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.
Toxic
Robbie Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words can burn a happy home
It's true
I've got words for you
The past is gone it's gone forever,
Don't tell me my pain is pleasure
Oh oh I wanna cry but I don't make a sound
I am your child and your child is feeling down
Everybody's toxic in this town
All God's children fade and die
In the name of let's get high
Amen you do it again
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
And when you're coming down I'll be asleep
I can't pretend
It's killing me again
Oh oh I wanna cry but I don't make a sound
I am your child and your child is feeling down
Everybody's toxic in this town
HOLD me
My lord
I'm coming down
Coming down
Oh me
My lord
I'm coming down
Oh oh I wanna cry but I don't make a sound
I am your child and your child is feeling down
Everybody's toxic in this town
Oh oh I wanna cry but I don't make a sound
I am your child and your child is feeling down
Everybody's toxic in this town
Stick and stones may break my bones
but words can burn a happy home
It's true
I've got words for you.
The song "Toxic" by Robbie Williams is a commentary on the social and personal destruction caused by substance addiction. The first verse speaks of the power of words to damage relationships and homes, describing how even if sticks and stones may break bones, words can have a more lasting effect. The second verse addresses the tragic cycle of addiction and the cost it takes on individuals and their loved ones. The chorus, "Everybody's toxic in this town," can be seen as reflecting the idea that addiction, like a contagion, can spread through a community and cause harm to others as well.
The bridge of the song speaks to the sense of powerlessness and resignation that can come with addiction. The repetition of "Hold me, my lord" can be interpreted as a plea for help or salvation, while the lines "Coming down, coming down / Oh me, my lord" express both the physical and emotional descent that often accompanies addiction. Finally, the last repetition of the chorus emphasizes the ongoing destructive effects of addiction, ending the song on a bleak note.
Line by Line Meaning
Sticks and stones may break my bones
Physical harm can be painful, but it's possible to heal from it.
but words can burn a happy home
Verbal abuse can hurt as much as physical abuse, and it can harm the foundation of a relationship.
It's true
Acknowledging that the previous statement is factual.
I've got words for you
I have something to say specifically to you.
The past is gone it's gone forever,
The events that happened before are irretrievable and cannot be changed.
Don't tell me my pain is pleasure
Don't try to convince me that what is hurting me actually feels good.
You, you haven't got a clue
You don't understand what I'm going through.
Oh oh I wanna cry but I don't make a sound
I'm feeling emotional, but I'm trying to conceal it.
I am your child and your child is feeling down
I am someone you care for deeply, but I'm not doing well.
Everybody's toxic in this town
All the people around me are negative and harmful in some way.
All God's children fade and die
Everyone eventually ages, becomes weaker, and will eventually pass away.
In the name of let's get high
People use drugs or alcohol as a means of escaping reality.
Amen you do it again
Acknowledging someone's actions, but implying that they should stop hurting themselves in this way.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
Hopeful that someone's spirit will endure beyond their physical body.
And when you're coming down I'll be asleep
When you're suffering from the aftermath of drug use, I won't be there to help you.
I can't pretend
I can't keep up the facade, I have to be honest.
It's killing me again
The situation is hurting me deeply, just like it has before.
HOLD me
Let me find comfort in you.
My lord
An expression of reverence, but it's not necessarily directed at a religious figure.
I'm coming down
The high is wearing off and I'm returning to reality.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ROBERT PETER WILLIAMS, GUY ANTONY CHAMBERS
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!