Tripping (song)

"Tripping"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Intensive Care
Released	3 October 2005
Format	CD single, DVD single, digital download
Recorded	2005
Genre	Pop, funk, reggae
Length	4:36 (album version) 4:03 (radio edit)
Label	Chrysalis
Producer(s)	Stephen Duffy Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Misunderstood" (2004) "Tripping" (2005) "Make Me Pure" (2005)

"Tripping" is a song by British pop singer Robbie Williams, it was the first single from his 2005 album Intensive Care. The single was backed with the track "Make Me Pure", also from the same album, it was sent to radio stations around the world. Williams himself calls the song "something like a mini gangster opera" and "kind of cabaret act reggae". The rolling rhythm of the song owes much to the early work of The Clash. During the chorus Williams reaches an extremely high disco-like head voice. Lyrically the song is a bit darker than previous songs. It tells the tale of gangsters and how they "don't kill their own and they all love their mothers", before an anguished chorus of "I've taken as much as I'm willing to take". The opening lyrics "First they ignore you, then laugh at you and hate you. Then they fight you, then you win" is a paraphrase from a quote commonly attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. The song was the 26th best selling of 2005 in the UK.

Music video

The video, which was directed by Johan Renck, features Williams running in place as if he can't seem to get anywhere. It appears that Williams is having a nightmare, in which he is living sometime in 1950s, and is stuck running endlessly without ever advancing, or driving in a stereotypical 1950s backdrop. It also includes a baby singing to him some of the chorus, and a pair of lesbian twins in his car's backseat. The car is a Saab 95. He also sees himself trapped in an elevator with a bigger guy in drag that proposed him to make out, he tries to defend himself but, at the end he allows him to be touched, and at that moment, the character wakes up, smiles and close his eyes.

Chart success

The song became a massive worldwide success for Williams, debuting inside the top ten in most countries around Europe, including number-two in the United Kingdom, spending six weeks inside the top ten and fifteen inside the top seventy-five.^[1] The single reached number-one in Argentina, Germany (where it was his first #1 single^[2]), Portugal, Italy, and Taiwan. In Switzerland, the single was certified Gold.^[3] In Mexico, the song reached number-nine and became the eleventh most played track of the year.^[4] In Australia, the single peaked at number-seven and went on to sell over 35,000 copies, being certified Gold by the ARIA.^[5]

Track listing

UK CD1

1. "Tripping" (album version) – 4:36
2. "Make Me Pure" (edit) – 3:49

UK CD2

1. "Tripping" (album version) – 4:36
2. "Make Me Pure" (edit) – 3:49
3. "Meet the Stars" – 4:29

UK DVD single

1. "Tripping" (video)
2. "Make Me Pure" (video)
3. "Bag Full of Silly" (audio)
4. Gallery and video clip

Certifications and sales

Charts

Year-end charts

References

• Top40-Charts - "Tripping" Full History - last accessed on 6 November 2005.
• Virgin Single Review - last accessed on 6 November 2005.
• Robbie Williams Info - Singles - last accessed on 7 November 2005.