If It's Hurting You

About

Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, If It’s Hurting You sits at the emotional core of Sing When You’re Winning. Though not released as a single, its quiet intensity and sparse instrumentation mark one of Williams’ most personal moments. The arrangement of acoustic guitar, pedal steel and brushed percussion evokes a humid summer night, with the faint sound of cicadas running through the track.

The lyrics describe the breakdown of a relationship with compassion rather than bitterness: “Please don’t think of me, if you do you’ve got to block it.” Williams delivers the line with restrained emotion, suggesting empathy for both sides. The chorus “If it’s hurting you, it’s hurting me too” captures the song’s fragile tone, contrasting with the album’s bolder, more playful material.

This is a rough song. It’s very sad. Maybe in another life we wouldn’t be alone tonight.Robbie Williams

The recording was handled by longtime producer Steve Power, whose minimalist mix allows Williams’ voice to sit close to the listener. The pedal steel guitar, played by Melvin Duffy, adds a subtle country colour that reflects Chambers’ affection for Americana textures. Although Williams has never performed the track live, it remains one of his most understated and moving studio recordings, a moment of vulnerability amid an album otherwise filled with swagger and spectacle.