No Regrets
[Robbie Williams Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tell me a story
Where we all change
And we'd live our lives together
And not estranged

I didn't lose my mind it was
Mine to give away
Couldn't stay to watch me cry
You didn't have the time
So I softly slip away

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Sing me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

I know from the outside
We looked good for each other
Felt things were going wrong
When you didn't like my mother

I don't want to hate but that's
All you've left me with
A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of
How we all could live

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
(We've been told you stay up late)
I know they're still talking
(You're far too short to carry weight)
The demons in your head
(Return the videos they're late)
If I could just stop hating you
(Goodbye)
I'd feel sorry for us instead

Remember the photographs (insane)
The ones where we all laugh (so lame)
We were having the time of our lives
Well thank you it was a real blast

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Write me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

Everything I wanted to be every
Time I walked away
Every time you told me to leave
I just wanted to stay
Every time you looked at me and
Every time you smiled
I felt so vacant you treat me like a child
I loved the way we used to laugh
I loved the way we used to smile
Often I sit down and think of you
For a while
Then it passes by me and I think of
Someone else instead




I guess the love we once had is
Officially dead

Overall Meaning

Robbie Williams's song "No Regrets" is a deeply emotional and introspective look at a failed relationship. The lyrics are filled with regret, sadness, and a longing for what could have been. The song begins with Williams asking his ex-partner to tell him a story where they are able to change and live their lives together without being estranged. He then goes on to say that he didn't lose his mind, he gave it away, and that his partner couldn't bear to watch him cry, so he softly slipped away. He acknowledges that no regrets will work, but they only hurt.


The chorus repeats twice, with the lines, "No regrets they don't work, no regrets they only hurt." Williams then asks his partner to "write me a love song, drop me a line" and acknowledges that even though it's just a point of view, he's been told he's doing fine. He then reflects on the relationship, saying that from the outside, it looked good, but things were going wrong when his partner didn't like his mother. He doesn't want to hate his partner, but that's all that's left, along with a bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of how they could have lived together.


Williams then reflects on some of the good times they had together, including looking at old photographs where they all laughed and reminisces about how they were having the time of their lives. He ends the song with the line, "I guess the love we once had is officially dead."


Line by Line Meaning

Tell me a story
Introduce me to a tale


Where we all change
Where all of us transform


And we'd live our lives together
And we would spend our lives in each other's company


And not estranged
And not separated


I didn't lose my mind it was
I haven't gone crazy, I chose to


Mine to give away
It was my decision to make


Couldn't stay to watch me cry
You couldn't bear to see me weep


You didn't have the time
You didn't spare the time


So I softly slip away
So, I left quietly


No regrets they don't work
No use feeling remorseful


No regrets they only hurt
Remorse only causes pain


Sing me a love song
Sing to me a romantic melody


Drop me a line
Send me a message or letter


Suppose it's just a point of view
I guess it's only perspective


But they tell me I'm doing fine
But others say I'm doing okay


I know from the outside
I realize from an external point of view


We looked good for each other
We had an excellent appearance as a couple


Felt things were going wrong
Sensed that issues were arising


When you didn't like my mother
When my mother was not to your liking


I don't want to hate but that's
I don't want to have hatred in me, but that is


All you've left me with
All that you have given me


A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of
A sour memory and a dream of


How we all could live
How we all could exist


They're still talking
Gossip comes around


The demons in your head
The inner struggles in your mind


Return the videos they're late
Bring back the overdue videos


If I could just stop hating you
If I could only stop feeling hatred for you


I'd feel sorry for us instead
I would show pity for the two of us


Remember the photographs
Recall the pictures


The ones where we all laugh
The ones with us all smiling


We were having the time of our lives
We were in the prime of our lives


Well thank you it was a real blast
Thank you, it was great fun


Everything I wanted to be every
All of the aspirations and dreams of myself that


Time I walked away
Each time I left


Every time you told me to leave
Every time you asked me to go


I just wanted to stay
I just wished to remain


Every time you looked at me and
Each moment you gazed at me and


Every time you smiled
Every moment you smiled


I felt so vacant you treat me like a child
I felt so hollow by the way you treated me so immaturely


I loved the way we used to laugh
I adored the way we used to giggle


I loved the way we used to smile
I adored the way we grinned


Often I sit down and think of you
Often I take a seat and reminisce about you


For a while
For a brief moment


Then it passes by me and I think of
Then it fades away, and I think about


Someone else instead
Someone else in place of you


I guess the love we once had is
I presume the affection we had is


Officially dead
Dead, officially




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Guy Chambers, Robert Williams

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@randomdude2336

[Verse 1]
Tell me a story
Where we all change
And we'd live our lives together
And not enstranged

[Pre-Chorus]
I didn't lose my mind it was
Mine to give away
Couldn't stay to watch me cry
You didn't have the time
So I softly slip away...

[Chorus]
No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Sing me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

[Verse 2]
I know from the outside
We looked good for each other
Felt things were going wrong
When you didn't like my mother
Ad
[Pre-Chorus]
I don't want to hate but that's
All you've left me with
A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of
How we all could live

[Chorus]
No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
(We've been told you stay up late)
I know they're still talking
(You're far too short to carry weight)
The demons in your head
(Return the videos they're late)
If I could just stop hating you
(Goodbye)
I'd feel sorry for us instead

[Bridge]
Remember the photographs (insane)
The ones where we all laugh (so lame)
We were having the time of our lives
Well thank you it was a real blast

[Chorus]
No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Write me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine
[Outro]
Everything I wanted to be
Every time I walked away
Everytime you told me to leave
I just wanted to stay
Every time you looked at me and
Everytime you smiled
I felt so vacant you treat me like a child
I loved the way we used to laugh
I loved the way we used to smile
Often I sit down and think of you for a while
Then it passes me by and I think of someone else instead
I guess the love we once had is
Officially dead



All comments from YouTube:

@Nunov103

To me this will always be his best track, sad, dark, strangely uplifting... a classic :)

@benevans3733

Yes agree with you

@allyshell4979

Feel like taht now,so true

@naveenchandrapathak9274

Haven't you changed your mind Yet.

@naveenchandrapathak9274

@@benevans3733 Agree with what. Copy and paste 😂

@anetastruzik3926

I agree with you

10 More Replies...

@piskaj2

One of his finest!!! There is something very special about it. Profound in every way possible.

@mandybell8399

Angsty Robbie, will always be my favourite Robbie 🙌🏻
25 years this song has been in my life.
Right from my parents break up, and the pain of having my life turned upside down as child, subsequent struggles with relationships, a massive fall out with my sister, my battle with depression, through to most recently being betrayed by the person I believed to be my soulmate.
This song beautifully portrays the pain of depression and end of a chapter in life.
It really, more than any song, shows you where Robbie was in that time in his life. I’m glad he found happiness and peace in the end.

@MelissaMoore-bm9uf

My favourite Robbie song, melody and lyrics are gorgeous. It's actually helping me stay strong at the moment. This is not what the song was written about I know and I'm aware that he and Take That have resolved their issues (which is lovely), but I've gone no contact with an emotionally abusive relative who made me feel terrorised, and every now and then when I feel the urge to contact her because I feel sorry for her, I just play this song. The lyrics describe the way she treated me pretty much verbatim.

@carolina444

This song is amazing - Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers were dynamite together. Also, pure genius to have Neil Tennant and Neil Hannon on backing vocals. Just class.

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