Angels by Robbie Williams

"Angels" live performance

America can be a stubborn country. We are one of the only countries who doesn’t use the metric system instead we prefer our “standard” system which clearly makes more sense (16 1/2 feet make a rod. . . .right and seriously how many of you know how many rods are in a mile?). Soccer or “football” is the most popular sport in everywhere but in the United States (which could partially be because of our sports casters).

Then there is Robbie Williams, one of the most popular solo pop artists in the world, who has sold over 55 million records worldwide. However, in America, it’s a different story.

Now this isn’t for a lack of trying. In 1999, after releasing two best-selling albums in England (and the rest of the world), he compiled songs from an American albu, He Ego Has Landed. The first single from this album “Millennium” was only a moderate success, reaching number 72 on the billboard top 100 charts and his second single “Angels” did better reaching number 41 on the charts. The Ego Has Landed ended up selling half a million copies, which was not a substantial success compared to the last album that he released in the United Kingdom which sold almost three million copies.

Britney Spears, DMX, Garth Brooks and the Backstreet Boys dominated the United States charts in 1999 and maybe there just wasn’t space in the market for Robbie. Maybe Capitol records didn’t properly promote Robbie’s album and maybe for the same inexplicable reasons that soccer never seems to catch on in America, Robbie didn’t either.

Robbie’s music, though not embraced by America is some of the finest popular music in our time. It ranges from quirky and funny to personal and reflective. There is no better example of what is so great about everything that is Robbie than “Angels” the second single Robbie released in America. A pop song not about romantic love or partying, it’s about a deeper and more powerful force, the faith and the love that we hold that sustains us.

The song opens contemplating the existence of angels and their power over us. Robbie sings about being told about angels and concludes the verse stating, “when I feel that love is dead, I’m loving angels instead.” When love fails us and we feel alone, there’s something greater out there to believe in. These “angels” are people in our lives that we know loves us unconditionally or a religious entity that shows its love through mysterious ways.

The lyrics in the chorus express all that the angel brings: love despite being right or wrong and love that will be there no matter where the “waterfall” of life takes us. The chorus has a glow to it. When Robbie sings, “I know that life won’t break me” it feels like comforting smile. It’s not cocky, or overconfident, it’s instead a feeling of faith and hope that you only get from being around someone who genuinely feel that the world is a beautiful place.

In the second verse, Robbie sings about pain describing it as going down a one-way street. This is followed by a statement of faith, “I look above and I know I’ll always be blessed with love.” The way that melody is shorter on “I look above” without held notes reflects a quiet contemplation. The melody fills out in “I know I’ll always be blessed” which is followed by “blessed with love” sung with quiet assurance. The way that this melody is structured puts an emphasis on the conviction of feeling loved reflecting the fact that it is knowing that we are loved, above the feeling of love itself that brings us faith.

If someone asked me to give an example of what a great pop male singing voice sounds, I would give them a Robbie Williams song. His voice is accessible, clear and expressive. He voice is a fusion of pop music genres that sounds organic and effortless. There is a range between the almost spoken verses and the long held notes in the chorus. His voice is pop without being cheesy, with a level of depth, maturity and strength that is rarely heard in pop music today.

The idea of “angels” comes from Christianity and there are a couple allusions to the Christian faith in the song. In the first verse, “salvation lets their winds unfold” illustrates the idea of God creating angels to save us. The second verse opens talking about how looking “above” (to God) renews our faith and also talks about creation as angels “breathe flesh to my bones.”

This song does not come across as overtly Christian. Part of this has to do with the facts that the idea of angels has become such a central part of our culture that films like Angels In The Outfield feature angels that are more feel mythical than religious. In addition “Angels “ focuses on faith in love, not Christ or Christianity itself, which is why it appeals to us in such a deep and powerful way.

We all have angels in our lives. For me, it’s not so much a religious thing. I didn’t going to church every Sunday growing up so the angels in my life are people. These are my family and close friends who I can always turn to no matter what life throws at me. However, there’s another angel that we all have in our lives, ourselves.

The love we have for who we are is the most sustaining and empowering love in our lives. When people say, “I love you,” they are telling us not only how they feel but how we should feel about ourselves. It is through this love that angels exist and our souls can take flight.