About
Written by Robbie Williams and Max Beesley, Appliance of Science was released as a B-side to Sexed Up in 2003. The track pairs Williams’ fascination with technology and modernity with Beesley’s funk-influenced musicianship, producing one of the most experimental B-sides of the Escapology era. It combines biting social commentary with tongue-in-cheek humour, capturing Williams’ restless curiosity and irreverent worldview.
The song takes aim at blind faith in progress, both scientific and spiritual. “Come into the parish of wisdom, but leave your nervous system with the bouncer on the door,” he sings, challenging the idea that intelligence equals morality. The chorus — “With the appliance of science, we can be anyone we want to be” — turns optimism into irony, suggesting that humanity’s advances don’t necessarily make it wiser. Its spoken-word interlude, parodying a news broadcast — “Two people burned to death whilst they were on the internet. And now to the sport.” — adds to the song’s darkly comic edge.
A homeless guy came up to us in L.A. and said, ‘Don’t believe in smart people. Smart people made the bomb, clever dropped it.’ I had to put that in — it summed up the song perfectly.Robbie Williams
Driven by swirling guitars and layered harmonies, Appliance of Science is both sardonic and strangely hopeful, imagining a future where humanity might evolve beyond its flaws. Blurring satire with sincerity, it remains one of Williams’ most unusual and thought-provoking outtakes — part protest song, part cosmic joke.
Lyrics
But leave your nervous system
With the bouncer on the door
Sell your innocence
For a decade of decadence
Everything all at once all the time is yours
Don't believe in Jesus Christ
Since I believed in your cocaine
All that praying and wailing will leave a stain
So take your Sunday songs and shove it
Hey now, my baby, maybe now we're free
With the appliance of science
We can be anyone we want to be
They'll come bearing you
And charge the earth for it
If you're lucky they'll let you breathe
So scream as you go faster
If that's the world you're after
But make sure you're home for tea
Don't believe in clever people
Clever people drop the bomb
Don't believe your big and evil, they're aliens
So take your rocket science and shove it
Hey now, my baby, maybe now we're free
With the appliance of science
We can be anyone we want to be
We interrupt this song for a newsflash
Daisy, the first sheep to be cloned
Has died today at the rivaled age of 101... days
Other news:
Two people burned to death whilst they were on the internet
And now to the sport
Hey now, my baby, maybe now were free
With the appliance of science
We can be anyone we want to be
Hey now, my baby, maybe now were free
With the appliance of science
We can be anyone we want to be
Hey now, my baby, maybe now were free
With the appliance of science
We can be anyone we want to be
Credits
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Vocalist
Robbie Williams -
Songwriter
Robbie Williams, Max Beesley