I Just Want People to Like Me

I Just Want People to Like Me appears on Under the Radar Vol. 3 and was written by Robbie Williams, Tim Metcalfe and Flynn Francis. It was produced by Metcalfe during the sessions for Take the Crown. The track was released to fans as a Christmas Day download in 2018 and served as the lead song promoting the third volume of the Under the Radar series.

The song is built around an upbeat rock groove with a playful swagger. Williams later said it should have appeared on a main studio album, describing it as a quintessential example of his style, combining bravado with humour and self awareness. The recording features punchy guitars, handclaps and a driving rhythm section, recalling the bold pop rock sound associated with his late 1990s output.

Lyrically, the track juxtaposes apparent vulnerability with tongue in cheek boasts, satirising his own public persona. The title phrase is presented less as a plea than as a knowingly exaggerated statement. In the bridge, Williams sings, “They gave my music to some people who say what they mean. Call me psychic, some people just ain’t gonna like it,” underlining the song’s self referential tone.

People think it’s me pleading to be liked, but it’s really me being cheeky and arrogant in the verses. I’m sticking two fingers up and saying, ‘If you don’t like me, tough.’Robbie Williams

A video directed by Leo Baron was filmed on the roof of Williams’ hotel in Mexico. It shows him performing on a helipad above the city skyline, dressed in a red floral shirt, dancing and joking before ending with a playful gesture to camera. Energetic and self aware, I Just Want People to Like Me stands as one of the most characteristically confident tracks from the Under the Radar project.