About
Written solely by Robbie Williams, One Fine Day was released as a B-side to Come Undone in March 2003 and later appeared on In and Out of Consciousness and the U.S. edition of Escapology. A reflective ballad with a wistful melody, it explores love, memory and reconciliation through lyrical riddles and emotional understatement. Williams considered it one of his most personal pieces, blending autobiography with poetic imagery.
The song’s inspiration drew from several sources. Its title and refrain reference a folk rhyme Williams learned as a child, while the lyric “You remind me of a film I never saw and a time I never had” was borrowed from an episode of The Simpsons. Elsewhere, the lines “Please don’t remind me to forget, ’cause forgiveness is a place I ain’t got used to yet” reveal a deeply personal reflection on his parents’ separation. The mix of humour and sadness is characteristic of Williams’ songwriting at its most sincere.
That one’s about my mum and dad. It’s what their relationship could’ve been — and what mine might be. Sad, but hopeful too.Robbie Williams
Opening with a gentle acoustic guitar before expanding into layered harmonies and subtle percussion, One Fine Day showcases Williams’ gift for melodic simplicity. Its combination of sentimentality and irony makes it one of the most enduring songs from his early 2000s catalogue — a quietly moving portrait of love, regret and the fragile hope for peace.
Lyrics
A time I've never had
A book that no one read
A film that never made me sad
And you remind me of a place I've never been
And something no one said
When I was seventeen
One fine day
In the middle of the night
You wake up in it
One fine day
In the middle of the night
But you probably won't admit it
Remember when we never struggled through
A bad time we never had
A love we never fell into
Please don't remind me to forget
Cause forgiveness is a place
I ain't got use to yet
One fine day
In the middle of the night
You wake up in it
One fine day
In the middle of the night
But you probably won't admit it
All I ever wanted
Was to radiate your home
But I guess it doesn't matter
So come reminisce about
A time we didn't have
I hear there's a sequel to that film
That never made you sad
Don't rewrite my history
Cause you never really know
How much you didn't mean to me
One fine day
In the middle of the night
You wake up in it
One fine day
In the middle of the night
But you probably won't admit it
One fine day
In the middle of the night
You wake up in it
One fine day
In the middle of the night
But you probably won't admit it
But you probably won't admit it
Credits
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Vocalist
Robbie Williams -
Songwriter
Robbie Williams