Robbie Williams concorre a colleghi del calibro di Justin Timberlake a indossare la corona di sovrano del pop internazionale troppo presto abbandonata dal compianto Michael Jackson. Attivo sin dai primissimi novanta con la band cult dei Take That, uno dei collettivi di maggior successo sotto l'egida della Union Flag, Williams abbandonò nel 1995 i compagni di squadra per dedicarsi totalmente alla carriera solista. L'esordio di Life Thru a Lens è forse più celebre per gli scandali drug&sex dell'artista e per le sue feroci lotte con i fratelli Gallagher che per successi come Angels, Let Me Entertain You o la cover di Freedom 90 di George Michael, tuttavia un bel mucchietto di milioncini di copie vendute finì in tasca all'ex Take That. La svolta "raffinata" alla James Bond di Millennium e del secondo lavoro I've Been Expecting You fu la sua definitiva consacrazione e il trampolino di lancio per circa un decennio di enormi riscontri, almeno sino alla semi debacle del troppo elettronico Rudebox. Gli ultimi Reality Killed The Video Stars e Take The Crown hanno permesso all'ormai dismesso ragazzaccio di recuperare il terreno perduto con la malandrina produzione precedente, seppur con un riscontro di singoli inferiore ai fasti passati.
A parte la già citata momentanea digressione dance-revival del già citato Rudebox e i giochetti swing-jazz proposti con Nicole Kidman in Something Stupid, Williams non si è mai troppo discostato dall'aura pop-rock con forti venature britpop che l'ha sempre contraddistinto dal debutto e ha sempre disdegnato il camaleontismo, almeno sonoro, tipico invece di altre popstars maschili e femminili. Sing When You're Winning, rilasciato nel 2000, è stato forse il disco di "addio" al britpop stile Oasis che aveva circoscritto Life Thru a Lens e I've Been Expecting You, e l'abbraccio definitivo al rock leggero ancora non abdicato. Portato al lavasecco lo smoking bondiano di Millennium e messa al bando la relativa finta atmosfera raffinata e fastosa, Robbie torna a vestire i panni del ragazzo di strada sornione, funky e sfacciato con il celeberrimo videoclip di Rock Dj, l'inno disco-rock'n'roll agli spogliarelli estremi che includono nel pacchetto anche pelle, muscoli e organi interni. Di classe è anche il duetto con la controparte pop femminile Kylie Minogue (anch'essa una principessa a metà, in quanto snobbata nei gretti Stati Uniti) in Kids, una formula sensual-funky anomala se paragonata con il resto della produzione del main performer inglese.
Rock Dj e Kids rappresentano le punte di diamante di una fattura pop mainstream semplice, efficace e persino accattivante, seppur con poche digressioni sonore. Ulteriori perle, rilasciate anch'esse come singoli, risiedono nel sincero commiato britpop di Let Love Be Your Energy, nella nostalgica ballata folk-country The Road To Mandalay e nel seguito ideale degli archi di Millennium, ovvero il singolone Supreme con tanto di tributo video al connazionale pilota di Formula Uno Jackie Stewart. Ulteriori menzioni vanno ai guizzi hard rock di Forever Texas, alla cupa e sommessa ballata If It's Hurting You e all'iper classicona Better Man.
Con Sing When You're Winning mr Williams riuscì a coniugare spudoratezza, capacità di equilibrio sul trapezio già insidioso del music biz e iniziò a lasciarsi alle spalle una giovinezza un po' troppo litigiosa e scapestrata, macchiata da errate amicizie divenute in poco tempo acerrime e malvage rivalità fra dominatori del Regno di Sua Maestà sotto forma di chart. Williams, passata la vena estremamente retrò di Swing When You're Winning, avrebbe proseguito su questa strada con il tumultuoso Escapology sino a imbizzarrirsi nuovamente con i primi segnali di Intensive Care e con i lustrini troppo appariscenti di Rudebox (un album invece molto ricco e gustoso, reso tale anche dalle preziose collaborazioni con i monumentali Pet Shop Boys). Attualmente il Robertino d'Inghilterra ha messo la testa a posto, ammogliandosi e generando prole, tuttavia resta un piacere ascoltare la post adolescenza di un artista che, nonostante gli eccessi e le pastiches mediatiche (vedasi momenti di pura androginia e i chiacchieratissimi rumours sulle sue preferenze sessuali), non si è mai allontanato da un discreto trono di "piccolo principe del pop" ancora oggi occupato e difficilmente espugnabile.
Robbie Williams, Sing When You're Winning
Let Love Be Your Energy - Better Man - Rock Dj - Supreme - Kids - If It's Hurting You - Singing For The Lonely - Love Calling Earth - Knutsford City Limits - Forever Texas - By All Means Necessary - The Road To Mandalay.
Elenco tracce e testi
02 Better Man (03:22)
Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain
Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old
Before my time
As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man
Go easy on my conscience
Cause it's not my fault
I know I've been taught
To take the blame
Rest assured my angels
Who catch my tears
Walk me out of here
I'm in pain
As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man
Once you've found that lover
You're homeward bound
Love is all around
Love is all around
I know some have fallen
On stony ground
But love is all around
Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain
Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old
Before my time
As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man
03 Rock DJ (04:18)
Me with the floorshow
Kickin' with your torso
Boys getting high
And the girls even more so
Wave your hands if you're not with a man
Can I kick it?
(Yes you can)
I got
(Funk)
You got
(Soul)
We got everybody
I've got the gift
Gonna stick it in the goal
It's time to move your body
Babylon back in business
Can I get a witness?
Every girl, every man
Houston, do you hear me?
Ground control, can you feel me?
Need permission to land
I don't wanna rock, DJ
But you're making me feel so nice
When's it gonna stop, DJ?
Cause you're keepin' me up all night
Singin' in the classes
Music for your masses
Give no head
No backstage passes
Have a proper giggle
I'll be quite polite
But when I rock the mic
I rock the mic
(Right)
You got no love, then you're with the wrong man
It's time to move your body
If you can't get a girl
But your best friend can
It's time to move your body
I don't wanna be sleazy
Baby just tease me
Got no family plan
Houston, do you hear me?
Ground control, can you feel me ?
Need permission to land
I don't wanna rock(rock) DJ (DJ)
But you're making me feel so nice
When's it gonna stop (stop), DJ?(DJ)
Cause you're keeping me up all night
I don't wanna rock (rock), DJ(DJ)
But you're making me feel so nice
When's it gonna stop (stop), DJ?(DJ)
Cause you're keeping me up all night
Pimpin' aint easy
Most of them fleece me
Every night
Pimpin' ain't easy
But if you're sellin' it
It's alright
Come on
I don't wanna rock (rock), DJ(DJ)
But you're making me feel so nice
When's it gonna stop(stop), DJ?(DJ)
Cause you're keeping me up all night
I don't wanna rock(rock), DJ(DJ)
But you're making me feel so nice
When's it gonna stop (stop), DJ?(DJ)
Cause you're keeping me up all night
04 Supreme (04:18)
Oh it seemed forever stopped today
All the lonely hearts in London
Caught a plane and flew away
And all the best women are married
All the handsome men are gay
You feel deprived
Yeah are you questioning your size?
Is there a tumour in your humour?
Are there bags under your eyes?
Do you leave dents where you sit
Are you getting on a bit?
Will you survive
You must survive
When there's no love in town
This new century keeps bringing you down
All the places you have been
Trying to find a love supreme
A love supreme
Oh what are you really looking for?
Another partner in your life
to abuse and to adore?
Is it lovey dovey stuff
Do you need a bit of rough?
Get on your knees
Yeah turn down the love songs that you hear
'Cause you can't avoid the sentiment
That echoes in your ear
Saying love will stop the pain
Saying love will kill the fear
Do you believe
You must believe
When there's no love in town
This new century keeps bringing you down
All the places you have been
Trying to find a love supreme
A love supreme
I spy with my little eye
Something beginning with (ah)
Got my back up
And now she's screaming
So I've got to turn the track up
Sit back and watch the royalties stack up
I know this girl she likes to switch teams
And I'm a fiend but I'm living for a love supreme
When there's no love in town
This new century keeps bringing you down
All the places you have been
Trying to find a love supreme
A love supreme
Come and live a love supreme
Don't let it get you down
Everybody looks for love
(Repeat until fade)
06 If It's Hurting You (04:10)
Please don't think of me
If you do you gotta block it
I got chills tonight
And you can't be here to stop it
I'm not a parasite
It's just a lonely night
Tonight
I walked from the bar
Cause they were only laughing
I wished on our star
But they covered it in satin
I'm not a gigolo
That's what I want you to know
Tonight
Ooh ooh
I've hurt you I can see
Ooh ooh
Do you think it's not hurting me
Ooh ooh
The grass ain't always green
And if it's hurting you
You know that it's hurting me
You know that it's hurting me
You'll meet other men
Who will break your heart
If I see you with them
It's gonna tear me apart
Maybe in another life
We wouldn't be alone
Tonight
Ooh ooh
I've hurt you I can see
Ooh ooh
Do you think it's not hurting me
Ooh ooh
The grass ain't always green
And if it's hurting you
You know that it's hurting me
You know that it's hurting me
You know that it's hurting me
You know that it's hurting me
10 Forever Texas (03:37)
First you say you want me
Then you don't want me really
Baby do I scare you
Am I talki' too freely
I got no perspective
On the things that you lack
Baby I don't care
Just lie on your back
Baby I'm crazy
But lady I'm lazy
Amaze me
Baby I'm faded
My mind's all jaded
Amaze me
I'm so superstitious
So there's something you should know
The reason I'm doing you is
'Cause your friend said 'no'
I've been suicidal since
God I don't know when
So get down on your knees
Say your prayers Amen
Baby I'm crazy
Lady I'm lazy
Amaze me
Baby I'm faded
My mind's all jaded
Give me Texas wisdom
Massive systems
Can I pay you in kind?
Mother said 'Son if you do
it too long you'll go blind'
Baby I'm lazy
But lady I'm crazy
Amaze me
Baby I'm faded
My mind's all jaded
One, two
Everybody getting cash for the bung
Everybody wants to know how I'm hung
You can read it in the papers
I'm a giver not a taker
But it won't be the same
Repeat...
Carico i commenti... con calma
