"No Regrets" | ||||||||
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Single by Robbie Williams | ||||||||
from the album I've Been Expecting You | ||||||||
B-side | "Antmusic" | |||||||
Released | 30 November 1998 | |||||||
Format | CD single, cassette | |||||||
Recorded | 1998 | |||||||
Genre | Pop rock | |||||||
Length | 5:11 (album version) 4:43 (radio edit) |
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Label | Chrysalis | |||||||
Writer(s) | Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers | |||||||
Producer(s) | Guy Chambers, Steve Power | |||||||
Robbie Williams singles chronology | ||||||||
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"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.
The lyrics of "No Regrets" are about Williams' feelings 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.
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, and 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.