No Regrets (Robbie Williams song)



"No Regrets" is a song by English recording artist Robbie Williams. It was released on 30 November 1998 as the second single from his second studio album, I've Been Expecting You (1998). The song was written by Williams and Guy Chambers. The song featured backing vocals by Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys and Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy.

"No Regrets" became another top five hit for Williams in the United Kingdom. The B-side, "Antmusic", was also featured on the soundtrack to the animated film, A Bug's Life. It is a cover of a song by Adam and the Ants. Another B-side, "Sexed Up", was later re-recorded for the Escapology album and released as a single in 2003.

Background
The lyrics of "No Regrets" originated from his breakup with ex-fiancé Nicole Appleton of the girl group All Saints (group) in 1998.

The song is about how he has tried to cope with the breakup, ("they tell me I'm doing fine") regarding the personal issues they had gone through, ("you didn't like my mother") and his pain and anger about the life they could have had ("if I could just stop hating you, I'd feel sorry for us instead").

The end of the song is spoken and describes how he is finally "over" the relationship final spoken lines

Everything I wanted to be every time I walked away Every time you told me to leave I just wanted to stay Every time you looked at me, and every time you smiled I felt so vacant, you treat me like a child I love the way we used to laugh I love the way we used to smile Often I sit down and think of you for a while Then it passes me by, I think of someone else instead I guess the love we once had is officially dead

More recently Robbie Williams has dedicated this song about his time in (and departure from) his former band Take That.

He frequently dedicates the song to the other members (Mark Owen, Gary Barlow, Jason Orange and Howard Donald) in live versions. At the time reconciling with members of Take That, Williams had frequently replaced the final line "I guess the love we once had is officially dead" with "I guess the love we once had is officially alive!", however, since he left again, he replaced back to the original final line in the song.

On Take That's Progress Live tour in 2011, Williams performed the song with Donald, Orange, Owen and Barlow providing the backing vocals. The performance was much less angry, and more sentimental in tone.

Music video
The video has Williams at first performing in a Vegas-like show. He then realizes he can't fake being happy and leaves the stage. He walks to a petrol station (which is in Hurley opposite the former East Arms Pub, he actually went into the pub to look out of a bedroom window so he could see the scene), gets some petrol in a jerry can (however there is a leak in the can), and he begins walking through crowds, over roads, etc., dribbling petrol in a line the whole way. Finally, a spark is dropped at the petrol station and lights up the whole trail as Williams narrates the last part, which is symbolic of past events unerringly overshadowing the present.

Chart performance
When the single was released on 30 November 1998, it reached number four in the UK Singles Chart and went on to sell over 200,000 copies being certified Silver by the BPI. Success worldwide was limited.

Formats and track listings
These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "No Regrets".

UK CD1 (Released 30 November 1998)
 * 1) "No Regrets" – 5:11
 * 2) "Antmusic" – 3:31
 * 3) "Deceiving Is Believing" – 4:30

UK CD2 (Released 30 November 1998)
 * 1) "No Regrets" – 5:11
 * 2) "There She Goes" (Live at the Forum) – 2:51
 * 3) "Sexed Up" (demo version) – 3:54
 * 4) "There She Goes" (Live at the Forum – enhanced video) – 2:51

UK CD Maxi (Released 30 November 1998)
 * 1) "No Regrets" – 5:11
 * 2) "Antmusic" – 3:31
 * 3) "Sexed Up" (demo version) – 3:54
 * 4) "There She Goes" (Live at the Forum) – 2:51
 * 5) "There She Goes" (Live at the Forum – enhanced video) – 2:58