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.
Knutsford City Limits
Robbie Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was wounded baby
That's fighting talk where I'm from
And I'm not moving baby
Spent my life dancing with shadows in strobe lights
It's alright, everything mellows in sunlight
And now London's got its gimmicks
But Knutsford City limits
I'll never change
London's got its gimmicks
And New York's had its minute
But Knutsford City limits
I'll never change
I've been runny nearly all my life
It left me broken baby
When the meter ran out on life
I used my tokens lady
You said I was Northern scum
I was wounded baby
That's fighting talk where I'm from
And I'm not moving baby
London's got its gimmicks
And New York's had its minute
But Knutsford City limits
I'll never change
Saw one transmission
On the television
Saying I can't do my job
Well I just kept dancing
Don't hate me 'cause I'm handsome
And the beat will never stop
Saw one transmission
On the television
Saying I can't do my job
Well I just kept dancing
Don't hate me 'cause I'm handsome
And the beat will never stop
"Knutsford City Limits" is a song from Robbie Williams's 2006 album "Rudebox". The song is about Williams' hometown of Knutsford in Cheshire, England. The lyrics are about his pride and loyalty to his roots, as well as the struggles he has faced and overcome in his life.
The lyrics "You said I was northern scum, I was wounded baby, that's fighting talk where I'm from, and I'm not moving baby" showcase Williams' pride in being from the north of England and his refusal to be put down by insults. He goes on to talk about his experiences in life, "dancing with shadows in strobe lights" and how everything "mellows in sunlight". Williams also talks about his disdain for the glamor of big cities like London and New York, stating that he will never change his love for Knutsford.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "London's got its gimmicks, and New York's had its minute, but Knutsford City limits, I'll never change". This line emphasizes Williams' loyalty to his hometown and his belief that there is more to life than the bright lights of big cities.
Line by Line Meaning
You said I was northern scum
Someone insulted me for being from the north
I was wounded baby
It hurt my feelings
That's fighting talk where I'm from
Where I'm from, that's something people fight over
And I'm not moving baby
I won't be intimidated into leaving
Spent my life dancing with shadows in strobe lights
I've lived a wild and colorful life
It's alright, everything mellows in sunlight
But things calm down eventually
And now London's got its gimmicks
Other places have their own distractions
And New York's had its minute
And New York might be overrated
But Knutsford City limits
But my hometown will always be special
I'll never change
I'll always be myself
I've been runny nearly all my life
I've been on the move for most of my life
It left me broken baby
It's taken a toll on me
When the meter ran out on life
When I felt like my time might be up
I used my tokens lady
I've taken every opportunity I could
Saw one transmission
I heard one comment
On the television
On the media
Saying I can't do my job
Someone doubted my abilities
Well I just kept dancing
But I didn't let it stop me
Don't hate me 'cause I'm handsome
I know some people resent me for being popular
And the beat will never stop
But the music keeps going
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KELVIN ANDREW MOULD, ROBERT WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Win Some Lose Some
Yet another fantastic Robbie Williams song. Absolutely fantastic.
Philip Kassabian
on Millennium
What a fantastic song by Robbie Williams.
Edy Souza
on Advertising Space
:)
Edy Souza
on Angels
Love! Love!