10 Robbie Williams Essentials

[Willie Oleson]

We already have an artist top 10 thread but I don't want to do it like that anymore. The music forum is not extremely busy at the moment therefore I think we can create a thread for every artist.
I'm going to post my choices because, obviously, I need to show something, but all comments and observations about the artists and the music are very welcome.
The passing of time is a tricky concept. I'm still thinking of Robbie as a Take That member who happens to have a successful solo career, but in time-reality he's an artist who happened to be a member of the most successful band of the 1990s. He was in it for only 6 years.

Starting with the single Freedom, an odd choice to cover a hit from the same decade but maybe it was sort of a statement. But he still sounds like Take That Robbie and therefore I can't consider it one of his best singles (and the video looks a bit hysterical).
Then the first album, Life Thru A Lens, featuring the monster hit Angels.
These are the most recurring comments in the youtube comments section:
1. criminally underrated!!
2. My mom loves this song (always makes me feel old)
3. played at my mother's/father's/etc funeral, and I still miss them. I don't criticise the sentiment because I believe it's real, but it does put a damper on music that is supposed to be enjoyed.

I've never been a big fan of the Angels song although I loved the NRG coverversion by Almighty Records.

This version takes the drama out of the lyrics and focuses on the pleasantness of the song and that's usually not how I prefer it, but in this particular case it accidentally works.

I think the first "best of" happens in Let Me Entertain You which really sounds like "we're not in Take That anymore".
Sure, it's very pastiche, but I actually prefer Robbie's "inspired by" music. The song also precedes Russell Crowe's iconic quote from GLADIATOR (a far-fetched connection but once I've noticed it I can't unconnect it anymore).
Oh, and talk about inspiration, Let Me Entertain You was also covered by the Almighty gang after I had suggested this to-be-remixed title on the old Almighty Records discussion forum.
I guess I was an influencer before it became fashionable. *hair toss*

Essentials # 1

 

[Willie Oleson]

I'm not picking anything from the second album I've Been Expecting You.
The hit singles Millennium, Strong and She's The One are decent songs and still very recognisable today.
I just discovered the original version of She's The One by World Party and it sounds a bit better than track from this album, but if Robbie hadn't covered it then maybe I would never have heard this song at all. Maybe that sounds like a compromise but that's what compromises are for.
My favourite track is Karma Killer which just misses out on being an Essential Robbie Williams song. There are some interesting John Barry tones in it and I think it sounds funnier than the straight sample in Millennium.

Similarly, I don't think Supreme from the Sing When You're Winning album needed to incorporate the hook of I Will Survive because the inspiration for the music is obvious.
It's only used once - probably to add a "break" or a moment of variety - and it doesn't have a negative effect on this cracker of a hit single.

Essentials # 2

The interesting thing about Rock DJ is that it's a disco song that's not a disco song. There are many more disco songs that are not-rock-songs (e.g. Amii Stewart's Rocky Woman).
It sounds inoffensive to me, it's not a Robbie Williams song I'd choose to listen to but if it happens then it's fine. I guess you can't mention Rock DJ without mentioning the video.
The body horror looks awesome (imagine being the unsuspecting viewer watching it for the first time) but Robbie's strip routine looks daft and cringe. But then again, has male stripping ever looked cool?

 

[Willie Oleson]

Nothing from Swing When You're Winning but at least it made me re-realise how beautiful Frank Sinatra's It Was A Very Good Year is.
Somethin' Stupid is lovely and it's great when these oldies become new chart hits again. Sometimes it's the original recording like Cara Mia by Jay & The Americans and I'm sure there are many more examples.
That's neither here nor there so I'll move on to the Escapology album.

Something Beautiful is the proverbial collateral damage track in the process of finding 10 Essentials.
It sounds great and kinda soulful and I can "hear" an imaginary coverversion by young Michael Jackson (eerily enough, I think A.I. has made these fake versions possible).
The stripped down/piano remake on the Better Man soundtrack could almost be mistaken for an Elton John song.
On a slightly more negative note, if you're easily annoyed by Pop Idols antics then it's better to avoid the original video.

His biggest international smash hit Feel is pure anthem and an Essentials no-brainer (not just because it was the biggest hit).
Essentials # 3

The simplistic but very effective piano pattern reminds me of the piano-house music from the early nineties.