Pet Shop Boys & Robbie Williams

[MD]

Robbie Williams is a Bellend.

But he’s made some damn good music.

[Pod]

Robbie Williams is a Bellend.

But he’s made some damn good music.

Has he?

[Gabby]

I'm still a bit baffled how "She's Madonna" is considered a PSB single? It's from Robbie's album, so it's a Robbie single, is it not? That'd be like saying "Dreamland" is a Years and Years single, which I do realise it very nearly was...

[MD]

Robbie Williams is a Bellend.

But he’s made some damn good music.

Has he?

I’m assuming that’s a rhetorical question, but in case it’s not.

Oh yes. I never liked “take that” but his solo catalog has some very good songs. I highly recommend “in and out of consciousness“ his career spanning retrospective. Tons of great material. I’m across the pond in the United States, so I know nothing about him as a person. He never registered as a media celebrity here. So nothing but the music to go by, I’m told he was as big as Michael Jackson in the UK for a while so no doubt lots of media attention and bad behavior to color his work. I prefer to judge the work/Music alone, always so much more enjoyable that way.

I have to say he appears to be one of those artists who were good not just because they were good but because they had a really good band around them and writers and producers. I definitely don’t think he’s as talented as Pet Shop Boys but still a large number of very good songs. And “no regrets” is one of his better songs, I love Neil’s backing vocals.

[Dog]

I'm still a bit baffled how "She's Madonna" is considered a PSB single? It's from Robbie's album, so it's a Robbie single, is it not? That'd be like saying "Dreamland" is a Years and Years single, which I do realise it very nearly was...

I always thought “with” was key here. What have I done to deserve this? was released by Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield. In denial is Pet Shop Boys with Kylie Minogue. She’s Madonna is Robbie Williams with Pet Shop Boys. In that sense it’s more of a duel release than even, say, Hallo Spaceboy was. I think She’s Madonna could justly appear on any PSB singles compilation, in the same way that What have I? is on all the more recent Dusty ones.

[Gabby]

I'm still a bit baffled how "She's Madonna" is considered a PSB single? It's from Robbie's album, so it's a Robbie single, is it not? That'd be like saying "Dreamland" is a Years and Years single, which I do realise it very nearly was...

I always thought “with” was key here. What have I done to deserve this? was released by Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield. In denial is Pet Shop Boys with Kylie Minogue. She’s Madonna is Robbie Williams with Pet Shop Boys. In that sense it’s more of a duel release than even, say, Hallo Spaceboy was. I think She’s Madonna could justly appear on any PSB singles compilation, in the same way that What have I? is on all the more recent Dusty ones.

Hmm, thats a fair argument. I think we've been so saturated with songs that use "feat." in recent years I'd forgotten about acts performing "with" each other!

[cupoftea]

Bit silly of me to call him a bellend, sure he is a decent guy. BUT from Take That to whatever is most recent he is an example of the most maddening mediocrity. She's Madonna is a good song, but he ruins it.

[Gabby]

I'm still a bit baffled how "She's Madonna" is considered a PSB single? It's from Robbie's album, so it's a Robbie single, is it not? That'd be like saying "Dreamland" is a Years and Years single, which I do realise it very nearly was...

I always thought “with” was key here. What have I done to deserve this? was released by Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield. In denial is Pet Shop Boys with Kylie Minogue. She’s Madonna is Robbie Williams with Pet Shop Boys. In that sense it’s more of a duel release than even, say, Hallo Spaceboy was. I think She’s Madonna could justly appear on any PSB singles compilation, in the same way that What have I? is on all the more recent Dusty ones.

Hmm, thats a fair argument. I think we've been so saturated with songs that use "feat." in recent years I'd forgotten about acts performing "with" each other!

I'm still torn on this - I'm cataloging my records right now and for my money this belongs not in "PSB Singles" but in "PSB related singles". Here are a few reasons why I think that:

1. Wikipedia (not the best source I know) features it as only a collaboration, not a pure PSB Single
2. PSB Catalog site also cites it as a collaboration, not a single.
3. PSB's official website is muddled to say the least - the lyrics (and image) appear, but Hallo Spaceboy is nowhere to be found (and lets face it, Neil contributed a fair bit of lyrical content in that single remix). Also, Nothing Has Been Proved is listed but that's a Dusty song (I'd put it in PSB related, because they wrote and produced but didn't release as their own). Their website is a mixed bag of contradictions on this I reckon.
4. I've decided the "with" isn't really all that different from "feat.". If it was "Pet Shop Boys WITH Robbie Williams" and had been on a PSB album, I'd 100% say it was a PSB single. It's neither, so it's a Robbie single and therefore should be catalogued as such.

[Synthrobot]

She's Madonna. GREAT song, TERRIBLE video. What was he thinking? And the dialogue is cringeworthy.

[agent doris]

That's a remix of "We're the Pet Shop Boys" which Robbie recorded.

Yes, but they did produce it, right?

I’m pretty sure the Robbie version is the same backing track as the Chris Zippel / PSB version from the Pet Shop Boys’ recording.

Yes it is. You can even hear Chris on the list of songs.

[londonnoise]

No Regrets IMO is the best PSB/Robbie song.

+10000000! Pop perfection. And the Divine Comedy as well.

[RichBeard]

Totally agree about No Regrets, what an amazing track.. it’s Robbie at his best.. his best track IMO. I’ve heard some podcast interviews with Robbie and he sounds like a lovely guy.. And.. I never realised how many great songs he has.. he’s also a brilliant performer.. he brought more people to Knebworth than Oasis did.!!

I thought his Rudebox album was a great electro pop album..

She’s Madonna is awesome.. love that track.. much prefer Neil’s vocal on WTPSB, although Robbie does a great job on RB! The first time I ever saw the boys live they opened the show with WTPSB (fundamental tour I think) and Neil & Chris came on stage and shook hands before the song.. It was a great start to the show!

I like Robbie, I think he may get overlooked sometimes.. his back catalogue is hit after hit.. what more can you ask from a pop star!

I also liked Robbie’s version of jealousy on the Concrete album.. it’s a smooth vocal..

[PSBForTheMasses]

No Regrets isn't much of a collab besides just Neil on backing vocals

She's Madonna is the deal for me!

I have always assumed that Neil helped him in the lyrics section as they are very deep, an unexpected thing from Robbie, given that he was still very young at that time (they -Take That- had just released a single called Babe only a few years ago and the lyrics were cringeworthy-typical boy band stuff). Maybe he was in love with Robbie and wanted to give full credit to him lol

[Gabby]

Totally agree about No Regrets, what an amazing track.. it’s Robbie at his best.. his best track IMO. I’ve heard some podcast interviews with Robbie and he sounds like a lovely guy.. And.. I never realised how many great songs he has.. he’s also a brilliant performer.. he brought more people to Knebworth than Oasis did.!!

I thought his Rudebox album was a great electro pop album..

She’s Madonna is awesome.. love that track.. much prefer Neil’s vocal on WTPSB, although Robbie does a great job on RB! The first time I ever saw the boys live they opened the show with WTPSB (fundamental tour I think) and Neil & Chris came on stage and shook hands before the song.. It was a great start to the show!

I like Robbie, I think he may get overlooked sometimes.. his back catalogue is hit after hit.. what more can you ask from a pop star!

I also liked Robbie’s version of jealousy on the Concrete album.. it’s a smooth vocal..

I have a lot of time for Rudebox. Might almost say its a bit ahead of its time as it really hearkened back to an 80s vibe which didn't really come back many years later. Its rough around the edges but I think that's part of the charm.

[goughsjd]

Robbie Williams is a Bellend.

But he’s made some damn good music.

He most certainly has not.