Bully

About

Bully opens Robbie Williams’ compilation album Under the Radar Vol. 1, released on 1 December 2014 exclusively through his official website. The track was written by Williams with Tim Metcalfe and Flynn Francis during sessions in Australia on the 2014 Swing When You’re Winning tour and produced by the same duo. Before the album’s release, Bully was made available as a free download in partnership with Café Royal for their “In the Service of Good Taste” advertising campaign, and Williams performed it live at the brand’s London launch event.

The song features a driving brass-and-percussion arrangement that bridges swing and modern pop production. Lyrically, it explores anger and defiance towards those who exploit or intimidate others. Williams later explained that the piece was not to be taken literally but rather as a cathartic fantasy: he wrote it to exaggerate his feelings towards people he disliked, noting that it allowed him to “be that much of a badass in the lyric”.

Bully stands out for its dark theatricality, opening with layered choral “ooh-ah” refrains and a deliberately ominous rhythm. The lyric “Never test the temper of a patient man” underlines its threatening humour, while the repeated gun-click percussion adds an ironic swagger. Though it divides listeners in tone, the track reveals Williams’ fascination with musical role-play and his skill at turning internal frustration into wry entertainment.

“I’ve got music so I can exaggerate what I’d like to do to some people that I really dislike … it’s fun to be that much of a badass in this lyric.”Robbie Williams

As an album opener, Bully sets the rebellious mood for the collection, introducing a record built on impulse and independence rather than chart ambition.