Better Man

About

Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, Better Man was released as a single in Australia, New Zealand and Latin America only. It reached number 4 in New Zealand and number 6 in Australia, where it was certified gold and spent 29 weeks in the Top 50. A Spanish-language version, Ser Mejor, appeared on Latin American editions of Sing When You’re Winning, recorded phonetically by Williams during studio sessions in 2000.

The song’s acoustic simplicity and introspective lyrics mark one of Williams’ most vulnerable performances. Written while he was staying in the French Alps, the melody came quickly. He later recalled an almost spiritual experience while composing it.

I was in France in the mountains and I asked John Lennon for a song. All of a sudden I did these chords I’d never done before and sang the song, almost all of it straight away. I went and recorded it that night and just cried my eyes out singing. I knew I was onto a winner if it was making me cry.Robbie Williams

Thematically, Better Man reflects Williams’ growing self-awareness and search for redemption after years of public excess. Its plea — “Lord, I’m doing all I can to be a better man” — became a defining line of his catalogue. The arrangement builds gradually from a solo guitar to orchestral strings, a hallmark of Chambers’ production style.

The song’s enduring popularity led to its inclusion in most of Williams’ Australian and Latin American tours, often performed as a duet with his father Pete Conway. It has remained one of his most requested live ballads and later inspired the title of his 2024 biopic Better Man.