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“Rock DJ” – Robbie Williams
(Words/music: Kevin Andrews/Guy Chambers/Ekundayo Paris/Nelson Pigford/Robbie Williams, available on Sing When You’re Winning, Capital 2000) 

For whatever reason, Robbie Williams never really caught on in the States.  He enjoyed a brief moment in the spotlight when his The Ego Has Landed compilation came out and his James Bond-esque video for “Millennium” earned some airplay.  He had all the makings of a pop star – stage presence, well-written songs, and an ego bigger than the English Channel.  Still, he made David Beckham’s foray into the American tabloids look like a successful campaign.  Ultimately, it probably came down to his songs; in general (and I only have a cursory knowledge of him beyond a lot of the singles), but a lot of his material feels like flashier versions of singer-songwriter compositions.  Even with his best songs, it felt like Williams was an American Idol contestant singing someone else’s songs – they just didn’t feel like they were his for whatever reason.

“Rock DJ,” on the other hand, plays into Williams’ strengths.  He gets to play with a few different styles – rapidly semi-speaking the verses, laying back on the pre-choruses, and leading a group of joyous background singers on the chorus.  It has the trappings of a great single as well – it’s lively, it’s fun to sing, it has a few clever one-off lines.  It also has that distinctive video where Williams’ flesh falls off until he’s a roller-skating skeleton at the end.  He’s in a groove on the song and (appropriately or ironically, I’m not entirely sure) loses himself in it.  The result is a song that will liven up a room yet not really leave the crowd clamoring for more from the man who sings it.  He’s done such a good job composing the song that it shines on its own, ego or not.  For a man so hell bent on world domination, that’s poetic justice.

More on Robbie Williams: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm