No Regrets
Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman Lyrics


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Tell me a story
Where we all change
And we'd live our lives together
And not estranged

I didn't lose my mind it was
Mine to give away
Couldn't stay to watch me cry
You didn't have the time
So I softly slip away...

No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Sing me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

I know from the outside
(Some people said)
We looked good for eachother
Felt things were going wrong
When you didn't like my mother

I don't want to hate
But that's all you've left me with
A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy
Of how we all could live

No regrets they don't work
No regrets now, they only hurt
(We've been told you stay up late)
I know they're still talking
(You're far too short to carry weight)
The demons in your head
(Return the videos they're late)
If I could just stop hating you
(Goodbye)
I'd feel sorry for us instead

Remember the photographs insane
The ones where we all laugh so lame
We were having the time of our lives
Well thank you, it was a real blast

No regrets, they don't work
No regrets, they only hurt
(We've been told you stay up late)
Write me a love song
(You're far too short to carry weight)
Drop me a line
(Return the videos they're late)
Suppose it's just a point of view
(Goodbye)
But they tell me I'm doing fine

Everything I wanted to be
Everytime I walked away
Everytime you told me to leave
I just wanted to stay
Everytime you looked at me
And everytime you smiled
I felt so vacant you treat me like a child
I loved the way we used to laugh
I loved the way we used to smile
Often I sit down and think of you for a while
And then it passes me by
And I think of someone else instead
I guess the love we once had




Is officially
Dead!

Overall Meaning

The song "No Regrets" is a duet by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman. It was released in 2001 as the second single from Williams' album "Sing When You're Winning". The song is a ballad that tells the story of a failed relationship and the inability to move past the pain it has caused.


The opening lines of the song suggest a desire for a different reality where people can change and live their lives together without being separated. However, the following lines reveal that this ideal cannot be realized, as the relationship has already come to an end. The singer's lover did not have the time to stay and watch them cry, and so they "softly slip away," leaving the singer with bitter feelings and regret.


Throughout the song, the chorus repeats the phrase "No regrets they don't work, no regrets now they only hurt," indicating that holding onto regret is not helpful or healing. The singer wishes they could stop hating their former lover and instead feel sorry for them. The song ends with the realization that the love the two once had is now dead.


Overall, "No Regrets" is a poignant and emotional ballad about a failed relationship and the pain it causes. It suggests that holding onto regrets only causes more pain and that it is better to let go and move on.


Line by Line Meaning

Tell me a story
Robbie wants someone to tell him a story about how they all changed and lived together.


Where we all change
The story should have details about how everyone changed.


And we'd live our lives together
The story should also describe how they lived their lives together without being estranged.


And not estranged
The story should have no mention of them being estranged.


I didn't lose my mind it was
Robbie clarifies that he didn't lose his mind, he voluntarily gave it away.


Mine to give away
He had the choice to give it away.


Couldn't stay to watch me cry
Robbie's partner couldn't bear to watch him cry.


You didn't have the time
His partner didn't have enough time for him.


So I softly slip away...
So Robbie slipped away quietly.


No regrets they don't work
Robbie believes that having no regrets doesn't work.


No regrets they only hurt
Having no regrets can only bring pain.


Sing me a love song
Robbie wants someone to sing him a love song.


Drop me a line
He wants someone to write him a love letter.


Suppose it's just a point of view
It's possible that his perspective is subjective.


But they tell me I'm doing fine
Despite everything, people tell him that he's doing well.


I know from the outside
Robbie is aware of how they looked from the outside of their relationship.


(Some people said)
Some outsiders commented on their relationship.


We looked good for each other
People thought that they looked good as a couple.


Felt things were going wrong
Eventually, things started to fall apart.


When you didn't like my mother
Things started to go bad when his partner didn't like Robbie's mother.


I don't want to hate
Robbie doesn't want to feel hate towards his partner.


But that's all you've left me with
However, Robbie's partner left him with nothing but bitterness.


A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy
His partner's leaving behind a bitter taste and an illusion that they could have been happy.


Of how we all could live
The fantasy is about how they could have lived together happily ever after.


(We've been told you stay up late)
Someone has informed Robbie's partner that he stays up late.


(You're far too short to carry weight)
Someone has commented that Robbie's partner is too small to carry heavy things.


(Return the videos they're late)
Someone has asked Robbie's partner to return overdue videos.


If I could just stop hating you
Robbie wishes he could stop feeling hate towards his partner.


(Goodbye)
The relationship has officially ended.


Remember the photographs insane
Robbie asks if his partner remembers the crazy photographs of them.


The ones where we all laugh so lame
The photographs show them smiling foolishly.


We were having the time of our lives
During that time period, they were having the best time.


Well thank you, it was a real blast
Robbie credits those times for being exciting.


Everything I wanted to be
Robbie wanted a lot of things.


Every time I walked away
Every time he wanted to break away.


Everytime you told me to leave
But his partner kept telling him to leave instead.


I just wanted to stay
Robbie just wanted to stay with his partner.


Everytime you looked at me
Robbie was happy every time his partner looked at him.


And everytime you smiled
He was even happier when his partner smiled.


I felt so vacant you treat me like a child
But his partner always treated him like a naive child.


I loved the way we used to laugh
Robbie loved the way they used to laugh together.


I loved the way we used to smile
He loved the way they used to smile together.


Often I sit down and think of you for a while
Robbie still thinks about his partner frequently.


And then it passes me by
But these thoughts eventually fade away.


And I think of someone else instead
He thinks of someone else to distract himself.


I guess the love we once had
Robbie admits that the love they once shared


Is officially
Has officially come to an end.


Dead!
The relationship is over and what's left is lifeless.




Contributed by Charlie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@randomdude2336

[Verse 1]
Tell me a story
Where we all change
And we'd live our lives together
And not enstranged

[Pre-Chorus]
I didn't lose my mind it was
Mine to give away
Couldn't stay to watch me cry
You didn't have the time
So I softly slip away...

[Chorus]
No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Sing me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine

[Verse 2]
I know from the outside
We looked good for each other
Felt things were going wrong
When you didn't like my mother
Ad
[Pre-Chorus]
I don't want to hate but that's
All you've left me with
A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of
How we all could live

[Chorus]
No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
(We've been told you stay up late)
I know they're still talking
(You're far too short to carry weight)
The demons in your head
(Return the videos they're late)
If I could just stop hating you
(Goodbye)
I'd feel sorry for us instead

[Bridge]
Remember the photographs (insane)
The ones where we all laugh (so lame)
We were having the time of our lives
Well thank you it was a real blast

[Chorus]
No regrets they don't work
No regrets they only hurt
Write me a love song
Drop me a line
Suppose it's just a point of view
But they tell me I'm doing fine
[Outro]
Everything I wanted to be
Every time I walked away
Everytime you told me to leave
I just wanted to stay
Every time you looked at me and
Everytime you smiled
I felt so vacant you treat me like a child
I loved the way we used to laugh
I loved the way we used to smile
Often I sit down and think of you for a while
Then it passes me by and I think of someone else instead
I guess the love we once had is
Officially dead



All comments from YouTube:

@Nunov103

To me this will always be his best track, sad, dark, strangely uplifting... a classic :)

@benevans3733

Yes agree with you

@allyshell4979

Feel like taht now,so true

@naveenchandrapathak9274

Haven't you changed your mind Yet.

@naveenchandrapathak9274

@@benevans3733 Agree with what. Copy and paste 😂

@anetastruzik3926

I agree with you

10 More Replies...

@piskaj2

One of his finest!!! There is something very special about it. Profound in every way possible.

@mandybell8399

Angsty Robbie, will always be my favourite Robbie 🙌🏻
25 years this song has been in my life.
Right from my parents break up, and the pain of having my life turned upside down as child, subsequent struggles with relationships, a massive fall out with my sister, my battle with depression, through to most recently being betrayed by the person I believed to be my soulmate.
This song beautifully portrays the pain of depression and end of a chapter in life.
It really, more than any song, shows you where Robbie was in that time in his life. I’m glad he found happiness and peace in the end.

@MelissaMoore-bm9uf

My favourite Robbie song, melody and lyrics are gorgeous. It's actually helping me stay strong at the moment. This is not what the song was written about I know and I'm aware that he and Take That have resolved their issues (which is lovely), but I've gone no contact with an emotionally abusive relative who made me feel terrorised, and every now and then when I feel the urge to contact her because I feel sorry for her, I just play this song. The lyrics describe the way she treated me pretty much verbatim.

@carolina444

This song is amazing - Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers were dynamite together. Also, pure genius to have Neil Tennant and Neil Hannon on backing vocals. Just class.

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