Killing Me

Track Info

  • Title
    Killing Me
  • Released
  • Duration

Original Release

Cover Art for Life Thru a Lens

Life Thru a Lens

Studio Album
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About

Killing Me exposes the darker, more fragile side of Life Thru a Lens. Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, it captures the exhaustion that followed the chaos of his early fame. The track blends melodic melancholy with blunt self-reflection, creating one of the most honest moments on the album.

Built around chiming guitars and a steady rhythm, Killing Me trades anthemic bravado for emotional clarity. The lyrics read like a confession, addressing the tension between the image he projected and the turmoil he lived through. It's the sound of a young man trying to quiet the noise inside his head.

I was starting to see that the biggest danger wasn't fame or the press, it was me. That's what Killing Me is about.Robbie Williams

Guy Chambers later said the song marked a turning point in their writing partnership. The pair began to lean into vulnerability rather than disguise it behind irony, giving Williams space to write with sincerity.

That was the first time Robbie really opened up in the studio. There was no character, no mask, just truth.Guy Chambers

Though never a single, Killing Me earned praise for its lyrical candor and understated production. It laid the groundwork for future introspective songs like Come Undone and Eternity. Within the context of Life Thru a Lens, it feels like an emotional turning point; the sound of self-awareness breaking through the chaos.

Lyrics

I don't mind the abuse
It fills in time
When I'm not much use
But it's killing me, killing me slowly

They all say
I'm too restless
But words cut deep
When you're defenceless
And they're killing me, killing me slowly

There was a time when we were fine
And I could tolerate you
I do believe that you should leave
'cos I've grown to hate you
Should I be weak and turn my cheek
'cos I'm scared to fall
But I just don't know you
And you don't know me at all

I've been told that love's a celebration
But I've lost faith through frustration
And it's killing me, but killing me slowly

You paint my picture black
The joke's on me
And I don't wanna laugh
Remember the good times
Won't you bring them back someday, somehow

I don't mind feeling blue
If I could smile just like you do
And it's killing me, killing me slowly

I can't go on alone
Pretending nothing's wrong
Maybe I just want to belong
Somewhere, somehow, somehow

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Credits

  • Vocalist

    Robbie Williams

  • Songwriter

    Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers

    • Band

    Andre Barreau (Backing Vocals)
    Andy Duncan (Percussion)
    Chris Sharrock (Drums)
    Fil Eisler (Bass, Guitar)
    Gary Nuttall (Backing Vocals)
    Gavyn Wright (London Session Orchestra)
    Guy Chambers (Guitar, Keyboard)
    Oscar O'Loughlin (Guitar)
    Steve McEwan (Backing Vocals)

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