Let Me Entertain You

Album: Life Thru A Lens (1997)
Charted: 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Robbie Williams' lyrics for "Let Me Entertain You" are mostly innuendoes and entendre. Literally it is Williams recounting an attempt to get a girl to cheat on her boyfriend with him. It doubles up as the self-preening singer winking at us about his camp, egotistic image. (In the US a compilation album was released the following year featuring all his hits to date. It was titled The Ego Has Landed.)
  • Williams and his then-writing partner Guy Chambers wrote this song after watching the Rolling Stones film Rock and Roll Circus. The singer recalled: "When we started writing the demo there was a furious jungle beat underneath it. It was so hardcore it got me very excited, and I still get excited listening to it now. It's not really heavy metal, it's more like camp rock opera!"
  • The piano part in "Let Me Entertain You" bears a striking resemblance to "Pinball Wizard" by The Who, who performed at Rock and Roll Circus alongside The Rolling Stones.
  • Directed by Vaughan Arnell, the video sees Robbie Williams performing in full makeup and dressed in a bejeweled jumpsuit reminiscent of the rock band Kiss. Williams said it was the best video he's ever done.
  • "Let Me Entertain You" has become Williams' signature concert opener for most of his shows. His performances of the song include at the Brit Awards' opening act in 1999, as the opening act for Queen Elizabeth II's 2012 Diamond Jubilee Concert, and at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park in 2005. He also performed the song in front of billions of viewers at the 2018 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony held in Moscow.
  • This was the fifth and final single released from Robbie Williams' debut solo album, Life Thru a Lens. The song peaked at #3 on the UK chart, becoming the album's third Top 5 hit after "Old Before I Die" and "Angels."

Comments: 1

  • Per from SwedenDo you really mean "Pinball Wizard" and not "Quadrophenia" by The Who? "Pinball Wizard" has basically no piano....
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"

Chris Frantz - "Genius of Love"They're Playing My Song

Chris and his wife Tina were the rhythm section for Talking Heads when they formed The Tom Tom Club. "Genius of Love" was their blockbuster, but David Byrne only mentioned it once.

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic Furs

Richard Butler of The Psychedelic FursSongwriter Interviews

Psychedelic Furs lead singer Richard Butler talks about their first album since 1991 and explains what's really going on in "Pretty In Pink."

dUg Pinnick of King's X

dUg Pinnick of King's XSongwriter Interviews

dUg dIgs into his King's X metal classics and his many side projects, including the one with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Pete Anderson

Pete AndersonSongwriter Interviews

Pete produced Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Meat Puppets, and a very memorable track for Roy Orbison.