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.

My Way And Depature
Robbie Williams Lyrics

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And now the end is near
So I face the final curtain
My friend, I'll say it clear
I'll state my case of which I'm certain

I've lived a life that's full
I've traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this

I did it my way

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exception

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
Oh, and more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall
And did it my way

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've had my fails, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing
To think I did all that
And may I say, not in a shy way
Oh, no, no not me
I did it my way

For what is a man, what has he got
If not himself, then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words he would reveal

The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

Overall Meaning

"17 My Way" is a tribute to Frank Sinatra and his famous song "My Way". This song was written by Paul Anka and was one of the biggest hits of Frank Sinatra's career. Robbie Williams has been open about how much he was influenced by Frank Sinatra in his music career. This tribute song was released in 2016 on Robbie Williams's album "The Heavy Entertainment Show."

The lyrics of "17 My Way" suggest that the singer is at the end of his life, nearing death. He is reflecting on his life, which he spent doing things his way, without regrets. He has traveled down many of life's "highways" and taken his share of "blows", but he faced every challenge and problem that came his way with courage, with pride, and did it his way. The singer's message is clear - life is short, make the most of it and live in a way that is true to yourself.

The message of "17 My Way" is universal and has resonated with millions of people worldwide. It reminds us that, at the end of the day, we are responsible for our lives and that we should live it in the best possible way. This song is an ode to individualism and the idea of not compromising on one's values, beliefs, and dreams. It's a timeless message that never goes out of fashion.

Line by Line Meaning

And now the end is near
The end of my life is coming close.

So I face the final curtain
I'm ready to face death.

My friend, I'll say it clear
I'm speaking honestly.

I'll state my case of which I'm certain
I'm confident about what I'm going to say.

I've lived a life that's full
I've had a fulfilling life.

I've traveled each and every highway
I've experienced everything life has to offer.

And more, much more than this
I've had an abundance of experiences.

I did it my way
I lived my life on my own terms.

Regrets, I've had a few
There are some things I wish I had done differently.

But then again, too few to mention
But I don't have many regrets.

I did what I had to do
I made the choices that were necessary for me.

And saw it through without exception
And I followed through on those choices.

I planned each charted course
I carefully thought out my life goals.

Each careful step along the byway
I took small, deliberate actions to achieve my goals.

Oh, and more, much more than this
I had even more success than I anticipated.

I did it my way
I achieved my goals through personal self-expression.

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew
I know people saw me struggle at times.

When I bit off more than I could chew
When I took on more than I could handle.

But through it all when there was doubt
Despite my doubts.

I ate it up and spit it out
I overcame my difficulties with confidence.

I faced it all and I stood tall
I confronted all of life's challenges with determination.

And did it my way
And I accomplished it all on my own terms.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried
I've experienced a range of emotions.

I've had my fails, my share of losing
I've had my fair share of setbacks and losses.

And now as tears subside
Now that I'm at the end of my life.

I find it all so amusing
I find it all entertaining.

To think I did all that
To think of all the things I accomplished.

And may I say, not in a shy way
And I say this without hesitation.

Oh, no, no not me
I did all of this on my own.

I did it my way
I achieved my success through personal expression.

For what is a man, what has he got
What does a man really have?

If not himself, then he has not
If he doesn't have himself, he has nothing.

To say the things he truly feels
To express what he really feels.

And not the words he would reveal
Not just what he thinks people want to hear.

The record shows I took the blows
My life experiences have left a record of my accomplishments and failures.

And did it my way
And I accomplished everything through personal self-expression.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC , Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JERMAINE DUPRI, MANUEL LONNIE SEAL, USHER RAYMOND

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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