Bodies

About

Bodies was released on 12 October 2009 as the lead single from Reality Killed The Video Star, marking Robbie Williams’s return after a three-year hiatus. The single debuted at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, held off the top by Alexandra Burke’s Bad Boys. It also reached the top ten in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Australia.

The track was written by Williams with longtime collaborators Danny Spencer and Kelvin Andrews, and produced by Trevor Horn. It was recorded at Sarm Studios in London with additional programming by Tim Weidner. The song features gospel-style backing vocals by the London Community Gospel Choir and a distinctive electronic groove contrasting with Williams’s introspective lyrics.

Lyrically, Bodies explores spiritual confusion, consumerism and faith. The opening line, “All we’ve ever wanted is to look good naked,” typifies the song’s critique of celebrity culture and religion’s commodification. The refrain “Jesus didn’t die for you” sparked mild controversy, though Williams described the song as self-questioning rather than sacrilegious.

“It’s about my confusion with religion and my body image, and the media and me all fighting each other. It’s a head-mess song, basically.”Robbie Williams

Critics praised its production and ambition, with The Guardian calling it “a soaring, self-lacerating pop anthem”. It set the tone for Williams’s mature phase under Horn’s direction, balancing grand orchestration with electronic textures. Despite mixed chart longevity, Bodies remains one of the most recognisable singles of his later career.