Supreme (song)

Supreme (song)
"Supreme" is a song by English singer Robbie Williams for his third studio album, Sing When You're Winning (2000). Chrysalis Records released the song as the third single from the album on 11 December 2000. Commercially, the single reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, topped the charts of Hungary and Poland, and peaked within the top 10 in six additional European countries and New Zealand.
Composition
The bridge of the song contains an interpolation of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive". The string instrument part is a François de Roubaix-composed piece from the José Giovanni-directed film Dernier domicile connu starring Lino Ventura and Marlène Jobert. The song was re-recorded in a swing tone and titled "Swing Supreme" for his 2013 album Swings Both Ways.
Chart performance
The song became another success for Robbie Williams, reaching the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand, and several other countries. Williams also recorded a French version of the song that was released in France, peaking at number 12 and spending 34 weeks on the French chart, being certified Gold by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).
Music video
The "Supreme" video, titled "Gentlemen racers" as seen in its opening credits, is a tribute to British Formula One driver Jackie Stewart. It was filmed on 11 November 2000. Williams portrays the fictitious character Bob Williams, a rival driver competing for the 1970s F1 World Championship. Williams eventually crashes his car, makes a surprise recovery, and ultimately loses the title when he gets diarrhoea before a race and is unable to line up on the starting grid due to getting locked into his caravan when the manager thought there was no one in the caravan. An epilogue reveals that Bob Williams went on to become a celebrated blues guitarist while Jackie Stewart won the championship.
The video includes stock footage of Stewart with Williams digitally inserted in many scenes, creating the near-perfect illusion of a neck-and-neck pursuit of the championship title. The video makes extensive use of the split-screen technique as it is often seen in movies from the 1960s and 70s (for instance in the 1970 feature racing movie Le Mans), and the scenes with Robbie Williams were given a yellowed, grainy image texture in the digital editing process to match the faded look of the original 35mm celluloid footage with Jackie Stewart. As yet another movie cliché, fake newspaper headlines are shown intermittently to help narrate the story.
Track listings
UK CD1 and cassette single
"Supreme" – 4:15
"Don't Do Love" – 4:56
"Come Take Me Over" – 4:13
UK CD2
"Supreme" – 4:15
"United" – 5:56
"Supreme" (recorded live at the Manchester Arena) – 4:18
"Supreme" (filmed live at the Manchester Arena) – 4:08
Australasian CD single
"Supreme" – 4:15
"United" – 5:56
"Supreme" (live from Manchester) – 4:18
"Don't Do Love" – 4:57
"Come Take Me Over" – 4:11
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from the Sing When You're Winning album booklet.
Studios
Recorded at Master Rock Studios (North London, England) and Sarm Hook End (Reading, England)
Mixed at Battery Studios (London, England)
Mastered at Metropolis Mastering (London, England)
Personnel
Robbie Williams – writing, lead vocals
Guy Chambers – writing, all keyboards, production, arrangement
Freddie Perren – writing
Dino Fekaris – writing
Claire Worrall – backing vocals
Crystal Adams – backing vocals
Marielle Hervé – backing vocals
Neil Taylor – acoustic and electric guitars
Phil Spalding – bass guitar
Chris Sharrock – ambient drum kit
Andy Duncan – drum programming
Richard Flack – drum programming, Pro Tools
Tony Pleeth – string loop
Paul Kegg – string loop
Richard Boothby – string loop
Richard Campbell – string loop
London Session Orchestra – orchestra
Gavyn Wright – concertmaster
Nick Ingman – orchestration
Isobel Griffiths – orchestral contractor
Steve Price – orchestral engineering
Steve Power – production, mixing
Tony Cousins – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
2000 singles
2000 songs
Chrysalis Records singles
Music videos directed by Vaughan Arnell
Number-one singles in Hungary
Number-one singles in Poland
Robbie Williams songs
Song recordings produced by Guy Chambers
Song recordings produced by Steve Power
Songs written by Dino Fekaris
Songs written by Freddie Perren
Songs written by Guy Chambers
Songs written by Robbie Williams