世事无绝对,虽然Robbie Williams初出唱片时备受冷落,风头完全给前队友Gary Barlow抢去, 可是自从Gary Barlow被揭发吸食可卡因后, 声势不但一落千丈, 连昔日被喻为Take That中最具才华的神气亦全溜走了。 在这此消彼长的情况下,Robbie Williams 以一个意想不到的摇滚歌手形象, 竟赢得了英伦乐迷的支持。大家也许觉得奇怪, 何解这位昔日的搞笑王现在竟能成为摇滚巨星?当然他的首张个人大碟《Life Thru A Lens》, 在外获得一致好评是主因,其次就是他是正宗的足球迷。 在英国,热爱足球的歌手通常都会获得乐迷的宠幸。 尤其他是伦敦老牌球会爱华顿的拥护者,自然在伦敦区得到广泛的支持。
离开Take That后的罗比立即加入EMI唱片公司,并在1996年推出单飞后的第一支单曲Freedom,接着第二支单曲Old Before I Die也问世。然而罗比因由偶像歌手转型为实力派唱将中遭遇许多挫折,接着开始酗酒嗑药的行径将他在Take That一贯乖孩子的形象破坏殆尽。虽然97年发行的专辑Life Thru A Lens卖出7白金的成绩,不过罗比的酗酒却几乎打乱了当时的宣传计划,之后还严重到得前往酗酒中心接受治疗,也因此耽误了Life Thru A Lens许多宣传行程。不过这张专辑已经可以看见罗比慢慢脱离Take That时期的泡泡糖音乐,以强烈的Beatles与Britpop风格、更粗旷狂野的曲风和曲曲露骨的歌词向世人宣告他蜕变后的成熟。
真正让罗比走红国际的专辑应该是他的个人第二张专辑I've Been Expecting You,虽然上张专辑在英国的成绩还算不错,却始终没有拿下一首冠军曲。而I've Been Expecting You首支单曲Millennium一推出就登上英国金榜冠军,接下来推出的No Regrets、Strong、She's The One皆在单曲榜Top 5之内,专辑也卖出了7白金之多。接着他在音乐上的努力更获得MTV欧洲音乐奖(1998)、荷兰TMF音乐奖(1998)、伦敦音乐奖(1998)、英国全英音乐奖(1998/1999)等奖项的肯定,此时毫无偶像气息的罗比俨然成为英国音乐界的实力派天王,光芒更胜Take That时期。
I've Been Expecting You的成功让罗比在音乐这条路走得十分顺遂,去年以The Ego Had Landed打入美国市场并获得不错的回响后,2000年再推出最新大碟Sing When You're Winning,这次他以写词者与歌手的身分向自己的音乐事业向前跨了一大步,除了与Guy Chambers合作谱写专辑中的12首歌曲外,在拋弃音乐既定的规则与束缚下,巧妙地融合吉他摇滚、乡村情歌、性感放克曲风与招牌式抒情歌曲,让专辑与首支单曲Rock DJ纷纷登上英国金榜冠军。
[robbie williams guy chambers k andrews n pigford e paris]
rock dj
taken from 'sing when you're winning'
we were the floor show kicking 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 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 can 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
cos you're keep me up all night
singing in the classes music for your masses
give no head no backstage passes
have a proper giggle i'll be quite polite
and when i rock the mike i rock the mike (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 plans
houston can 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
cos you're keep me up all night
i don't wanna rock dj
but you're making me feel so nice
when's it gonna stop dj
cos you're keep me up all night
pimpin' ain't easy
most of them fleece me every night
pimpin' ain't easy
but if you're selling it's alright
come on
i don't wanna rock dj
but you're making me feel so nice
when's it gonna stop dj
cos you're keep me up all night
i don't wanna rock dj
but you're making me feel so nice
when's it gonna stop dj
cos you're keep me up all night
i don't wanna rock dj
but you're making me feel so nice
when's it gonna stop dj
cos you're keep me up all night
i don't wanna rock dj
but you're making me feel so nice
when's it gonna stop dj
cos you're keep me up all night