long solo career.

Williams has sold over 75 million records worldwide, which ranks him among the best-selling music artists worldwide. He is the best-selling British solo artist in the UK and the best selling non-Latino artist in Latin America. Six of his albums are among the top 100 biggest-selling albums in the UK. His December 2019 return to the top of the charts with [[ChristmasSongs festive album]] ''The Christmas Present'' marked yet another milestone, as it tied Music/ElvisPresley's record of 13 UK Number One albums (and from just 15 releases): the most ever for a solo artist, with only Music/TheBeatles' total of 15 higher for any act in history. He has also been honoured with eighteen BRIT Awards -- more than any other artist -- and seven ECHO Awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame after being voted as the "Greatest Artist of the 1990s." He ended at #77 in ''Series/OneHundredGreatestBritons''.

* The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour (2017-2018)

* WordSaladLyrics: At times, such as the MeaninglessMeaningfulWords of "Millennium", [[https://www.songwritingmagazine.co.uk/how-i-wrote/millennium-guy-chambers which as put by the song's co-writer Guy Chambers]], "I don’t know if the song really means anything, but it doesn’t matter. The lyrics are funny. Quite often when Rob is writing lyrics he’s just trying to make me laugh."

* {{Sampling}}: "Millennium" with Music/JohnBarry's strings from Nancy Sinatra's [[Franchise/JamesBond Bond]] theme for ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice''.

* CutSong: "Jesus In A Camper Van" was on ''I've Been Expecting You'' until 2002 when it was removed from further pressings due to similarities to a song by Loudon Wainwright III. The previously non-album single "It's Only Us" was added in its place. The original version was still pressed in the UK, however.
** Robbie said that he cut "Come Take Me Over" from ''Sing When You're Winning'' due to being dissatisfied with how the song concluded. It was released as a B-side to "Supreme". In addition, "One Fine Day" was cut from ''Escapology'' against Williams' wishes; it was soon released as the B-side to "Come Undone" and he continued to play it live and included it on the American version.
* DrugsAreBad: Battled both alcoholism and an addiction to prescription drugs.

** The other, less commented but nonetheless notable, instance came in 2006, when "Advertising Space" was featured in the soundtrack for ''Cobras e Lagartos'' ("Snakes and Lizards"), as the theme song to the relationship between leading man Duda and RichBitch villainess Leona. This is arguably an even worse example because, unlike "Sexed Up", it's not about a relationship, instead being a CelebrityElegy describing the downfall of Music/ElvisPresley's career and [[DeadArtistsAreBetter condemning the usage of his image as a marketing strategy following his death]].

* TheAntiNihilist: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR_0zCBdI2k&ab_channel=TrueGeordie In a podcast with True Geordie]], he admits that he doesn't care how he's remembered because he'll be dead either way and he'll still be remembered as a musician. He does say that he wants to be remembered as a good friend, and a loving father to his children and a loving husband.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: "Kids", his duet with Music/KylieMinogue, has several, though "Take a ride on my 12 cylinder symphony [organ]" takes the cake.

Robbie is married to actress Ayda Field, and they have four young children. Together, Williams and Field became judges on the 2018 series of ''Series/TheXFactor''.

Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams (born 13 February 1974) is a British pop singer, former boy-bander and one-man entertainment machine, known for a song called "Angels" and a fascination with the supernatural. Formerly of the incredibly popular '90s UK BoyBand Music/TakeThatBand, he has found a way to a successful and long solo career.

Robbie is married to actress Ayda Field, and they have four young children.

* BreakUpSong: About romantic relationships or his life in Take That, depending. "These Dreams", "No Regrets", "If It's Hurting You", "Man Machine", "Sexed Up".

* DrugsAreBad: Battled both alcoholism and an addition to prescription drugs.

* AlwaysSomeoneBetter: "She's Madonna", inspired by how Creator/GuyRitchie told his ex he was leaving her with "Look, you know I really love you, but [[{{Pornomancer}} she's]] Music/{{Madonna}}."

-->"My name is Robbie Williams...This is my band...and for the next two hours, YOUR ASS...IS MINE!"

* CoverVersion: Three were big hit singles -- his first solo single "Freedom" was a cover of Music/GeorgeMichael's Freedom '90, "She's The One" was a cover of a World Party song and his collaboration with Creator/NicoleKidman was a cover of the [[Music/FrankSinatra Frank]] and Nancy Sinatra classic "Something Stupid". Several B-sides were covers especially in the ''Life Thru A Lens'' period.

** Robbie said that he cut "Come Take Me Over" from ''Sing When You're Winning'' due to being dissatisfied with how the song concluded. It was released as a B-side to "Supreme". In addition, "One Fine Day" was cut from ''Escapology'' against Williams' wishes, it was soon released as the B-side to "Come Undone" and he continued to play it live and included it on the American version.

* MrFanservice: Provides a lot of this in his music videos and various photoshoots. "Rock DJ" features him stripping down until he is nude, Radio has him shirtless, wet and being fondled by a crowd of cheerleaders as well as giving the audience various pleasing shots of his bulge. He also takes his shirt off in the videos for (deep breath) "Let Me Entertain You", "Millennium", "Kids", "Eternity", "Feel", "Come Undone" and "Shame".

** ''Rudebox'' was a later confusing left-turn that at least temporarily lost Williams [[BrokenBase much of his audience]]. As ''[[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers The Guardian]]'''s review put it, it ''"throws a lot of musical styles at the wall: R&B, 80s cover versions and electro among them"'', not to mention splodges of reggae and hip-hop. It sold around a quarter of what his preceding half-dozen albums had each shifted.

* TheNotRemix: On ''Escapology'', Come Undone's verses noticeably rise to reach the chorus. On the single version, the verses were changed to end in a lower key (the same one the chorus ends in). The two mixes of the song are identical but for this minor change, something which makes you wonder why they took the time to do it.

** "Sexed Up" was first demoed acoustically in 1998, and released on one of the "No Regrets" CD singles, then was recorded as a full song for ''Escapology'' in 2002. The rerecording has an orchestra and a few lyric changes. The song was written for Natalie Imbruglia, who declined recording it for either of the two albums she released in this period, so Robbie took it back himself.

* ShoutOut: It's in his tradition to shout out to ''something'' in his songs. For instance, "She's Madonna" is a love song to [[Music/{{Madonna}} the singer]], and "Advertising Space" is about Music/ElvisPresley with similarities to ''Film/TrueRomance''.

* ''[[GenreShift Swings]] [[BiTheWay Both]] [[BrickJoke Ways]]'' (2013)

Having successful auditioned for Take That aged just 16, Williams rose to fame as the "[[TheGadfly cheeky]] [[DeadpanSnarker chappie]]", exuberant dancer and occasional lead vocalist in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and group members, Williams left the group in 1995 to launch his solo career -- Take That would soldier on as a four-piece without him at first but split the following year.

* ''Take the Crown'' (2012)

* Take the Crown Stadium Tour (2013)

* Robbie Williams Live in Las Vegas (2019)

Robbie is married to actress Ayda Field, and they have two young children.

Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is a British pop singer, former boy-bander and one-man entertainment machine, known for a song called "Angels" and a fascination with the supernatural. Formerly of the band Music/TakeThatBand, he has found a way to a successful and long solo career.

Having successful auditioned for Take That aged just 16, Williams rose to fame as the "[[TheGadfly cheeky]] [[DeadpanSnarker chappie]]", exuberant dancer and occasional lead vocalist in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and group members, Williams left the group in 1995 to launch his solo career. Unlike many people who'd been in boy bands, Williams had a keen interest in rock music, particularly {{Britpop}} inspired by Music/{{Oasis}}, and worked with Guy Chambers to create credible songs in this style, starting with the album ''Life Thru A Lens''. Despite this, he had breakthrough success with the ballad "Angels" and the hard rock inspired "Let Me Entertain You". A few months later, his second album ''I've Been Expecting You'' came out, with a similar style to the first album but considerably more experimentation and a slightly more mature image. His third album ''Sing When You're Winning'' set the tone. At this stage he was so all-conquering it was swiftly followed to the top of the charts and massive sales by a companion album of big band covers, ''Swing When You're Winning'', and performances in front of hundreds of thousands at vast outdoors gigs at Knebworth House in 2003.

Things gradually slipped from this high plateau in the following years, as some less well-received music was coupled with the odd bit of 'personal difficulties' from the often wayward star. Strangely too, after years in which Williams had far eclipsed his former bandmates, he found himself unexpectedly outshone by the other members of Take That after the four got the group back together -- still without him -- in 2006. On 15 July 2010 however, it was announced that Robbie too had rejoined Take That and that the group intended to release a new album as a five-piece in November 2010. ''Progress'' eventually became the second fastest-selling album in UK chart history and the fastest-selling record of the century so far. Williams promptly returned to the top of the charts solo for the first time in several years with 2012's "Candy" (his 7th UK Number One single) and ''Take The Crown'' (his 10th UK Number One album, a total that has since increased to 12). He bowed out from Take That for a second time in 2014 due to the birth of his second child, but amicably this time and both he and the band have said he may rejoin at an unspecified future date.

Williams has sold over 75 million records worldwide, which ranks him among the best-selling music artists worldwide. He is the best-selling British solo artist in the UK and the best selling non-Latino artist in Latin America. Six of his albums are among the top 100 biggest-selling albums in the UK. He has also been honoured with eighteen BRIT Awards -- more than any other artist -- and seven ECHO Awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame after being voted as the "Greatest Artist of the 1990s." He ended at #77 in ''Series/OneHundredGreatestBritons''.

Williams is married to actress Ayda Field, and they have two young children.

* AllThereInTheManual: The chord book for "I've Been Expecting You" includes the hidden tracks "Stand Your Ground" and "Stalker's Day Off", which are not mentioned in the actual CD booklet aside from an easy-to-miss writing credit for the latter.

* AmbiguouslyBi: Williams for reason enjoys teasing the audience with suggestions that he's bisexual, although he's always had female partners. For instance in "Old Before I Die" ''"Am I straight or gay?"'', in "Kids" ''"Press be asking, do I care for sodomy? I don't know, yeah, probably"'' and the title of the album ''Swings Both Ways''. And then there is "Shame" which is basically his and Music/GaryBarlow's very own ''Film/BrokebackMountain''.

* CampStraight: Is considered as such, as evidence in the ''Take the Crown'' era.
* CanonDiscontinuity: His debut single, a dance-pop cover of Music/GeorgeMichael's "Freedom '90" is considered a post-Take That contract filler which he recorded in order to spend time on his Oasis-inspired debut album "Life Thru A Lens", and thus is not considered part of his solo career proper. It was later included on the compilation "In And Out Of Consciousness", which also included Take That's "Everything Changes". Despite this he has said he has always liked the song, and since George Michael's death has included it in his setlist in tribute.

* CommonplaceRare: The MVC exclusive compilation "Back For B-Sides", released for two weeks in late 1999 as a bonus if you bought Robbie's two albums at full price, is extremely hard to find despite every other Robbie release selling many copies. It was not well distributed, having only 1000 copies pressed before the promotion ended, and those who were aware of its existence likely owned all the related tracks. There are not even any pictures of it online.

* CutSong: "Jesus In A Camper Van" was on "I've Been Expecting You" until 2002 when it was removed from further pressings due to similarities to a song by Loudon Wainwright III. "It's Only Us" was added in its place. The original version was still pressed in the UK, however.
** Robbie said that he cut "Come Take Me Over" from "Sing When You're Winning" due to being dissatisfied with how the song concluded. It was released as a b-side to "Supreme". In addition, "One Fine Day" was cut from Escapology against Williams' wishes, it was soon released as the b-side to "Come Undone" and he continued to play it live and included it on the American version.

* IncomingHam: "Let Me Entertain You" seems to exist for the sole purpose of Robbie being this at concerts, and ''it works.''

** ''Rudebox'' was a later confusing left-turn that at least temporarily [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks lost Williams]] [[BrokenBase much of his audience]]. As ''[[UsefulNotes/BritishNewspapers The Guardian]]'''s review put it, it ''"throws a lot of musical styles at the wall: R&B, 80s cover versions and electro among them"'', not to mention splodges of reggae and hip-hop. It sold around a quarter of what his preceding half-dozen albums had each shifted.
* NoAnimalsWereHarmed: The BodyHorror filled video for "Rock DJ" ends with the disclaimer "No Robbies were harmed making of this video".
* TheNotRemix: On Escapology, Come Undone's verses noticeably rise to reach the chorus. On the single version, the verses were changed to end in a lower key (the same one the chorus ends in). The two mixes of the song are identical but for this minor change, something which makes you wonder why they took the time to do it.

* RearrangeTheSong: His late-'90s live arrangement of "Back For Good" humorously had the chorus rearranged in a thrash punk style, complete with him shouting ''"Mosh!"''. An example of this is on the "Angels" [=CD2=] single. Whilst the verse melody is the same he changed some of the lyrics to highlight his (then) dislike of Take That. Doubles as a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}}.
** "Sexed Up" was first demoed acoustically in 1998, and released on one of the "No Regrets" CD singles, was recorded as a full song for ''Escapology'' in 2002. The rerecording has an orchestra and a few lyric changes. The song was written for Natalie Imbruglia, who declined recording it for either of the two albums she released in this period, so Robbie took it back himself.

* RockMeAmadeus: His 2016 single "Party Like a Russian" features a sample of Sergei Prokofiev's ''Montagues and Capulets'' at the chorus.

* {{Sampling}}: "Millennium" with Music/JohnBarry's strings from Music/NancySinatra's [[Franchise/JamesBond Bond]] theme ''Film/YouOnlyLiveTwice''.

** "Rock DJ"'s line "Pimpin ain't easy" was the catchphrase of then popular Wrestling/{{WWE}} wrestler The Godfather.

* WeUsedToBeFriends: The reason that he took so long to rejoin Music/TakeThatBand after the group reformed was due to Robbie's dislike of Gary Barlow, which during the late 90s, he made sure to mention in many interviews. When they did eventually reunite in 2009, the two realised they were older and more mature and ironed out their differences.

* CanonDiscontinuity: His debut single, a dance-pop cover of Music/GeorgeMichael 's "Freedom '90" is considered a post-Take That contract filler which he recorded in order to spend time on his Oasis-inspired debut album "Life Thru A Lens", and thus is not considered part of his solo career proper. It was later included on the compilation "In And Out Of Consciousness", which also included Take That's "Everything Changes". Despite this he has said he has always liked the song, and since George Michael 's death has included it in his setlist in tribute.

** "Rock DJ" is largely made up of rearranged samples of Music/BarryWhite 's "It's Ecstasy When You Lie Down Next To Me".

** "Rock DJ" 's line "Pimpin ain't easy" was the catchphrase of then popular Wrestling/{{WWE}} wrestler The Godfather.

Having successful auditioned for Take That aged just 16, Williams rose to fame as the "[[TheGadfly cheeky]] [[DeadpanSnarker chappie]]", exuberant dancer and occasional lead vocalist in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and group members, Williams left the group in 1995 to launch his solo career. Unlike many people who'd been in boy bands, Williams had a keen interest in rock music, particularly UsefulNotes/BritPop inspired by Music/{{Oasis}}, and worked with Guy Chambers to create credible songs in this style, starting with the album ''Life Thru A Lens''. Despite this, he had breakthrough success with the ballad "Angels" and the hard rock inspired "Let Me Entertain You". A few months later, his second album ''I've Been Expecting You'' came out, with a similar style to the first album but considerably more experimentation and a slightly more mature image. His third album ''Sing When You're Winning'' set the tone. At this stage he was so all-conquering it was swiftly followed to the top of the charts and massive sales by a companion album of big band covers, ''Swing When You're Winning'', and performances in front of hundreds of thousands at vast outdoors gigs at Knebworth House in 2003.

** "Rock DJ" 's line "Pimpin ain't easy" was the catchphrase of then popular {{WWE}} wrestler The Godfather.

* WeUsedToBeFriends: The reason that he took so long to rejoin Music/TakeThat after the group reformed was due to Robbie's dislike of Gary Barlow, which during the late 90s, he made sure to mention in many interviews. When they did eventually reunite in 2009, the two realised they were older and more mature and ironed out their differences.