Something Beautiful Explained

Something Beautiful
Cover:Robbie Williams - Something Beautiful - CD single cover.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Robbie Williams
Album:Escapology
Studio:Los Angeles, London
Genre:Soul[1]
Length:
  • 4:48 (album version)
  • 4:01 (radio edit)
Label:Chrysalis
Producer:
  • Guy Chambers
  • Steve Power
Prev Title:Come Undone
Prev Year:2003
Next Title:Sexed Up
Next Year:2003

"Something Beautiful" is a song co-written by English musicians Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams. Originally offered to Welsh singer Tom Jones, it was released as the third single from Williams' fifth studio album, Escapology (2002).[2] The track was issued in Japan on 21 May 2003 and in Europe two months later, in July. "Something Beautiful" reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and peaked within the top 10 in Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Romania.

Music video

The video of the song is influenced by reality shows like Pop Idol, and is one of the few with two different endings. An interactive version of the video was created to run on Sky Digital by weapon7 where viewers could vote through the red button and discover the backstory of the participants. A spokesman for Robbie Williams told the Daily Mirror, "We wanted to find someone with the 'essence' of Robbie to perform the new track in the video – it could be a woman."[3]

At the start of the video, fans from all over Europe try to impress judges during the audition stage of fictional reality show Manufactured Miracles; one of the members on the selection panel is Williams' real-life father Pete Conway. Several contestants are put through to the next round, but only three emerge finalists: actor/singer Peter Caruana from Manchester, and students Rebecca Durrant and Bjorn Wenner from Essex and Hamburg respectively.[4] They are groomed by a choreographer and singing coach, and given makeovers by stylists whilst experiencing the celebrity status lifestyle, with an interview at Capital FM and a stay at a luxury hotel before competing in the live shows, each finalist representing a different stage in Williams' career.

Two endings were filmed. In the first, viewers are asked to vote on Williams' website for whom they thought was the best performer. The second version of the video ends with Peter winning the competition before meeting Williams at a bus stop, the latter reading a newspaper with the headline "Robbie For a Week: Back to Reality for Final Three"—a reference to reality stars abandoned by once-loyal fans and management following brief success.[5] As Peter was unaware he would meet Williams, his surprise was genuine.

Rebecca Durrant, who later became a police officer, told the Sunday Mirror the experience put her off fame stating "After I filmed the video I realised I didn't want to face the pressure, the secrecy, the non-stop filming and constant hair and make-up touchups... the closest I get to singing now is karaoke in my local pub."[6] Similarly, in an interview with the Salford Advertiser, Peter Caruana stated, "I decided it was time to give Robbie a rest – he's been good to me, but enough is enough. In a way I think it has held me back and I really want to get back to treading the boards, because that's what I trained for." He has since featured in commercials for Chicago Town Pizza as a Simon Cowell lookalike.[7]

Track listings

UK and Australasian CD single[8]

  1. "Something Beautiful" – 4:48
  2. "Berliner Star" – 3:52
  3. "Coffee, Tea & Sympathy" – 4:35
  4. Photo gallery

UK and Australian DVD single[9] [10]

  1. "Something Beautiful" (interactive video)
  2. "Berliner Star" (audio) – 3:52
  3. "Coffee, Tea & Sympathy" (audio) – 4:35
  4. Robbie video clip

UK cassette single[11]

  1. "Something Beautiful" – 4:48
  2. "Berliner Star" – 3:52
  3. "Coffee, Tea & Sympathy" – 4:35

European CD single[12]

  1. "Something Beautiful" – 4:48
  2. "Berliner Star" – 3:54

Japanese CD single[13]

  1. "Something Beautiful (サムシング・ビューティフル)" (album version)
  2. "Cursed (カーズド)" – 3:52 (album version)
  3. "Feel" (video clips)

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Escapology album booklet.[14]

Recording

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2003–2004)Peak
position
scope=rowCroatia (HRT)[15] 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 8
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[17] 6

Year-end charts

Chart (2003)Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 42
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 35
Romania (Romanian Top 100)47
UK Singles (OCC)[20] 93

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
Japan23 May 2003CDChrysalis[22]
Europe7 July 2003
United Kingdom28 July 2003[23]
Australia18 August 2003CD[24]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robbie Williams: Escapology. PopMatters. 30 April 2003. 14 April 2021.
  2. Web site: Something Beautiful. RobbieWilliams.com.
  3. Web site: Fame beckoned, this was my chance to appear in Robbie Williams' new video. The only obstacles in my way were my total inability to sing in tune, key or rhythm of any kind; MIRROR GIRL AT POP AUDITION..
  4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/2957596.stm. She's the One – Girl Plays Robbie
  5. Web site: The Race To Be Robbie. WENN. Contactmusic.com.
  6. Web site: Robbie Williams real-life angels – we reveal the stories behind his female video co-stars. mirror Administrator. 12 September 2009. mirror.
  7. Web site: Pete cuts the beard. 18 April 2010. men.
  8. Something Beautiful. Robbie Williams. 2003. UK & Australasian CD single liner notes. Chrysalis Records. CDCHS5152, 7243 552767 0 4.
  9. Something Beautiful. Robbie Williams. 2003. UK DVD single liner notes. Chrysalis Records. DVDCHS 5152, 7243 490755 9 7.
  10. Something Beautiful. Robbie Williams. 2003. Australian DVD single liner notes. Chrysalis Records. 7243 490785 9 8.
  11. Something Beautiful. Robbie Williams. 2003. UK cassette single sleeve. Chrysalis Records. TCCHS 5152.
  12. Something Beautiful. Robbie Williams. 2003. European CD single liner notes. Chrysalis Records. 07243 552699 2 8.
  13. サムシング・ビューティフル. Robbie Williams. 2003. Japanese CD single liner notes. Chrysalis Records. TOCP-40159.
  14. Escapology. Escapology (album). Robbie Williams. 2002. UK CD album booklet. Chrysalis Records. 5439942.
  15. Web site: Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija. https://web.archive.org/web/20030810031408/http://www.hrt.hr:80/hr/top20/maineng.html. dead. 10 August 2003. Croatian Radiotelevision. 14 April 2023.
  16. Hits of the World – Eurochart. Billboard. 115. 33. 45. 16 August 2003. 17 March 2020.
  17. Web site: Topul anului 2003. Romanian Top 100. ro. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20050122205325/http://www.rt100.ro/topul-anului-2003.html. 22 January 2005. 4 May 2020.
  18. Web site: Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2003. Dutch Top 40. 31 March 2020.
  19. Web site: End of Year Charts 2003. Recorded Music NZ. 4 May 2020.
  20. Web site: ChartsPlus YE2003 – UKChartsPlus. UKChartsPlus. 18 May 2018.
  21. Web site: Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2004. Mahasz. hu. 31 March 2020.
  22. Web site: サムシング・ビューティフル ロビー・ウィリアムス. Something Beautiful Robbie Williams. Oricon. ja. 2 September 2023.
  23. New Releases: Singles. Music Week. 31. 26 July 2003. 8 September 2021.
  24. Web site: The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 18th August 2003. ARIA. 25. 18 August 2003. dead. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20031006140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20031007-0000/Issue704.pdf. 6 October 2003. 8 July 2021.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Something Beautiful".

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