United

About

Written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers, United was released in 2000 as a B-side to Supreme and also served as the soundtrack to Williams’ European Pepsi “Ask for More” advertising campaign. Although written for a commercial partnership, the song emerged from a period of self-reflection and unease. Williams was on tour across Europe at the time and spent long nights watching global news reports, which left him deeply affected by the violence and division he saw on television.

I started writing a song about being sick of all the pain I was seeing, but I couldn’t sing that while being paid by Pepsi. So I gave the money away instead.Robbie Williams

Built on a stomping beat and anthemic chorus, the track promotes unity and empathy while acknowledging hypocrisy and self-doubt. Lines such as “Don’t slap my face and call me brother” and “Don’t put your idol on a mantle, you’ll only want your money back” reveal Williams’ ambivalence toward fame and moral posturing. His warm vocal tone contrasts with the cynicism of the words, producing an irony typical of his writing with Chambers.

Despite its origins in corporate sponsorship, Williams redirected the proceeds to charity, turning a promotional obligation into a personal statement of conscience. Musically, United carries the bright optimism of a late-1990s stadium anthem, but its lyrics suggest a more complex view of humanity — idealistic yet wary of false heroes. It remains one of Williams’ most interesting outtakes from the Sing When You’re Winning era.