Song: She's the One -- Robbie Williams

Since I am teaching many song listening lessons this week, might as well recommend more songs. 

"Locky's actually too busy to do his research! Lame excuse!"

Alright, alright... my bad! But having a nice song for learning (accent, linkings, etc.) once in a while isn't a bad thing.

So, this is the man in focus today, Robbie Williams

Image from Why Fame

A British singer, actor, songwriter, musician and ex-boy band member of Take That, it is apparent that Robbie Williams is packed with talents, but his life hasn't been easy. Throughout his life, he has been battling with mental illness, obesity, self-esteem issues, alcoholism, and substance(drug) abuse. Even so, he has been charitable and has set up a charity in his home town to help the people in disadvantage.

Image from AllMusicLoad

Released in October 1998 in the album, I've Been Expecting You, "She's the One" was Williams' favourite song after his time in rehab. Becoming his second number-one hit in the United Kingdom, the song went on to win a number of awards around the world, including a BRIT Award for 'Single of the Year' and a Capital Radio Award for 'Best Single'.

Image from The Time of My Life

The song begins with a slow, romantic tempo piano and very soft vocal, and gradually speed up as the electric guitar comes in in the middle, his vocal picks up strength and feeling starts to muster. Energy and passion are pushed to the climax near the end of the song and back down again in the final two lines.

There are two different interpretations for this song.

1. With relevance to this rehab, "calling me on" means to visit Robbie for a short time in his rehab.
2. Without relevance to this rehab, "calling me on" means the same as "call on sb", meaning to ask someone in a formal way to do something, which could further mean, "want him or in need of him".

Which version do you prefer?

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She's the One -- Robbie Williams



I was her she was me 
We were one we were free 
And if there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 


We were young we were wrong 
We were fine all along 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 


When you get to where you wanna go 
And you know the things you wanna know 
You're smiling 
When you said what you wanna say 
And you know the way you wanna play, yeah 
You'll be so high you'll be flying 


Though the sea will be strong 
I know we'll carry on 
'Cos if there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 


When you get to where you wanna go 
And you know the things you wanna know 
You're smiling 
When you said what you wanna say 
And you know the way you wanna say it 
You'll be so high you'll be flying 


I was her she was me 
We were one we were free 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 


If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 
Yeah she's the one 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 
She's the one 
If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 
She's the one 


If there's somebody calling me on 
She's the one 


She's the one.. 


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Vocabulary:
Lame -- (adj) (especially of an excuse or argument) weak and unsatisfactory
Rehab -- (n) [U] the process of helping someone to stop taking drugs or alcohol
vocal -- (n) [C usually plural] the singing in a piece of popular music
muster -- (vb) [I or T] to produce or encourage especially an emotion or support

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Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbie_williams
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I've_Been_Expecting_You
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/She's_the_One_(World_Party_song)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDOjb3C39Lk
http://www.lyrics007.com/Robbie%20Williams%20Lyrics/She's%20The%20One%20Lyrics.html
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/call-in-on-sb#call-in-on-sb__2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/call-on-sb#call-on-sb__2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/rehab