I've Been Expecting You
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| I've Been Expecting You | |||||
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| Studio album by Robbie Williams | |||||
| Released | October 26, 1998 | ||||
| Recorded | 1998 | ||||
| Genre | Pop rock, Britpop | ||||
| Length | 75:14 | ||||
| Label | Chrysalis Records | ||||
| Producer | Guy Chambers, Steve Power Mixed by = Steve Power. | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Robbie Williams chronology | |||||
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I've Been Expecting You is the second album by Robbie Williams. The most successful singles from it were "Millennium" and "She's the One". The album was one of the best selling albums in the UK from 1998–1999 and to date has sold over 2.7 million in the UK alone making it Williams best selling UK album. It sold a further 5 million copies in Europe confirmed by the IFPI. I've Been Expecting You was ranked 91st in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time. Williams and Chambers, started the writing process of the album in Jamaica in the spring of 1998, Williams was in a relationship with All Saints band member Nicole Appleton, the album displayed a mix of different influences, namely to those closest to him.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Strong" – 4:39
- "No Regrets" – 5:09
- "Millennium" – 4:05
- "Phoenix From the Flames" – 4:02
- "Win Some Lose Some" – 4:18
- "Grace" – 3:14
- "Jesus In A Camper Van" – 3:39 (Replaced by "It's Only Us" (2:52) in 2002)
- "Heaven From Here" – 3:05
- "Karma Killer" – 4:26
- "She's the One" – 4:18
- "Man Machine" – 3:34
- "These Dreams" – 5:08
- "Stand Your Ground" - 2:59 (Hidden Track)
- "Stalker's Day Off (I've Been Hanging Around)" - 3:30 (Hidden Track)
[edit] Success
When the album, I've Been Expecting You, was released in late October 1998, it debuted at number-one in the UK Albums Chart, becoming the years best selling album in the country.[1] This time, the album received more attention outside the United Kingdom, leaving its mark in the European and Latin American market.
I've Been Expecting You was a smash hit, selling almost 3 million copies in the United Kingdom alone being certified 10x Platinum by the BPI,[2] becoming Williams' best selling album in the country and the 30th best selling album in UK Music History, worldwide, the album sold around 5 Million copies.
[edit] Singles
The first single, "Millennium", was inspired by John Barry's James Bond music, the single became Williams' first solo number-one single in the United Kingdom when it was released in September of that year, coincidentally, knocking All Saints from the top spot, Williams commented "Someone had to be knocked off and it may as well be the wife" - Williams and Appleton were engaged at the time of the release of the single - the song went on to sell over 400,000 copies in the UK alone being certified Gold by the BPI in November 1998,[3] the song also became a top twenty hit in many European countries, as well becoming a hit in Latin America and Australia.
The second single was "No Regrets", which became one of the most talked-about tracks from the album, due to its references of Williams' Take That days and also for being a collaboration with The Pet Shop Boys' singer Neil Tennant and The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon, the single was released in November of 1998, reaching number-four in the UK Singles Chart, backed with the cover of Adam & The Ants, "Antmusic", the song became a substantial hit around the world, the single went on to sell over 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom being certified Silver in October 2004, almost four years after its original release.[4]
The third single from the album, "Strong" came at a busy time, it was written in a Hotel in Cologne, Germany, inspired by some of Robbie's more manic admirers who, he admitted, "scared the living daylights" out of him, the song debuted at number-four in the United Kingdom and number-nine in New Zealand the track became a hit peaking within the top forty around Europe and many other countries around the world.
The fourth single, "She's The One", a cover of Karl Wallinger from his album Egyptology, was a favourite song of Williams after his time in rehab. It became his second number-one hit in the United Kingdom and scored a top three place in the New Zealand, the song went on to win a number of awards around the world, including a BRIT Award for 'Single of the Year' and a Capital Radio Award for 'Best Single'. The single was released as a double a-side with "It's Only Us", the official theme for Sony's Playstation FIFA 2000. The single became a massive success selling over 400,000 copies in the UK alone being certified Gold by the BPI in early 2000.[5] Williams finished the year with an extensive European Tour in the autum of 1999.
[edit] Lawsuit
In 1998, Robbie Williams was sued by Ludlow Publishing over the song "Jesus in a Camper Van" because it lifted lyrics from the Loudon Wainwright III song "I am the Way" (from his album Attempted Mustache). The lyric to "I am the Way" is as follows:
- Every son of God has a little hard luck sometime, especially when he goes around saying he's the way.
The lyric to "Jesus in a Camper van" is:
- Even the son of God gets it hard sometimes, especially when he goes around saying, "I am the way."
Robbie Williams claimed that he heard a young man say the line while in rehab and only found that it was a line from Wainwright's song after he had already recorded "Jesus in a Camper Van". Williams' agents called Wainwright to notify him about this, but Wainwright had little say in the matter; "I am the Way" was a parody of the Woody Guthrie song "New York Town", Ludlow Publishing owned the line's copyright.
In 2002, Ludlow Publishing won the law suit, receiving 25% of the income that "Jesus in a Camper Van" garnered, the album was re-issued replacing "Jesus in a Camper Van" with "It's Only Us".
[edit] Certifications, Peaks & Sales
| Country | Peak Position | Certification (If Any) | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 24 | ||
| Finland | 20 | ||
| France | 31 | 2x Gold[6] | 200,000+ |
| Germany | 16 | Gold[7] | 100,000+ |
| Ireland | 1 | ||
| Netherlands | Gold[8] | 40,000+ | |
| New Zealand | 4 (3 Weeks) | Platinum[9] | 15,000+ |
| Norway | 5 | Gold[10] | 20,000+ |
| Sweden | 21 | Gold[11] | 30,000+ |
| Switzerland | 19 | Platinum[12] | 50,000+ |
| United Kingdom | 1 | 10x Platinum[13] | 3,000,000+ |
[edit] References
- ^ "I've Been Expecting You" the best selling album of 1998
- ^ BPI Certification for "I've Been Expecting You"
- ^ BPI Certification for "Millennium"
- ^ BPI Certification for "No Regrets"
- ^ BPI Certification for "She's The One"/"It's Only Us"
- ^ Disque En France
- ^ IFPI Germany
- ^ NVPI
- ^ RIANZ July 18, 1999
- ^ IFPI Norway
- ^ IFPI Sweden – 2000 Certifications
- ^ IFPI Switzerland
- ^ BPI
