"Something Beautiful"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Escapology
Released21 May 2003 (2003-05-21)
StudioLos Angeles, London
GenreSoul[1]
Length
  • 4:48 (album version)
  • 4:01 (radio edit)
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Guy Chambers
  • Steve Power
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Come Undone"
(2003) 		"Something Beautiful"
(2003) 		"Sexed Up"
(2003)
Music video
"Something Beautiful" on YouTube

"Something Beautiful" is a song co-written by English musicians Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams. Originally offered to Welsh singer Tom Jones,[citation needed] 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

Credits and personnel

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

Recording

Personnel

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Japan 23 May 2003 CD Chrysalis [38]
Europe 7 July 2003 [23]
United Kingdom 28 July 2003
  • CD
  • DVD
  • cassette
 [39]
Australia 18 August 2003 CD [40]

References

  1. ^ "Robbie Williams: Escapology". PopMatters. 30 April 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Something Beautiful". RobbieWilliams.com.
  3. ^ "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. ^ She's the One – Girl Plays Robbie
  5. ^ WENN. "The Race To Be Robbie". Contactmusic.com.
  6. ^ mirror Administrator (12 September 2009). "Robbie Williams real-life angels – we reveal the stories behind his female video co-stars". mirror.
  7. ^ "Pete cuts the beard". men. 18 April 2010.
  8. ^ Something Beautiful (UK & Australasian CD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2003. CDCHS5152, 7243 552767 0 4.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Something Beautiful (UK DVD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2003. DVDCHS 5152, 7243 490755 9 7.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Something Beautiful (Australian DVD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2003. 7243 490785 9 8.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Something Beautiful (UK cassette single sleeve). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2003. TCCHS 5152.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Something Beautiful (European CD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2003. 07243 552699 2 8.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ サムシング・ビューティフル (Japanese CD single liner notes). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2003. TOCP-40159.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Escapology (UK CD album booklet). Robbie Williams. Chrysalis Records. 2002. 5439942.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  18. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  19. ^ "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". Croatian Radiotelevision. Archived from the original on 10 August 2003. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful". Tracklisten. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  21. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurochart" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 115, no. 33. 16 August 2003. p. 45. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  22. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  24. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  25. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Something Beautiful". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  26. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  27. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 33, 2003" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  28. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  29. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  30. ^ a b "Topul anului 2003" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  32. ^ "Robbie Williams – Something Beautiful". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  33. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  34. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2003". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  35. ^ "End of Year Charts 2003". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  36. ^ "ChartsPlus YE2003 – UKChartsPlus" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  37. ^ "Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2004" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  38. ^ "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] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  39. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 26 July 2003. p. 31. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  40. ^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 18th August 2003" (PDF). ARIA. 18 August 2003. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2003. Retrieved 8 July 2021.

External links

Robbie Williams singles
Authority control databases
Categories