This morning saw the premiere of Robbie Williams’ comeback single on Radio One, and although Chris Moyles predicted it would be a grower, I’ve got to say, it’s an instant hit for me!
Back when Take That were in their heyday I was still listening to my parents’ Eagles collection and dancing my socks of to Pink Floyd, so I missed all that hype, and only really got wind of Robbie when he dressed up like James Bond for Millennium… let’s leave that in the past shall we?
Bodies is undoubtedly going to propel Robbie back to the top of the charts where he belongs, I mean, with this weather and the global recession, we all need a bit of pop music to brighten the mood - and nobody does it better than a boy band cast off!
The monk-like chants that open the single sound like they’ve been lifted straight off Enigma’s ‘Return to Innocence’, well, until they are interrupted by some weird elecrto sounds - which I’m told it what the kids are into these days… what with the MGMT & Casio Kids tearing up dance floors.
The real winner on this track is the ‘bridge’ and chorus, (yes, some people still have a bridge in their singles) and rather than sounding like something Peter Andre might knock up, “Bodies in the body tree, Bodies making chemistry, Bodies on my family, Bodies in the way I mean, Bodies in the cemetery, And that's the way it's got to be” is a huge build up to the smashing chorus that follows.
“All we ever wanted was to look good naked”… Ouch, that’s Gok Wan’s TV empire down the drain then… thanks for that Mr Williams.
Oh, and I can’t leave it without mentioning the last 30 seconds of the single… a brilliant string section accompanied by a choir belting out “Jesus really died for you.” Possibly not the easiest thing to recreate live (unless your Alexandra Burke and have Simon Cowell eating out of the palm of your hand) but awesome nevertheless.
So whilst some people might not be a fan of the new Robbie Williams who’s been penning tracks about God and whatnot, this anthemic single, from his forthcoming album, Reality Killed The Video Star, looks set to be a huge hit this summer… in the FemaleFirst office at the very least.
But what do you think? Better than Take That’s ‘jazz hands’ songs or just another song from an over the hill pop star past his prime?
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison
Tagged in Robbie Williams