By All Means Necessary

About

Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, By All Means Necessary is one of the most playful yet acerbic tracks on Sing When You’re Winning. Recorded early in the album sessions, it was reportedly the first song the pair finished before setting it aside and rediscovering it later. The track blends brassy pop and funk influences with lyrics that lampoon celebrity, desire and hypocrisy.

Williams adopts a satirical tone, sketching a portrait of fame-seekers “laid in a manger” who’ll “sleep with every pop star, drink a lot and get into trouble.” Its sardonic humour recalls the British music-hall tradition that often surfaced in his writing with Chambers. Backing vocals echo his lines throughout, giving the track a call-and-response structure that heightens the theatrical effect.

It’s about this girl—or boy—who finds it necessary to go to every party in town, sleep with every pop star and be vulnerable. Pretty much sounds like me in a skirt.Robbie Williams

Musically, By All Means Necessary builds on a strutting funk rhythm and playful brass lines, drawing comparisons with Ian Dury and the Blockheads, one of Williams’ key influences. The lyric “You won’t be dating a teacher, you’d rather shag a Manic Street Preacher” typifies his mix of cultural reference and cheek, while the refrain “By all means necessary, you’ll get your way” gives the song its cynical edge.

Although never performed live, the track exemplifies Williams’ talent for merging social satire with pop melody. Beneath its humour lies a critique of fame’s self-destructive allure — a theme he would revisit throughout his career.