Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and song… Read Full Bio ↴Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, Life thru a Lens, was released in 1997, and included his signature song, "Angels". His second album, I've Been Expecting You, featured the songs "Millennium" and "She's the One", his first number one singles. His discography includes seven UK No. 1 singles, and all but one of his 14 studio albums have reached No. 1 in the UK. Six of his albums are among the top 100 biggest-selling albums in the UK, with two of them in the top 60, and he gained a Guinness World Record in 2006 for selling 1.6 million tickets in a single day during his Close Encounters Tour.

Williams has received a record 18 Brit Awards, winning Best British Male Artist four times, Outstanding Contribution to Music twice, an Icon Award for his lasting impact on British culture, eight German ECHO Awards, and three MTV European Music Awards. In 2004, he was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame after being voted the Greatest Artist of the 1990s. According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), he has been certified for 20.2 million albums and 8.66 million singles in the UK as a solo artist. Five of his albums have also topped the Australian albums chart, and has sold 75 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He also topped the 2000–2010 UK airplay chart. His three concerts at Knebworth in 2003 drew over 375,000 people, the UK's biggest music event to that point. In 2014, he was awarded the freedom of his hometown of Stoke-on-Trent and had a tourist trail created and streets named in his honour. Williams' thirteenth album, XXV was released on 9 September 2022.

After 15 years, Williams rejoined Take That in 2010 to co-write and perform lead vocals on their album Progress, which became the second-fastest-selling album in UK chart history and the fastest-selling record of the century at the time. The subsequent stadium tour, which featured seven songs from Williams' solo career, became the biggest-selling concert in UK history when it sold 1.34 million tickets in less than 24 hours. In 2011, Take That frontman Gary Barlow confirmed that Williams had left the band for a second time to focus on his solo career, although he stated that the departure was amicable and that Williams was welcome to rejoin Take That in the future. Williams has since performed with Take That on three separate television appearances, and collaborated with Barlow on a number of projects such as the West End musical The Band.

27 Advertising Space
Robbie Williams Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's no earthly way of knowing,
What's in your heart when its' stopped going.
The whole world shook,
The storm was blowing through you.

Waiting for god,
To stop this.
I'm too young and,

And darkness.
Everyone around you was corrupted,
Say something.

There's no dignity in death,
To sell the world your last breath.
Your still fighting over everything you left,
Oh.

I saw you standing at the gate,
When Marlon Brando passed away.
You had that look upon your face,
Advertising Space.
And no one learned from your mistakes,
The little profits go to waste.
All that's left in any case,
Is advertising space.
Oh

Through your eyes the world was burning,
Please be gentle I'm still learning.
He seemed to say,
As you kept turning up.

They poisoned you with compromise,
At what point did you realize.
Everybody loves your life,
But you.

A special agent for the man,
Water gates and Vietnam.
No one really gave a damn,
D'ya think the sea I'm aiding?

I saw you standing at the gate,
When Marlon Brando passed away.
You had that look upon your face,
Advertising Space.
And no one learned from your mistakes,
The little profits go to waste.
All that's left in any case,
Is advertising space.
Oh oh

And no one learned from your mistakes,
The little profits go to waste.
All that's left in any case,
Is advertising space.
I've seen your doctor man she's cute,

I was scared but I wanted to.
Boy she looks a lot like you.

Overall Meaning

The song "Advertising Space" by Robbie Williams is a poignant commentary on the fleeting nature of fame and the desperation that it can bring. The first lines of the song, "There's no earthly way of knowing, What's in your heart when it's stopped going" are a metaphor for the loss of life and the unknown that comes with death. The reference to waiting for God to stop this and the darkness are indications of the songwriter's struggle to find meaning in a world that seems to have lost its way.

Throughout the rest of the song, Williams sings about the pitfalls of fame, reminding the listener that there's no dignity in death, especially when it's used to sell the world your last breath. The reference to Marlon Brando passing away and the singer at the gate waiting to take his place highlights the transience of celebrity culture. The lyric "advertising space" is a metaphor for the commodification of death and the way that those who have died are often used as a way to sell products.

The chorus of the song is a repetition of the line "And no one learned from your mistakes, The little profits go to waste, All that's left in any case, Is advertising space." This speaks to the way that the lessons learned from past mistakes are often forgotten, and that the profits from someone's life and death are often wasted by those left behind. The final line about the doctor looking like the singer is a reminder that while our bodies may perish, our legacy lives on in the memories of those we leave behind.

Line by Line Meaning

There's no earthly way of knowing,
It's impossible to understand or predict the emotions that arise when someone's heart stops beating.

What's in your heart when its' stopped going.
What does someone feel when their heart stops working and death overtakes them?

The whole world shook,
The sudden event, possibly the person's death, impacted everything and everyone around them.

The storm was blowing through you.
The person's inner turmoil and struggles were causing chaos in their life.

Waiting for god,
Hoping for divine intervention or guidance to help make sense of what has happened.

To stop this.
To stop the pain, hurt, or confusion that has been caused by something traumatic or unexpected.

I'm too young and,
The singer reflects on their own youth and inexperience as they try to make sense of the situation.

And darkness.
A metaphorical explanation of how the artist feels about the sadness or despair they are experiencing.

Everyone around you was corrupted,
Those who were supposed to care for or help the person were affected by their own personal problems, and could not provide the support needed.

Say something.
The artist is asking for a response, a sign that the situation is being acknowledged and addressed.

There's no dignity in death,
Even when someone dies, there is often pain, sadness, and unresolved feelings that follow.

To sell the world your last breath.
The idea that even in death, someone's memory, legacy, or accomplishments are being sold or marketed to others.

Your still fighting over everything you left,
After someone dies, they may leave behind possessions, memories, or even money that may cause arguments, fights, or stress for those still living.

I saw you standing at the gate,
The singer is envisioning the person at the gates of heaven or afterlife, waiting to enter.

When Marlon Brando passed away.
Marlon Brando, a famous actor, is used as a reference to a specific moment in time, likely in the past.

You had that look upon your face,
The artist is describing an expression of sadness, longing, or confusion on the person's face.

Advertising Space.
The idea that even after someone passes away, their name, face, or memory is being used to sell or market something.

And no one learned from your mistakes,
The person's life and experiences may contain lessons or warnings, but often people fail to learn from them.

The little profits go to waste.
The profits, attention, or recognition that may come from someone's life and death can be meaningless or empty.

All that's left in any case,
After someone dies, what remains is memories, connections, and the impact they have made on others.

Is advertising space.
The idea that after someone dies, what remains is the name, image, or reputation that can be used to sell or market something.

Through your eyes the world was burning,
The artist is reflecting on how the person's perspective of the world may have been one of sadness, anger, or hopelessness.

Please be gentle I'm still learning.
The singer asks for patience, as they try to make sense of the person's life and death, and the feelings and emotions associated with it.

He seemed to say,
The person, possibly referencing the afterlife, is described as saying or expressing something to the artist.

As you kept turning up.
The singer is describing their own efforts to understand the person's life and legacy, even though they may not have known them well in life.

They poisoned you with compromise,
The singer is referring to the idea that the person was influenced, coerced, or changed by external factors, and possibly compromised their beliefs or values because of this.

At what point did you realize.
The singer asks, at what point did the person realize what was happening, or how they were being influenced by others.

Everybody loves your life,
The artist acknowledges that the person had aspects of their life that were admirable, successful, or interesting to others.

But you.
The artist questions whether the person themselves was happy or content with their life, despite other people's perceptions of it.

A special agent for the man,
The singer is possibly referencing a government or higher power, and questioning the person's role in it, or their obedience to it.

Water gates and Vietnam.
A reference to two specific historical events, possibly related to the person's life or era.

No one really gave a damn,
Despite the person's experiences, accomplishments or struggles, others may have failed to care or acknowledge them.

D'ya think the sea I'm aiding?
The artist asks if they are helping, aiding, or providing comfort to the person, who is described as being lost or drowning in a metaphorical 'sea' of emotions or struggles.

I've seen your doctor man she's cute,
Possibly a personal anecdote, the artist mentions meeting the person's doctor and their appearance.

I was scared but I wanted to.
The singer admits to feeling apprehensive but still drawn to the doctor, possibly as a distraction or source of support during a difficult time.

Boy she looks a lot like you.
A somewhat ambiguous line, the artist may be describing physical similarities or making a deeper emotional connection between the person and their doctor.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEPHEN DUFFY, ROBERT WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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