Feel (Robbie Williams song)

"Feel" is a song by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was released on 2 December 2002 as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Escapology (2002). The song became an international hit, peaking at number one in the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Romania and reaching the top five in several other countries, including Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In the United States, it reached number 28 on the Billboard Adult Top 40.

"Feel"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Escapology
B-side	"Nobody Someday" (demo) "You're History"
Released	2 December 2002 (2002-12-2)[1]
Studio	Los Angeles, London
Length	4:22 (album version) 3:43 (radio edit)
Label	Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)	Robbie Williams Guy Chambers
Producer(s)	Guy Chambers Steve Power
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"My Culture" (2002) "Feel" (2002) "Come Undone" (2003)
Music video
"Feel" on YouTube

Background

"Feel" was written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers. According to Williams, most of the vocals are from the original demo recording from 1999, as he felt unsatisfied with the re-recorded vocals. He commented, "I just couldn't sing it as well as I did on that day."^[2]

Chart performance

In the United Kingdom, "Feel" peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks inside the top 10.^[3] The song topped the charts in Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and the Netherlands. It was also successful in Canada, where it reached the top 10 and spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart.^[4] It was the most played song in Europe in 2003.^[5] Despite Williams' major success in most of the world, "Feel" failed to reach the US Billboard Hot 100. "Feel" has sold 625,000 copies in the UK as of September 2022.^[6]

Music video

The video was directed by Vaughan Arnell and shows Williams in a cowboy-like lifestyle. It gained some attention in the United States thanks to Daryl Hannah's appearance as Williams' love interest. There were two versions of the same video, one shot in black and white and the other in colour and was filmed in Sundre, Alberta, Canada.^{[citation needed]}

Track listings

UK, Canadian, and Australian CD single[7] "Feel" (album version) – 4:22 "Nobody Someday" (demo version) – 2:53 "You're History" – 4:44 Photo gallery and video clips UK cassette single[8] "Feel" (album version) – 4:22 "Nobody Someday" (demo version) – 2:53 "You're History" – 4:44

UK DVD single[9] "Feel" (video) – 4:22 "You're History" (audio) – 4:44 "Nobody Someday" (demo version; audio) – 2:53 3× video clips European CD single[10] "Feel" (album version) – 4:22 "Nobody Someday" (demo version) – 2:53

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the Escapology album booklet.^[11]

Recording

• Recorded in Los Angeles and London
• Mixed at The Record Plant (Los Angeles)
• Mastered at Marcussen Mastering (Los Angeles)

Personnel

• Robbie Williams – writing, lead vocals
• Guy Chambers – writing, bass synthesizer, production, arrangement, orchestral arrangement
• Gary Nuttall – backing vocals, picky guitar
• Zenia Santini – backing vocals
• Anne Skates – directing (gospel choir)
• Fil Eisler – slide guitars
• Neil Taylor – slide guitars
• Phil Spalding – bass
• Andy Wallace – piano
• Dave Clayton – synthesizers
• Jeremy Stacey – drums
• Jony Rockstar – drum loops
• Richard Flack – drum loops, engineering, programming
• The London Session Orchestra – orchestra
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
• Nick Ingman – orchestral arrangement
• Sally Herbert – orchestral arrangement
• Steve Price – orchestral engineering
• Tom Jenkins – assistant orchestral engineering
• Isobel Griffiths – orchestral contracting
• Jim Brumby – programming, additional engineering
• Steve Power – production, mixing
• J.D. Andrew – assistant mixing
• Steve Marcussen – mastering

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Feel" Chart (2002–2003) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 10 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[15] 6 Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[4] 10 Croatia (HRT)[16] 10 Czech Republic (IFPI)[17] 1 Denmark (Tracklisten)[18] 4 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[19] 3 Europe (European Hit Radio)[20] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[21] 13 France (SNEP)[22] 6 Germany (GfK)[23] 3 Greece (Top 20 Singles Chart)[24] 6 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[25] 2 Hungary (Single Top 40)[26] 5 Ireland (IRMA)[27] 4 Italy (FIMI)[28] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[29] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[30] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 7 Norway (VG-lista)[32] 2 Poland (Music & Media)[33] 1 Poland (Polish Singles Chart)[34] 1 Portugal (AFP)[35] 1 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[36] 1 Spain (PROMUSICAE)[37] 13 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 3 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[3] 4 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[40] 28

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Feel" Chart (2002) Position Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[41] 112 Europe (European Hit Radio)[42] 95 Ireland (IRMA)[43] 56 Italy (FIMI)[44] 36 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 81 UK Singles (OCC)[46] 76 UK Airplay (Music Week)[47] 51 Chart (2003) Position Australia (ARIA)[48] 64 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[49] 25 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[50] 49 Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)[51] 44 Europe (European Top 100)[52] 10 Germany (Official German Charts)[53] 34 Italy (FIMI)[54] 14 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[55] 6 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[56] 22 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[57] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[58] 42 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[59] 35 UK Singles (OCC)[60] 172 Decade-end charts Decade-end chart performance for "Feel" Chart (2000–2009) Position Netherlands (Single Top 100)[61] 77

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Feel"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[62]	Gold	35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[63]	Gold	15,000*
Belgium (BEA)[64]	Gold	25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[65]	Platinum	90,000‡
France (SNEP)[66]	Gold	250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[67]	Gold	250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[68]	Gold	25,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[69]	Platinum	60,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[70]	Gold	15,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[71]	Gold	20,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[72]	Platinum	625,000[6]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Feel"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Australia	2 December 2002	CD	Chrysalis	[73]
Europe				[23]
United Kingdom		CD DVD cassette		[1]
Belgium	4 December 2002	CD DVD maxi CD		[74]
Canada	10 December 2002	CD	Chrysalis EMI	[75]
United States	17 February 2003	Hot adult contemporary radio	Virgin	[76]

Film version

For the 2024 autobiographical film Better Man, Williams trades vocals with Carter J. Murphy, who provides his voice as a child.

Cover versions

After the release of "Feel", contestant Ricky Ord sang the song in the second season of Deutschland sucht den Superstar for the theme "My Pop Idol", being one of the first contestants eliminated. In Season 8, contestant Ardian Bujupi sang the song for the theme "English v. German". A year later, in 2016, contestants of the tenth season of X Factor Italy sang a medley of "Feel" and "Angels", before being joined by Williams himself to sing his single "Party Like a Russian".^[77]