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.

The Actor
Robbie Williams Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Principal actors to the stage please,
Act One is about to begin in 8 seconds.

First you can't act, now you can't stop,
(What's my motivation?)
I used to like you a lot,
(I was the class nerd)
Exactly who I'm s'posed to be,

(I'm totally Strasberg)
You play a doctor on TV,
(What you're doing is SO brave)

Deep down you're dirty but you try,
(I'm a good person)
The truth would break you so you lie,
(I want my work to matter)
It's in the choices that you make,
(I want to inspire)
No talent, just fate.

[Chorus:]
I don't know where you begin,
I end, we start
Again,
They need, you love,
We all watch
The Actor Acting.

Good from far but far from good,
(All I have is my instinct)
You love to act, I wish you would,
(It's not acting, it's re-acting)
Act like you're not from out of space,
(When I'm on stage I feel alive)
You know ambition isn't grace,
(For me it's the craft)

Made of Sex, Maida Vale,
(Would I do better in New York)
You are the Alpha Male,
(I'm just too pretty for that role)
You are the good, you are the great,
(The words have power)
Now let me fill you with my hate.

[Chorus]

Monroe,
(Monroe)
Barrymore,
(Barrymore)
Mansfield,
(Mansfield)
D-d-d-d-Dame d-Dame d-Dame Judi Dench,
(Judi Dench)
Madonna Ritchie,
(Ritchie)
Ritchie, Ritchie, Ritchie.
Streep,
Close,
Hepburn,
Burt Reynolds.
Niven,
Danson,
Bundy,
BARDOT.
Joaquin,
Joaquin,
Joaquin,
Joaquin,
Joaquin,
(Joaquin)
Joaquin,
(Joaquin)
Joaquin,
(Joaquin)
Swank.

[Chorus]

In the future,
Everybody will be anonymous for fifteen minutes,
You are, we all are a test card,

The stars of CCTV,
We ARE the nature of the beast.

Overall Meaning

The song "The Actor" by Robbie Williams is a commentary on the culture of celebrity in the entertainment industry. The lyrics suggest that people become actors not because they have talent, but because they want to be famous. The song depicts an actor who is not particularly talented but who is obsessed with his image and the idea of being a star. The lyrics are sarcastic in tone, with Williams poking fun at the self-importance and delusion of some actors.

The lyrics also touch on the idea of identity and the way that people in the entertainment industry often struggle to maintain a sense of who they are. The line "I don't know where you begin, I end, we start again" suggests that the actor in question is constantly trying on different personas and struggling to maintain a sense of self. The song also makes reference to iconic actors such as Marilyn Monroe, Burt Reynolds, and Audrey Hepburn, highlighting the idea that actors have become symbols and cultural touchstones.

Overall, "The Actor" is a biting critique of the culture of celebrity and the way that fame can warp a person's sense of self. The lyrics suggest that being an actor is ultimately a hollow pursuit, with the pursuit of fame and admiration overshadowing any actual artistic talent or ability.

Line by Line Meaning

Principal actors to the stage please, Act One is about to begin in 8 seconds.
The performance is about to start and actors should take their positions.

First you can't act, now you can't stop, (What's my motivation?)
You were not skilled in the beginning, but now you have become uncontrollable.

I used to like you a lot, (I was the class nerd)
I admired you before, but now I realize that you were a mere average student.

Exactly who I'm s'posed to be, (I'm totally Strasberg)
I am Strasberg. I have exactly embodied the character I was supposed to play.

You play a doctor on TV, (What you're doing is SO brave)
It is a courageous job you are doing by playing the role of a doctor on TV.

Deep down you're dirty but you try, (I'm a good person)
You have your dark secrets, but you try to come out as a noble person.

The truth would break you so you lie, (I want my work to matter)
You are afraid of facing the reality, so you choose to lie instead. You want your work to be significant.

It's in the choices that you make, (I want to inspire)
Your choices reflect who you are as an actor. You want to inspire others.

No talent, just fate.
Your success is not because of your talent, but because you were destined for it.

[Chorus:] I don't know where you begin, I end, we start Again, They need, you love, We all watch The Actor Acting.
We all watch you perform, not knowing where your persona ends and your true self begins.

Good from far but far from good, (All I have is my instinct)
You seem promising from the outside, but you lack the required skills. You rely on your instincts.

You love to act, I wish you would, (It's not acting, it's re-acting)
You are passionate about acting, but you should work more towards acting instead of reacting.

Act like you're not from out of space, (When I'm on stage I feel alive)
You need to act like a normal human being. When you are on stage, you feel alive.

You know ambition isn't grace, (For me it's the craft)
You should know that ambition is not always graceful. For you, acting is an art.

Made of Sex, Maida Vale, (Would I do better in New York)
You are always in the spotlight, and people are drawn towards you. You wonder what it would have been like to act in New York.

You are the Alpha Male, (I'm just too pretty for that role)
You are the dominant male in the scene. But you feel you might be unfit for the role you are given.

You are the good, you are the great, (The words have power)
You are one of the best actors, and have the power to make an impact with your words.

Now let me fill you with my hate.
I am overcome by bitterness and need to release it.

[Chorus]
We continue to watch, as the Actor performs.

Monroe, Barrymore, Mansfield, D-d-d-d-Dame d-Dame d-Dame Judi Dench, Madonna Ritchie, Ritchie, Ritchie. Streep, Close, Hepburn, Burt Reynolds. Niven, Danson, Bundy, BARDOT. Joaquin, Joaquin, Joaquin, Joaquin, Joaquin, (Joaquin) Joaquin, (Joaquin) Joaquin, (Joaquin) Swank.
A list of actors and actresses who have made it big in the industry, and who have left their mark.

In the future, Everybody will be anonymous for fifteen minutes, You are, we all are a test card, The stars of CCTV, We ARE the nature of the beast.
In the future, everyone will get their fifteen minutes of fame. We are all like test cards, actors who are constantly under surveillance. This is the nature of the beast.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRANDON CHRISTY, ROBERT PETER WILLIAMS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS