2000 Robbie Williams: Rock DJ

After the near miss of 'You See The Trouble With Me', 'Rock DJ' offers up another opportunity to say that it's nice to see Barry White back at the top of the charts, being as it is based on White's 1977 hit 'It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me'. Alas, once again it's a missed one, but unlike Black Legend, Williams only samples the backing rhythm section before flavouring it with a side order of A Tribe Called Quest's 'Can I Kick It' and inflating it tyre hard for a powerball bounce. To complete the picture, Robbie faux raps gobbledegook ("Babylon back in business, can I get a witness? Every girl, every man, Houston, do you hear me?", and if "I don't wanna rock DJ, but your making me feel so nice" is a metaphor, then its sailed right over my head) over the top of it to a tune that sounds like some twisted offspring of Ian Dury's 'Reasons To Be Cheerful Part 3' and the 'Tasty, tasty, very, very tasty' Kellogs Bran Flakes advert from the eighties. It's a hodge podge for sure and the mix tries my patience, but then it manages to save itself through its own self aware dumbness of purpose that extends no further than wanting to get the party started. I can live with that. Throw in a memorable video and you get one of Williams' more appealing efforts.