Take That are renowned as one of the UK’s most successful and best-loved boybands. Propelled by their clean-cut image and Gary Barlow’s songwriting talent, they enjoyed huge success in the 1990s before returning, a decade later, as a four-piece — achieving even greater and more enduring success.
Back in the early 90s, the band’s songwriting was largely a solo effort from Barlow, who quickly gained a reputation as a gifted and mature writer.
What many might not realise is that several of Take That’s best-known hits were heavily reworked or remixed before their single releases. Here, we take a look at some of those transformations.
And just like that, we’ve reached the end of October! Here’s what I’ve been loving over the past month. These blog posts take me a couple of hours, so I appreciate every click, scan, visit and read.
Chappell Roan – The Subway A dreamy alt-pop track with shoegaze and jangle pop influences, full of layered harmonies and poetic wordplay that showcase Chappell’s emotional depth.
Nicotine Dolls – Touch the Ground An underrated indie gem with Sam Cieri’s raspy, powerful vocals soaring over hazy guitars, 80s synths and a gorgeous shift between upbeat verses and wistful chorus.
Dragonette – Twennies (The Knocks Remix) The Knocks transform Dragonette’s track into a high-energy 80s-inspired electro-pop remix packed with bubbling synths, funky bass lines and vocoder vocals.
LANY – Know You Naked A sultry return to form blending indie-rock and R&B, this track captures infatuation with thumping beats, rich bass and LANY’s signature heartfelt lyrics.
Olivia Dean – Man I Need A breezy, soulful pop-R&B-gospel hybrid about self-worth, lifted by Olivia Dean’s stunning vocals and infectious gospel refrains.
The Long List
Chappell Roan – The Subway #DreamPop #HeavenlyHarmonies #PoeticLyrics
I love Chappell a lot and this song is another wonderful addition to her back catalogue. I like how she’s not afraid to dabble in different genres but still sounds unmistakeably like herself. This pop song blends dreamy alt-pop, dreampop, jangle pop and shoegaze influences in a similar vein to The Sundays, The Cocteau Twins and The Cranberries. Apparently, Chappell was initially reluctant to record a studio version after several live performances, fearing she couldn’t replicate the raw emotion, but ultimately decided to. I especially love the layered harmonies and wordplay in the finale: “She’s got, she’s got a way, she’s got a way, she’s got a way, and she got, she got away, she got away, she got away.” Lovely.
Nicotine Dolls – Touch the Ground #InsaneVocals #LoveAtFirstSight #AmericanAlternative
Nicotine Dolls are a very precious, underrated indie band based in New York City. Led by singer Sam Cieri and his unbelievably powerful, raspy vocals, they became known after he appeared briefly on America’s Got Talent before leaving to maintain creative control. This dreamy track is from their latest album An Attempt at Romantic and is without a doubt my favourite from the record. I adore the chord progressions and the switch between the more uptempo verses and the slower, wistful chorus. Sam’s vocals sound incredible as always over hazy guitars and 80s pop synths. Gorgeous.
Dragonette – Twennies (The Knocks Remix) #80sThrowback #ElectroPop #FunkyBassline
Brilliant American electronic duo The Knocks flip Canadian electro-pop band Dragonette’s Twennies on its head and give it a high-energy, 80s electro-pop feel complete with bubbling synths, funky bass lines, reverberating drums and vocoder vocals. Moody, funky and fun.
LANY – Know You Naked #SexyRnB #IndieRock #SolidProduction
My favourite LANY song in forever! I used to love them back in my first job, almost a decade ago, but drifted away for a variety of reasons (their frequent output, some songs feeling too similar etc). This, however, is a return to form and reminds me of their early EPs and debut album. A sultry, sexy indie-rock record with elements of R&B, it’s a song about being infatuated with a partner both sexually and emotionally. It’s unmistakeably LANY with the chord progressions and love-heavy lyrics, but what elevates this track is the production – the thumping beats and rich bass line. It reminds me of some of their earlier work: Thick and Thin, 4EVER!, Hurts etc. Brilliant.
Olivia Dean – Man I Need #Soulful #NeoSoul #GospelVocals
Girl of the moment, neo-soul singer Olivia Dean really shines on this gorgeous pop/R&B/gospel hybrid. A song about knowing you deserve to be loved, it’s breezy, classic and soulful – and I love that a track of this style and stature has entered the UK Top 40 in the top five. Refreshing! The best part? The “talk to me, talk to me” gospel vocals which carry the song.
Robbie Williams and Bob Sinclar – Electrico Romantico (Rayven Valexx Remix) #DiscoPop #Technology #TechAndRomance
I somehow missed this when it was released, but boy, it’s good! The original version is great too, but this Rayven Valexx remix turns it into a disco-house banger with thumping beats, disco strings and a chord progression reminiscent of Michael Gray’s 2004 hit The Weekend. Fun, catchy and another reminder of Robbie’s ability to genre-hop.
Barry Can’t Swim – Childhood #DreamyDance #EuphoricGrooves #SampleMagic
Opening with introspective, mellow piano chords, this song evolves into a euphoric dance track. Sampling Billy Hutch’s 1973 track I Choose You and Otis Redding’s Pain In My Heart (1963), it’s dreamy and euphoric at the same time – and its use of sampling is genius. Brilliant.
Justin Bieber – First Place #IndieRnBVibes #MoodySynths #DrumMachineGroove
Still enjoying the (ridiculously named) Swag album and the indie-R&B moody vibes flowing throughout. This track opens with moody synths before industrial, drum machine-like percussion sets in. I love the poppy vibes here – at times it sounds like Michael Jackson, with an almost new-jack-swing feel (think New Edition). Definitely one of the album highlights.
Miley Cyrus – Reborn #TrancePopAnthem #SpiritualRenaissance #ThumpingBeats
I’ve meant to include this for a while but it kept missing out on my Top 20. It’s finally here! Miley sounds incredible on this trance-pop anthem, embracing renaissance through spiritual enlightenment. At times reminiscent of Kylie’s Fever era, it sounds huge with its thumping beats, spacey vocals and electronic production. Miley has said the song has lived up to its name, having many lives before reaching this trance-heavy final version.
Nicotine Dolls – Anna #AnthemicRock #80sRockVibes #TinaTurnerEnergy
Yep, Nicotine Dolls again! This one is a stand-alone release teased for months by Sam Cieri before finally dropping. An anthemic rock track that mirrors 80s rock in a similar vein to Tina Turner, Journey and Foreigner, it’s full of energy, brilliant melodies and Sam’s raspy, compelling vocals. Amazing.
Hayley Williams – Whim #AltPopVibes #MoodyAndIntrospective #BrilliantVocals
Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams has released another solo endeavour and once again, it’s damn good! Utilising an alternative-pop sound, Whim is about wanting to enjoy love without fear. It has all the hallmarks of her solo records – moody vibes, introspective lyrics, brilliant vocals and strong pop sensibilities.
Jayda G – Shiver #90sHouseVibes #EuphoricBeats #HousePianoRiffs
This is MEGA! Jayda G is a Canadian house producer and this euphoric track feels rooted in the best of 90s house music, channelling the love and lightness she felt after giving birth to her child. Full of 90s house piano riffs, thumping beats, repetitive lyrics and a breakdown midway through reminiscent of Crystal Waters’ Gypsy Woman. Definitely worth a listen if you love house music.
Barbra Streisand, Mariah Carey and Ariana Grande – One Heart, One Voice #TimelessBallad #GorgeousVocals #RichOrchestration
When I first heard this, I was certain it must be a new version of an old track – perhaps even a 90s Disney record – but it’s brand new, taken from Barbra’s duets album The Secret of Life: Partners Volume 2. Complete with gorgeous piano work, rich orchestration, key changes and flawless vocal performances from all three, it feels nostalgic, timeless and comforting. Perfect for the coming autumn and winter months.
Ed Sheeran – Sapphire #WesternPopMeetsIndianSounds #GorgeousFalsetto #WarmMelodies
I think Ed is hugely talented, but for me his music can be hit-or-miss, and he does get over-saturated with radio play. That said, this is the first of his songs in a long while to make my ‘current’ playlist. Featuring Indian artist Arijit Singh, I love how it blends Western pop with Indian musical influences. Warm, melodic and lifted by Ed’s gorgeous falsetto. My favourite Ed track in a long time.
Lack of Afro – Heart & Soul #SoulDiscoVibes #RnBInfluence #PianoSoloMagic
Adam Gibbons, better known as Lack of Afro, is a musician from Exeter. Heart and Soul is an uplifting, irresistible dance track that fuses R&B, soul and disco influences with brilliant piano solos. Euphoric.
Bonze – Jenny (Can You Hear Me?) #SynthPopVibes #80sInfluence #CatchyHooks
A great track from London-based indie-pop act Bonze. With clear influences from The 1975 and Glass Animals, this 80s-leaning slice of synthpop is a love letter to a new partner, full of catchy hooks, funky bass lines, moody piano riffs and huge production – all recorded in a shed in the depths of winter! A brilliant piece of indie-pop.
Olivia Dean – Lady, Lady #NeoSoulVibes #GospelInfluence #MoodySynths
Olivia again. I love her. This track begins with moody synths and shaker percussion before evolving into a gospel-influenced piece of neo-soul. The second release from her upcoming album The Art of Loving, Lady, Lady reflects on womanhood, personal growth and change. Gorgeous.
A funky and fresh electro-pop banger from Korean singer-songwriter Heyoon. I love the slick sound and production on this one. Great fun!
Lack of Afro – Walls Start Rockin’ #DiscoInfluence #FourToTheFloor #PianoRiffs
Lack of Afro again. Another four-to-the-floor disco-influenced banger with piano riffs, thumping beats, looped soulful vocals and a slick bass line. Fun, joyful and full of positive vibes.
d4vd – Feel It (from Invincible) #IndieRnBVibes #FunkInfluence #DiscoPopGroove
I love songs with this indie-R&B sound. Utilising elements of funk and disco-pop, Feel It has great energy, reverberating almost-rapped vocals and a chorus lifted by rich falsetto.
Ed Sheeran – A Little More #SoulfulVibes #Mid2000sSoul #UKSoul
Ed again! I know, I’m surprised too – but clearly he’s doing something right with his latest album. I love the soulful vibes on this. It feels very mid-2000s, when the soul explosion was happening in the UK. Chilled yet positive, and detailing the aftermath of leaving a toxic relationship, it’s irresistibly catchy.
And just like that, we’re into a new month! July was a relatively quiet one for me musically, but I’ve still managed to cobble together a brilliant mix of tracks, both old and new.
As always, I hope you find something you like or discover something fresh—and I genuinely appreciate every visit, scan and read. Thank you for being here!
And just like that, it’s the end of another month! I’m excited to share these songs with you. I always am, but this month’s feel like they trump last month’s.
I’m writing this whilst feeling quite yucky, to be honest (a triple infection – yay!), so as is often the case when I’m rundown, I’m feeling particularly grateful for music.
Thanks as always for visiting – hopefully you find it interesting and maybe you’ll even discover something new!
Hey! Hope you’re doing well and enjoying this glorious sunny weather, if you’re in the UK. It just makes everything feel that little bit brighter, doesn’t it?
I’m super excited to share these songs with you. It’s been another brilliant month of music, and the longlist was extensive. Going forward, I won’t be sharing the entire playlist—just the top 20 tracks I’ve been enjoying. That’s probably still quite a lot, but I couldn’t narrow it down any further!
I’m hoping there’s something here for everyone. Lots of Pop, of course, but also Soul, R&B, indie-pop, Country, and Folk.
I’m a little late again (sorry!). Life is crazy. This is a really special set of songs for me and I am really excited to share these with you.
These blog posts typically take around an hour to an hour and a half to write so as always, I REALLY appreiciate every read / scan / visit. It makes it all worthwhile.
You can see my Top 5 at the top for a quicker version or read the longlist below.
Every artist is responsible for at least one dud album in their career. Whether its due to misjudgement of genre, poor selection of material or simply an identity crisis, every artist, no matter how credible has had their moment. It’s impossible and unrealistic to expect an artist to consistently produce an output of quality material, particularly over a long career.
Many consider Robbie Williams’s ‘dud’ moment to be ‘Rudebox’; his experimental, genre-hopping ‘wonky’ seventh album. It’s an album wrongly but most commonly judged by and remembered for its ill-judged release of the title track and the lack of Guy Chambers’ presence. Yet, given a chance, ‘Rudebox’ is an under-valued and underrated inclusion in Williams’ extensive discography. Over a decade later, it’s still his most endearing and experimental work and certainly holds the test of time with its electronic basis.
‘Rudebox’ was released in October 2006, just a year after Williams’ previous release, the well intentioned but uninspiring ‘Intensive Care’. ‘Intensive Care’ was a notable album for Williams, being the first which lacked the writing credits and production duty of Guy Chambers following a bitter and very public falling out. New collaborator Stephen Duffy tried his utmost best to fill his shoes but just stopped short of doing so. Together, the duo produced an album which was a testament to Robbie’s love of 80’s Pop. It was a brave and worthwhile attempt but aside from its strong selection of singles, the remainder of the album was simply filler and not much else.
‘Rudebox’ was Take 2 of encapsulating Robbie’s influences in an album and this time was a far more substantial effort. At a whopping 73 minutes and 16 tracks long and worked on with various writers, musicians and producers, the album was a bold statement from the outset. Rather than attempt to replace Chambers with a new writer/producer partner, this time, Williams embraced his newly found freedom and worked with whoever he bloody well wanted to work with. The result was a genre-hopping, brash album which covered Hip-Hop, R&B, Electronica, Pop, electropop, funk amongst many others. The album also featured the inclusion of 5 covers, a rarity for Williams.
The album got off to a shaky start when a newly-reformed Take That decided to resurrect their career around the time of the ‘Rudebox’ era. Where Take That had the stunning Barlow-ballad ‘Patience‘ which was warmly received by the public and didn’t stray too far from their signature sound, Robbie offered ‘Rudebox‘, an unorthodox venture into Pop/Hip-Hop. Williams’ image hardly represented this image and brand and the single was panned by critics with its cultural references and Williams’ incongruous attempt at rapping. The single fared well in the UK singles chart but is perhaps best summarised by Williams who once referred to it as being “made to feel as welcome as a ginger step child”. In hindsight, ‘Rudebox‘ wasn’t necessarily the wisest choice of lead single on a credibility level but it certainly generated discussion and a buzz around the album.
Just weeks later, the album was the subject of great controversy when Williams and ex-Take That manager Nigel Martin-Smith became embroiled in yet another feud. Martin-Smith instigated legal action over the lyrical content present in ‘The 90’s‘, in which Robbie accused his ex-manager of pocketing profits:
Now I’m managed by a prick And I’m sixteen and chubby Told me lose twenty pounds and you’re not Rob, you’re Robbie And if I see you with a girl then you’re gonna be sorry And if you don’t sign this contract get your bags from the lobby Such an evil man I used fantasise and take a Stanley knife and go and play with his eyes I pray to the lord he won’t have any children, he didn’t spot Elvis leaving the building
Martin-Smith pocketed £300,000 for defamation of character, though the track remained, albeit with the offending verse removed and an instrumental break in its place.
Despite blurred reception to early promo of the album and the Martin-Smith controversy, Williams maintained his belief in his newly developed sound at the time:
“It has become something on which I’ve found myself. This is the right direction for me personally, this is what it is. I saw the whole Robbie thing coming to a close as it was, I couldn’t make another album like the ones I’d made, and this has just opened up a thousand other doors. What I am excited about now is making more music. I love all the stuff on the album, I love Rudebox, it’s a favourite song of mine. I don’t know what’s gonna happen now, I’m excited about getting it out there, but I’m more excited about making more.”
– Robbie Williams speaking of the album prior to its release
At times, ‘Rudebox‘ is best enjoyed with a tongue-in-cheek attitude whilst at others it can be enjoyed with genuine credibility. The non compos mentis approach to the title track continues through to the likes of ‘Keep On‘, an exceptionally fun but absurd pop track featuring the vocals of Lily Allen and genius production of Mark Ronson. It’s a chaotic and neurotic track on which Robbie raps over a cacophony of hip hop beats, giggling synthesizers and blues-esque guitars. Likewise, the self-deprecating nature of ‘Good Doctor‘ with its quirky jazz and tight percussion is another tongue in cheek moment a genius insight into Williams’ life. It’s Williams at his best as a wordsmith, with lines such as:
I went to the doctor to get a prescription I told him little fact but lots of fiction About a bad back that I ain’t got He tried to sell me faith healing, I think not I want Xanax, Vicodin and Oxycontin
Then, there’s the quirky, western-techno suffused ‘Viva Life On Mars‘, the tropical-soul of ‘Bongo Bong and Je ne t’aime plus‘ (a cover of two songs originally by Manu Chao) and the flat electronica of ‘Burslem Normals‘ (which after Rudebox, is probably the second worst track on the album).
On the whole, however, the album can be enjoyed on a far more credible level. ‘Lovelight‘ is one of the album’s highlights. A cover of Lewis Taylor’s 2003 funk track, Robbie’s gentle falsetto vocals in addition to Mark Ronson’s golden touch of production makes it a shimmering pop moment. It’s still a brilliant track and remains one of Robbie’s most underrated works.
Likewise, the Pet Shop Boys collaboration ‘She’s Madonna‘ is pure genius and a prod at Guy Ritchie leaving ex-girlfriend Tania Strecker for the pop superstar. Madge herself was reportedly fond of the track and it is without a doubt one of the album’s finest moments, if not, its best. Had this been released as lead single instead of the title track, the album may be remembered more fondly. Musically inspired by Kraftwerk’s 1983 single ‘Tour De France‘, The Pet Shop Boys’ electronic production is flawless and the accompanying music video (which featured Williams as a drag queen) is similarly as endearing. Even this track couldn’t escape controversy, however when Ashley Hamilton (co-writer of Robbie’s earlier smash hit ‘Come Undone‘) claimed to have co-written the track but hadn’t received any credit.
‘The Actor‘ is in a similar vein to ‘She’s Madonna‘ but far darker in tone, documenting Williams’ dissatisfaction with celebrity culture and most notably, egotistical Hollywood superstars over a squeaky electronic track. ‘Never Touch That Switch‘ is a similarly filthy and paranoia-tinged electro track.
Overall, the covers present on the album also work well. ‘Kiss Me‘, a cover of Tin Tin’s 1982 single (previous Williams collaborator Stephen Duffy was a member of the band) is a flamboyant electro interpretation whilst ‘Louise‘ is a loyal and tasteful cover of the Human League track, with added gloss and fizz courtesy of genius William Orbit (responsible for the likes of All Saints’ ‘Pure Shores‘.) ‘We’re The Pet Shop Boys‘ is plastered with self-indulgent humour as Williams enlists The Pet Shop Boys to produce a track originally released by My Robot Friend as a tribute to the duo.
Two of the album’s most surprising highlights are ‘The 80’s’, and ‘The 90’s’. These tracks are two bookends documenting Robbie’s experiences as a teenager in the 1980’s and of his rise to fame in Take That during the 1990’s. Out of the two tracks, ‘The 90‘s is superior, an astoundingly frank recollection of Williams’ time in Take That. Unlike his previous digs at his boy-band roots, this track would prove to be the first time he reflected on his past with far greater maturity than demonstrated previously and saw Williams finally accepting some responsibility for his bitter fall out:
And now it’s breaking my heart because the dream’s turned to shit It ain’t broke but I’ll break it in a little bit And I’m always in trouble but I’ve stopped saying sorry Everybody’s worried, “What the fuck’s wrong with Robbie? He’s not answering his phone, he’s not talking to me I saw him on the telly at Glastonbury.” And now I’m running away from everything that I’ve been And I’m pissed and I’m fucked and I’m only nineteen I can’t perform no more, I can’t perform no more But the boys know I’m fucked and so they show me the door And if truth be told I wasn’t fit enough to stay So I put me head down and walked away.
Originally written over one of Williams’ favourite songs, ‘Wichita Lineman‘ by Glen Campbell, Jerry Meehan later re-wrote the song musically to remove the sample. It’s a stark reminder of what a brilliant wordsmith Williams is – his ability to tell a story through music is compelling as ever on this track.
The album comes to a close with the serenity of ‘Summertime‘, a song written when Williams first left Take That and featured in a different form years earlier during the credits of ‘Mike Bassett: England Manager’. William Orbit’s makeover makes it an ambient, summery anthem and a fitting close to the album. Well, that’s until the grime-pop of ‘Dickhead‘ begins. But the less said about that, the better.
‘Rudebox’ was Williams breaking out of the mould he’d unwittingly trapped himself in and him having the balls to make the album he wanted to make. It’s bold, brash and bloody brilliant and still as endearing as ever almost eleven years later.
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