"Feel" is a song by British singer-songwriter

Robbie Williams Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, and achieved commercial success after launching a solo career in 1996. His debut stud ...

. It was released on 2 December 2002 as the lead single from his fifth studio album, ''

Escapology Escapology is the practice of escaping from restraints or other traps. Escapologists (also classified as escape artists) escape from handcuffs, straitjackets, cages, coffins, steel boxes, barrels, bags, burning buildings, fish-tanks, and ...

'' (2002). The song became an international hit, peaking at number one in the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Romania and reaching the top five in several other countries, including Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Background

"Feel" was written by

and

Guy Chambers Guy Antony Chambers (born 12 January 1963) is an English songwriter, musician and record producer, best known for his work with Robbie Williams. Education Chambers attended Quarry Bank Comprehensive School sixth form in Liverpool. From 18, h ...

. 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."

Chart performance

The song was aimed to become the Christmas number-one in the United Kingdom, but peaked at number four. It still spent four weeks inside the top 10, however. "Feel" became Williams's biggest international hit and his best selling single in Europe: the song topped the charts in Hungary, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands. The song was also successful in Argentina, Mexico and in Canada, where it reached the top 10 and spent a total of 54 weeks in the chart. It was the most played song in Europe in 2003. Despite Williams's major success in most of the world, "Feel" failed to reach the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the US. "Feel" has sold 625,000 copies in the UK as of September 2022.

Music video

The video was directed by

Vaughan Arnell Vaughan Arnell (born 31 May 1961, in Chertsey, Surrey) is a British music video and television commercial director. Although having done films for high-profile clients in the TV commercial field, including Nestlé and Levi's, he is best known for ...

and shows Williams in a cowboy-like lifestyle. It gained some attention in the United States thanks to

Daryl Hannah Daryl Christine Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her screen debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film '' The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various movies across the years, i ...

's appearance as Williams's 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.

Track listings

* UK, Canadian, and Australian CD single # "Feel" (album version) – 4:22 # "Nobody Someday" (demo version) – 2:53 # "You're History" – 4:44 # Photo gallery and video clips * UK cassette single # "Feel" (album version) – 4:22 # "Nobody Someday" (demo version) – 2:53 # "You're History" – 4:44 * UK DVD single # "Feel" (video) – 4:22 # "You're History" (audio) – 4:44 # "Nobody Someday" (demo version; audio) – 2:53 # 3× video clips * European CD single # "Feel" (album version) – 4:22 # "Nobody Someday" (demo version) – 2:53

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the ''

'' album booklet. Recording * Recorded in Los Angeles and London * Mixed at

The Record Plant The Record Plant is a recording studio established in New York City in 1968 and currently operating in Los Angeles, California. Known for innovations in the recording artists' workspace, it has produced highly influential albums, including Blon ...

(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 Gary Nuttall is an English musician and vocalist, best known for his long-time affiliation with Robbie Williams, spanning from 1997 to the present day. Solo In 2007, Nuttall released his first solo album, ''Dated Bedroom Ditties.'' Discograp ...

– backing vocals, picky guitar * Zenia Santini – backing vocals * Anne Skates – directing (gospel choir) * Fil Eisler – slide guitars * Neil Taylor – slide guitars *

Phil Spalding Philip Spalding (born 19 November 1957, London, England) is an English bass player. He is best known as a session musician and player of Fender Precision Bass guitars. He has played and appeared with performing artists such as Mick Jagger, Se ...

– bass * Andy Wallace – piano * Dave Clayton – synthesizers *

Jeremy Stacey Jeremy Stacey (born 27 September 1963) is a British drummer and keyboard player. His early works included the 1990s band The Lemon Trees (with twin brother Paul Stacey on guitars, Guy Chambers and others) and Denzil. He has also played with ...

– drums * Jony Rockstar – drum loops * Richard Flack – drum loops, engineering, programming *

London Session Orchestra The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is one of five permanent symphony orchestras based in London. It was founded by the conductors Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 as a rival to the existing London Symphony and BBC Symphony ...

– orchestra * Gavyn Wright –

concertmaster The concertmaster (from the German ''Konzertmeister''), first chair (U.S.) or leader (U.K.) is the principal first violin player in an orchestra (or clarinet in a concert band). After the conductor, the concertmaster is the second-most signifi ...

Nick Ingman Nicholas Ingman (born 29 April 1948) is an English arranger, composer and conductor in the commercial music field. His collaborators include Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Björk, and the British X-factor. Born and educated in London, Ingman moved ...

– 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

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Release history

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 In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles incl ...

", before being joined by Williams himself to sing his single " Party Like a Russian".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Feel (Robbie Williams Song) 2002 singles 2002 songs Black-and-white music videos Chrysalis Records singles Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Music videos directed by Vaughan Arnell Number-one singles in the Czech Republic Number-one singles in Italy Number-one singles in Poland Number-one singles in Portugal Number-one singles in Romania Robbie Williams songs Song recordings produced by Guy Chambers Song recordings produced by Steve Power Songs written by Guy Chambers Songs written by Robbie Williams Songs about suicide Songs about depression Songs about loneliness Virgin Records singles