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.
Mr Bojangles
Robbie Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he'll dance for you
In worn out shoes
With silver hair and ragged shirt, baggy pants
He would do the old soft shoe
He would jump so high
Jump so high
Then he'd lightly, touch down
Told me of the time
He worked with, with minstrel shows
Travelling throughout the south
Spoke with tears for fifteen years
How his, how his dog and he
They would travel about
But his dog up and died
Bought up and died
And after twenty years he still grieves
He said
I dance now and
Every chance in honky tonks
for my drinks and tips
but most the time I, I spend behind these county bars
You see son I, I drinks a bit
Then he shook his head
Oh Lord, when he shook his head
I could swear I heard somebody say please, please
There's mister Bojangles
Call him mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles come back and dance and dance
and dance please dance
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles
Mister Bojangles come back and dance and dance
and dance please dance
Come back and dance mister Bojangles
The song "Mr Bojangles," sung by the British pop star Robbie Williams, tells the story of an old man named Bojangles who used to dance for people in worn out shoes with raggedy clothes. He would do the old soft shoe and jump so high that he was almost flying, and then would touch down lightly. Bojangles reveals that he had once worked with minstrel shows, travelling throughout the South. He spoke with tears about how his dog and he would travel about but his dog eventually died, and even after twenty years, he still grieves about it.
Bojangles says he dances now every chance he gets in honky-tonks for his drinks and tips, but most of the time, he spends it behind bars since he drinks a bit too much. At the end of the song, the singer pleads for Bojangles to come back and dance. The story is a sad one, that talks about the life of a performer who was once famous and had great success but now struggles to make ends meet.
In reality, the song is a tribute to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, a tap dancer and actor who was famously known for his work with Shirley Temple in the 1930s. The story about Bojangles' dog is also based on Robinson's real-life experience with one of his dogs. The song has been covered by many famous artists such as Sammy Davis Jr, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Nina Simone. It has become one of the most iconic songs of Robinson’s legacy.
Line by Line Meaning
I knew a man Bojangles
I once met a man named Bojangles
And he'll dance for you
He loves to dance and will perform for anyone who asks
In worn out shoes
His shoes are old and worn, but he still dances his heart out
With silver hair and ragged shirt, baggy pants
He has gray hair and wears tattered clothing that is too big
He would do the old soft shoe
He specializes in a dance style known as the 'soft shoe'
He would jump so high
He could leap into the air with impressive height
Jump so high
His jumps were truly remarkable
Then he'd lightly, touch down
He would land softly, with great grace
Told me of the time
He spoke to me about a particular period in his life
He worked with, with minstrel shows
He performed as part of a travelling troupe called 'minstrel shows'
Travelling throughout the south
They journeyed throughout the southern United States
Spoke with tears for fifteen years
He spoke about something that brought him to tears for fifteen years
How his, how his dog and he
He and his dog were inseparable companions
They would travel about
They traveled together from place to place
But his dog up and died
His beloved dog passed away suddenly
Bought up and died
His dog died unexpectedly
And after twenty years he still grieves
He still deeply mourns his dog's passing, even after two decades
He said
He went on to tell me
I dance now and
He currently spends his time dancing
Every chance in honky tonks
He frequently performs at bars and nightclubs called 'honky tonks'
for my drinks and tips
He dances to earn money for drinks and tips
but most the time I, I spend behind these county bars
However, much of his time is spent in jail
You see son I, I drinks a bit
He has a drinking problem
Then he shook his head
He shook his head in disappointment
Oh Lord, when he shook his head
He was clearly upset
I could swear I heard somebody say please, please
It seemed like someone was pleading with him to change his ways
There's mister Bojangles
This is Mister Bojangles we're talking about
Call him mister Bojangles
That's his name, so call him that
Mister Bojangles come back and dance and dance
He is being asked to come back and dance some more
and dance please dance
It would be greatly appreciated if he could keep dancing
Come back and dance mister Bojangles
He's being politely asked to dance again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CTM Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Jeff Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@getoffofmyspamaccount
i love this song. it reminds me of when i was in the car on the way to France with my dad. i was 5 years old and loved him. my mom had to raise me up all alone since my parents divorced. i love the good memories of when the time was right and everything was so simple and innocent.
@humbertogatica6420
His voice is pure velvet, he gives it his own style,the throaty part, it so jazzy. Thanks for sharing
@Dangerous2099
Let's face it- he's a shit singer.
Not fit to shine Sammy's shoes.
@LeBoomStudios
He's a full-blooded Jazz singer.
Sometimes I wonder what his career could've looked like if it wasn't for greedy record labels.
I'll say about him what Simon Cowell said to Sal Valentinetti; "You're an old soul".
@dretety1
This version is shite.
@S.R.Crnt.
THE best album Robbie ever made
@dilove356
I love this song and his voice is pure heaven
@miguelalbarracin9077
I love this version of the song so much
@onboardmirror34
OH THE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OH YES!
@Melllii
the live version at Royal Albert Hall is even better!