Toxic

About

Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, Toxic was recorded during The Sermon on the Mount tour in Hamburg and released in 2001 as a B-side to Eternity/The Road to Mandalay. The song combines jagged guitars, heavy drums and a searing vocal performance, marking one of Williams’ most emotionally raw recordings. Its title reflects the corrosive effects of fame, addiction and harsh criticism.

Chambers described the track as “shouty and aggressive,” citing American nu-metal acts like Limp Bizkit as a stylistic reference. Williams’ lyrics expose deep frustration: “Don’t tell me my pain is pleasure, you haven’t got a clue. I want to cry but I don’t make a sound, I am your child and your child is feeling down.” Beneath the noise, it’s a cry for understanding — part anger, part exhaustion.

Words can burn a happy home. That’s what this song’s about — how what people say about you can really hurt.Robbie Williams

During the Hamburg sessions, Williams reportedly battled hiccups while recording the vocals but pushed through to capture a performance that matched the lyric’s intensity. The track’s escalating structure, from quiet unease to explosive catharsis, mirrors his own volatility during the period documented in Somebody Someday.

Rarely acknowledged in retrospectives, Toxic stands as one of Williams’ fiercest and most personal B-sides — a defiant response to tabloid scrutiny and a reminder of the cost of celebrity. Its bruised honesty anticipates later confessional songs such as Come Undone and Monsoon.