Come Undone (Robbie Williams song)

"Come Undone"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Escapology
Released 31 March 2003
Format CD single, DVD single
Recorded 2002
Genre Soft rock
Length 4:34 (album/single version)
3:54 (radio edit)
Label Chrysalis
Writer(s) Robbie Williams, Ashley Hamilton, Boots Ottestad, Daniel Pierre
Producer(s) Guy Chambers, Steve Power
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Feel"
(2002)
"Come Undone"
(2003)
"Something Beautiful"
(2003)

"Come Undone" is a song recorded by British singer Robbie Williams for his fifth studio album Escapology (2002). It was written by Williams, Ashley Hamilton, Boots Ottestad and Daniel Pierre. It was released as the second single from Escapology on 31 March 2003, by Chrysalis Records.

Music video

The music video was banned in most countries for being too sexually explicit. It features a hungover Robbie waking up in the morning after a large house party, as he walks around the house flashbacks of the events of the night before are shown. As the song reaches its climax, Williams is seen participating in three-way sex with two women (who are in fact porn stars). These shots are interspersed with graphic and unsettling images of snakes, rats and bugs, mostly crawling on beautiful women. In the final shots, the two women have become men in drag, perhaps a subtle reference to the media's infatuation with Williams' sexuality. The song also contains numerous explicit words.

Controversy

"Come Undone" became a top ten hit around the world, but due to its controversial video, it was heavily censored by MTV Networks Europe for depicting a debauched (but fully clothed) Williams having three-way sex with two women. Though the video also showed unsettling images (cf. previous section), the uncensored version of the video was released on DVD single in Europe and was also included on the Enhanced CD single.[1] BBC Radio 2 also banned the song for its explicit content.[2] During such furores at this time, it was confirmed that Williams and Guy Chambers were to officially part ways.[1]

Chart success

The song managed to reach number-four in the United Kingdom, but it fell out of the top ten in its second week; however, controversy surrounding the music video kept the album on the charts. Worldwide, the single did not equal the success of Williams' previous single, "Feel". To date, "Come Undone" has sold 85,000 copies in the UK.[3] In a 2008 documentary Williams went on record to say that this was inspired by an incident on set, where Gary Barlow noticed his fly had 'come undone'.

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Come Undone".

UK CD
(Released 31 March 2003)

  1. "Come Undone" (single version) – 4:34
  2. "One Fine Day" – 3:36
  3. "Happy Easter (War Is Coming)" – 4:03
  4. "Photo gallery and video clips

UK DVD
(Released 31 March 2003)

  1. "Come Undone" (video) – 4:34
  2. "One Fine Day" (audio) – 3:36
  3. "Happy Easter (War Is Coming)" (audio) – 4:03

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[4] 27
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 15
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 48
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[7] 2
Denmark (Tracklisten)[8] 16
France (SNEP)[9] 49
Germany (Official German Charts)[10] 16
Ireland (IRMA)[11] 14
Italy (FIMI)[12] 11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[13] 26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[14] 25
Romania (UPFR)[15] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[16] 46
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] 45
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[18] 4

References

External links

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