I Don't Want to Hurt You

About

I Don’t Want to Hurt You appears on Heavy Entertainment Show and was written by Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers and American-Icelandic singer-songwriter John Grant. It was produced by Chambers and Richard Flack and recorded during sessions at Williams’ Los Angeles home in 2015. The track unites two distinct voices and sensibilities, pairing Williams’ pop theatricality with Grant’s baroque synth-pop sound.

The collaboration came about after Williams saw Grant perform at Glastonbury and became an admirer of his lyrical honesty and vocal depth. When the pair finally met, they decided to write together alongside Chambers, with Grant suggesting a song influenced by ABBA. The resulting track blends melodic piano with lush harmonies and trumpet flourishes, echoing the bittersweet drama of 1970s pop.

Lyrically, the song expresses devotion and vulnerability between two people aware of their own flaws. Its central refrain, “I don’t want to hurt you,” carries both sincerity and regret, capturing the fragility of love. Williams later said that while the song had originally been written for his solo vocal, he rewrote it as a duet with Grant to create what he called “a love song between two friends.”

“He’s everything you want in a pop star. Unique, talented, funny, sad and complex. There’s only one John Grant.”Robbie Williams

I Don’t Want to Hurt You stands out on the album for its warm orchestration and emotional depth. The interplay between Williams’ smooth phrasing and Grant’s baritone gives the song an unusual poignancy. Though understated, it remains one of the record’s most affecting moments, highlighting Williams’ admiration for collaboration and for artists who, like him, merge humour and heartache.