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.

Gospel
Robbie Williams Lyrics

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I used to think about it when I was a little one all alone
Used to be so excited, so excited on my own
I used to think about it when I was a little one all alone
Used to be so excited, so excited in my home

You wouldn't believe it even if I told ya
This little girl with too much exposure
Big bad world, eyes black like a raven

I knew right then my soul needed saving

You were way out of my league back then
Go anyway, be a man

I am sixteen and I love you and I'm standing on your step
I took a photograph in my mind
But I don't know where it's kept
I'm embarrassing and limited with thoughts I have repressed
But I'm sixteen and I love you and I haven't lost it yet

I used to think about it when I was a little one all alone
Used to be so excited, so excited in my home
I used to think about it when I was a little one all alone
Used to be all about it, all about it on my own

You wouldn't believe it even if I told ya
This little girl with too much exposure
Big bad world, eyes black like a raven
I knew right then my soul needed saving

This is the end
You were way out of my league back then
Go anyway, be a man

I am sixteen and I love you and I'm standing on your step
I took a photograph in my mind
But I don't know where it's kept
I'm embarrassing and limited with thoughts I have repressed
But I'm sixteen and I love you and I haven't lost it yet

Let me be your gospel
Baby, we've got history
Let me be your gospel
Baby, we've got history

This is the end, my faithful friend
(Let me be your gospel / Baby, we've got history)
The bitter end, coming home again
(Let me be your gospel / Baby, we've got history)
This is the end

Drink to you, you always wished me well
And those that don't go fuck yourself
Drink to you, you always wished me well
And those that don't go fuck yourself

This is the end

Overall Meaning

The song, titled "Gospel," is a deep and reflective piece about a teenage girl's love for someone who was way out of her league. She talks about how she used to think about it when she was alone and how excited she was about it. She also talks about how she knew her soul needed saving after experiencing too much exposure in the big bad world. But even with all of that going on, she still loves the person she's talking about and hasn't lost that love even at the age of sixteen.

The song is all about coming of age and realizing that the world is a lot bigger than we thought it was. It's about a person who has seen too much too soon and who is trying to hold onto the one thing that brings them happiness. The line "Let me be your gospel / Baby, we've got history" is a beautiful expression of the power of love to change someone's life.

Line by Line Meaning

I used to think about it when I was a little one all alone
When I was young and lonely, I used to think about something important (possibly God or love)

Used to be so excited, so excited on my own
Despite being by myself, I was still enthusiastic and joyful

You wouldn't believe it even if I told ya
What I'm about to say is hard to believe

This little girl with too much exposure
I was exposed to things I shouldn't have been at a young age

Big bad world, eyes black like a raven
The world was a harsh and cruel place, and my eyes reflected that darkness

I knew right then my soul needed saving
I realized that my spirit was hurting and needed help

You were way out of my league back then
At that time, you were much more desirable or superior than I was

Go anyway, be a man
Even though I knew I wasn't good enough for you, I still wanted to take a chance

I am sixteen and I love you and I'm standing on your step
I was very young when I fell in love with you, and I was right outside your door

I took a photograph in my mind
I captured a mental image of this moment and my feelings for you

But I don't know where it's kept
Even though I remember it vividly, I can't physically locate that memory in my brain

I'm embarrassing and limited with thoughts I have repressed
I feel ashamed and constrained by the emotions that I've tried to hide or ignore

But I'm sixteen and I love you and I haven't lost it yet
Despite my youth and inexperience, my love for you is still strong and hasn't faded

Used to be all about it, all about it on my own
I used to focus solely on that important thing, by myself

Let me be your gospel
Let me be the one to share this important message or truth with you

Baby, we've got history
We have a shared past or connection

This is the end, my faithful friend
This is the end of our time together, my loyal companion

(Let me be your gospel / Baby, we've got history)
Repeating the chorus

The bitter end, coming home again
This is the unpleasant conclusion, returning to where we started

(Let me be your gospel / Baby, we've got history)
Repeating the chorus

Drink to you, you always wished me well
I will raise a glass in your honor, as you always wanted the best for me

And those that don't go fuck yourself
To anyone who doesn't wish me well, I have no use for you

This is the end
Repeating the final line

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ROBERT PETER WILLIAMS, FLYNN FRANCIS, JACKNIFE LEE, TIMOTHY GRANT METCALFE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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