Sexed Up (Demo)

About

The demo version of Sexed Up appeared as a B-side to No Regrets in 1998, several years before its polished re-recording for Escapology in 2002. Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, the song began as an acoustic piece built around sparse guitar and voice, its rawness exposing the bitterness at the heart of the lyrics. Even in early form, the melody and tone reflected Williams’s growing maturity as a songwriter.

This demo differs from the later hit version in structure and lyric changes. It ends on the line “That’s what makes the difference today” rather than the repeated refrain “I hope you blow away,” and contains subtle variations such as “I lay your bed, but I’m OK.” The stripped arrangement gives the song a confessional intimacy, emphasising the vulnerability beneath its angry title phrase. The studio version that followed would transform it into a widescreen ballad, but the emotional core remains identical.

Sexed Up (Demo) is notable for revealing the early creative process between Williams and Chambers, illustrating how their songwriting evolved from lo-fi sketches to fully orchestrated pop. It stands as one of his most enduring break-up songs, showcasing the emotional honesty that would come to define his later albums.

We started it as a tiny acoustic track. Robbie sang it once through and we both knew it was something special.Guy Chambers