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.
That Old Black Magic
Robbie Williams Lyrics
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Old black magic that you weave so well
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine
The same old tingle that I feel inside
And then that elevator starts to ride
Down and down I go, round and round I go
I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name and I'm aflame
Aflame with burning desire
That only your kiss can put out the fire
For ever, lover, I have waited for
You're the mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine
Darling, down and down I go, round and round I go
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under that old black magic called love
Oh, in a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin, loving the spin I'm
Under the old black magic called love
I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name and I'm aflame
Aflame with burning desire
That only your kiss could put out the fire
For ever, lover, I have waited for
You're the mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine
Darling, down and down I go, round and round I go
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under that old black magic called love
Oh, in a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
Under the old black magic called love, love, love, love, love
The lyrics to Robbie Williams's "That Old Black Magic" speak to the overwhelming power of love and attraction. Williams sings about a bewitching love that has him in a spell, unable to resist the "old black magic" that his lover weaves so well. He describes the physical sensation of this love as "icy fingers up and down my spine" and "the same old tingle that I feel inside." Despite knowing that he should stay away, he cannot help but feel "aflame with burning desire" at the sound of his lover's name. He describes the feeling of being caught in the intoxicating and dizzying spin of love, comparing it to a leaf caught in a tide.
Overall, the lyrics to "That Old Black Magic" convey the intense and consuming nature of love. Williams portrays love as something that can overpower and control, something that can cause us to lose ourselves completely. The repetition of the phrase "old black magic" emphasizes the mystical and almost supernatural quality of it all, painting love as something as ancient and powerful as a spell.
Line by Line Meaning
That old black magic has me in a spell
The powerful love you have for me has captured my heart and feelings
Old black magic that you weave so well
Your ability to make me fall in love with you is incredible
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
The physical reactions I get from being with you are intense and exciting
The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine
Every time we lock eyes, I feel the same strong emotions of love and desire
The same old tingle that I feel inside
My body reacts the same way every time I think about you or see you
And then that elevator starts to ride
The excitement and anticipation just keeps building and building
Down and down I go, round and round I go
The feelings I have for you are overwhelming and all-consuming
Like a leaf that's caught in a tide
I feel completely swept away by my love for you
I should stay away but what can I do
Logically, I know I should stay away from you, but my emotions won't let me
I hear your name and I'm aflame
The mere mention of your name fills me with intense passion and desire
Aflame with burning desire
My desire for you is so strong, it's like an inferno inside me
That only your kiss can put out the fire
Only being with you and feeling your touch can quell the intense passion I feel
For ever, lover, I have waited for
I have been longing for you for what seems like an eternity
You're the mate that fate had me created for
I strongly believe that we were meant to be together, destined by fate
In a spin, loving the spin I'm in
I am completely love-struck and happy in this whirlwind of emotions
Under that old black magic called love
All of these intense emotions I am feeling are the result of being deeply in love with you
Contributed by Scarlett L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dinapapavlachou6962
Robbie swings so nice !!! He is wonderful