Heart and I

About

Heart and I appeared on In and Out of Consciousness in October 2010 as one of three new recordings on the compilation. Written by Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow, and produced by Trevor Horn, it followed the success of Shame as a more introspective reflection on recovery, maturity and self-acceptance. Though not released as a single, it was praised for its strong melody and candid lyricism, standing as an emotional counterpart to its predecessor.

Barlow originally conceived the song from an instrumental sketch, which Williams then developed into a full composition during their sessions in Los Angeles. The writing was completed within a day, and the pair recorded a demo on Barlow’s laptop before refining it with Horn at Sarm Studios in London. The collaboration reaffirmed the creative chemistry that had first united them in Take That and introduced a calmer, more reflective dynamic than their earlier work.

Lyrically, Heart and I finds Williams confronting his own restlessness and search for peace. The refrain “Give me something to die for, or design a quiet mind” encapsulates its yearning tone, combining weariness with determination. The song’s bridge and closing verse hint at his ongoing struggles with anxiety and addiction, balanced by a sense of hope and acceptance.

“If there was anyone on the planet I needed to show and feel what I could do, it was Gary. It was simple and easy, and it was lovely.”Robbie Williams

Reviewers commended the song’s cinematic production and maturity, highlighting it as evidence of Williams’s evolution as a songwriter. Heart and I bridged the reflective tone of Reality Killed the Video Star with the renewed optimism of Take That’s forthcoming album Progress, completing the personal and creative reconciliation that defined this stage of his career.