Rocktober Day Six: Come Undone

My love affair with Robbie Williams didn't start until I saw him play live at the Sydney Football Stadium in December 2003. Before that he was just some ex-boy band drongo with a couple of catchy songs. I can't remember exactly why I went to that concert but it blew me away. I was hooked.

I love a lot of Robbie's songs, old and new, but Come Undone would have to be the all time favourite. First of all the lyrics are funny and clever. I love the way he lists his own personal contradictions which I think apply to most of us (at least myself) in some ways.

It's also the name - Come Undone - which hits a chord with me. It's such a simple phrase, two basic words, but together so meaningful. I often feel so close to coming undone, not in Robbie's take-drugs-sleep-with-countless-groupies-behave-badly sort of way, but just in a dealing with life way. I have clear moments of feeling like I'm just playing pretend with this being an adult thing and it would only take one false move to come undone, show that I'm just faking it.

The other theme of this song is unconditional love, familial love; being bad, feeling unworthy and wanting your family to still love you, accept you. What a universal theme that is.

Then, of course, the final verse. What a corker! It just sums up the life of a singer, a celebrity, in a few simple sentences. Beautiful! To me it hints at something else as well. How sincere are any of our lives? What do we hide, surpress, disguise, ignore to get along in life, at work, in our relationships? We all play roles to some degree, don't we?

Come Undone (click here for YouTube clip - this clip is awesome but don't watch it with children around, definitely for adults only - love it! - Robbie looking young, bad and hot!)

So unimpressed, but so in awe
Such a saint, but such a whore
So self-aware, so full of shit
So indecisive, so adamant
I'm contemplating, thinkin' about thinkin'
It's overrated, just get another drink and

Watch me come undone
They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
I pray when I'm coming down, you'll be asleep
If I ever hurt you, your revenge will be so sweet
Because I'm scum, and I'm your son
I come undone
I come undone

So rock 'n' roll, so corporate suit
So damn ugly, so damn cute
So well-trained, so animal
So need your love, so fuck you all
I'm not scared of dying, I just don't want to
If I stop lying, I'll just disappoint you

Come undone
They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
Come undone
I pray when I'm coming down, you'll be asleep
Come undone
If I ever hurt you, your revenge will be so sweet
Because I'm scum, and I'm your son
I come undone

So write another ballad, mix it on a Wednesday
Sell it on a Thursday buy a yacht on Saturday
It's a love song, a love song
Do another interview, sing a bunch of lies
Tell about celebrities that I despise
And sing love songs, we sing love songs so sincere

So sincere

Come undone
They're selling razor blades and mirrors in the street
Come undone
I pray when I'm coming down, you'll be asleep
Come undone
The young pretend you're in the clouds above the sea
I come undone
I am scum
Love your son
You've gotta love your son
Come undone
You've gotta love you son
Come undone

Love your son
I am scum
I am scum
I am scum
I am scum
I am scum
I am scum