Every Better Man Song, Ranked Worst To Best

Michael Gracey’s Better Man is one of the most creative and inventive biopics in recent memory, detailing the turbulent life of British pop icon Robbie Williams through the lens of a singing, dancing, CGI monkey. It’s a totally unique spin on a genre that’s otherwise become far too saturated, and the film definitely benefits as a result. It’s an extremely honest examination of Williams’ life, and despite Better Man’s box office failure, the film still deserves recognition for its introspective and reflective story.

In addition to the very transparent storytelling, Better Man also shines thanks to its brilliant use of music – and the intricate dance choreography that goes alongside it. As he displayed with The Greatest Showman, Gracey knows exactly how to use musical numbers in order to push the story forward and develop characters’ relationships, and he manages it again with Williams’ biopic. The two films are very similar in their stylistic flair and dynamic direction – although Better Man is notably not suitable for children.

13

I Found Heaven

Released In 1992

“I Found Heaven” is one of the few Take That songs to appear on the Better Man soundtrack, and it’s certainly an unconventional single for the film to use. While it’s one of the band’s earliest hits, and the tune of the music fits neatly with the atmosphere of the movie, it’s hard to imagine that this song was a truly necessary inclusion. The song plays during the film’s first act, as Robbie Williams and his fellow bandmates make a name for themselves in England’s gay club scene.

While there’s plenty to enjoy about this song (it’s upbeat, catchy, and perfectly contrasts the depression that Williams is feeling at this point in his life), it’s ultimately quite a niche Take That song that probably could have been replaced by one of their bigger hits, like “Pray” or “Never Forget”.

12

Land Of 1000 Dances

Released In 1966

The inclusion of “Land of 1000 Dances” in Better Man’s soundtrack is another surprising one, as it’s not a song that’s frequently associated with Robbie Williams or Take That. The song was originally written and released in 1966 by Wilson Pickett, but re-recorded for the biopic by Robbie Williams in late 2024.

In the film, this song is used to help transition Williams from the corny pop music of his boy group days to the more ambitious, rockstar energy of his early solo career. It’s accompanied in the film by a great montage of Williams’ earliest concerts, which is one of Better Man’s highlights.

11

Forbidden Road

Released In 2024

“Forbidden Road” is an original song that was recorded by Robbie Williams specifically for the release of Better Man, and it plays over the closing credits to the film. With lyrics that discuss the artist’s spiritual journey over the years, including lines such as “you need to lose your mind to get back to the light sometimes”, the song perfectly encapsulates the hopeful message of the film.

The song is easily overshadowed by the other content in Better Man’s closing credits, which chronicle Williams’ real-life journey in comparison to the monkey-fueled narrative of the film.

The only reason that “Forbidden Road” doesn’t rank higher among Better Man’s best songs is that it doesn’t really play a huge role in the story. The song is easily overshadowed by the other content in Better Man’s closing credits, which chronicle Williams’ real-life journey in comparison to the monkey-fueled narrative of the film.

10

Feel

Released In 2002

“Feel” is one of Better Man’s first musical numbers, and while the single ranks firmly among Robbie Williams’ biggest songs, its inclusion in the narrative isn’t as powerful as it could have been. The song is performed by a preteen version of Williams (as a monkey), and lacks the strong vocals that make it such an emotional ballad.

Interestingly, the instrumentals of “Feel” are used as a recurring motif throughout Better Man that constantly draws attention to how much Williams has changed from the young man (or monkey) that he once was. Director Michael Gracey really makes the most of this tune, and it leaves a strong impact.

9

Something Beautiful

Released In 2002

“Something Beautiful” is one of Robbie Williams’ most sincere and heartfelt songs, and Better Man does a great job of depicting the singer’s reluctance to show this vulnerable side of himself. The song plays during Williams’ first meeting with his long-time collaborator Guy Chambers, who was credited as the co-writer of many of the artist’s most popular singles.

The dynamic between Williams and Chambers offers some much-needed humor and lightheartedness in this dark period of the singer’s life, and Better Man uses this song as a way of showing how strong their professional dynamic was. The pair bounce off each other effortlessly, and songs like “Something Beautiful” were born as a result.

8

Better Man

Released In 2000

Better Man changes certain aspects of Robbie Williams’ life, but one thing that it clearly gets right is the singer’s journey of self-discovery and healing in the latter part of his career. This song is a clear indicator of that, and it plays towards the end of the film as Robbie makes amends with the people he’s mistreated over the years.

This is the perfect song for Better Man to take its name from, as it’s extremely introspective and speaks volumes about the way Robbie Williams sees himself as a person. Both lyrically and musically, it’s one of the film’s most powerful songs and a perfect way to bring this story to a close.

7

Relight My Fire

Released In 1993

Better Man only spends a short amount of time exploring Robbie Williams’ involvement in Take That, and as a consequence, there aren’t too many songs from the boy band in the film’s soundtrack. However, Gracey still managed to make room for the group’s first major hit, “Relight My Fire,” which is a disco-inspired pop tune that rocketed the boys into the public eye.

This was the perfect Take That song to include in Better Man, not just because of how catchy and enthusiastic it is, but also because of how clearly it makes Robbie Williams seem like the outlier of the group.

This was the perfect Take That song to include in Better Man, not just because of how catchy and enthusiastic it is, but also because of how clearly it makes Robbie Williams seem like the outlier of the group. He doesn’t enjoy the song’s intricate choreography and melodramatic vocals like his bandmates, and that’s the first step in his isolation.

6

My Way

Released In 1969

After playing briefly in the film’s opening scene, “My Way” appears once more in Better Man’s emotional ending as the show-stopping closer to the “One Night with Robbie Williams” show. It’s one of the film’s saddest scenes, as Williams calls his father onto the stage and the pair finally reconcile their differences.

The complex dynamic between Robbie and his father is one of Better Man’s strongest aspects, and “My Way” is the perfect song to bookend their relationship. From singing it together in their small council house in Stoke-on-Trent to performing it side-by-side on the world’s stage, the pair quickly forget their differences and overcome their grudge.

5

She’s The One

Released In 1999

“She’s The One” is Better Man’s big romantic number, playing towards the middle of the film and marking the beginning of Robbie Williams’ relationship with Canadian singer Nicole Appleton. Their dynamic quickly becomes the film’s most engaging plot point, as Williams is unable to put aside his demons to devote himself to her.

The song was originally recorded by British rock band World Party in 1997, but Williams’ cover soon became the more well-known version of the ballad. Its musical notes are references many times in Better Man as the singer’s relationship worsens, and he’s reminded of the romantic ideals he’s left behind.

4

Come Undone

Released In 2003

“Come Undone” is one of Robbie Williams’ most biting and honest songs, speaking about life in the spotlight and the dangers that such a public life brings. In Better Man, it plays shortly after the singer’s departure from Take That.

Better Man uses the song in a very clever way to draw parallels between Williams’ exit from Take That and his father’s departure as a youth.

With lyrics such as “do another interview, sing a bunch of lies, tell about celebrities that I despite”, this single doesn’t hold back about Williams’ dissatisfaction with this period of his life. Better Man uses the song in a very clever way to draw parallels between Williams’ exit from Take That and his father’s departure as a youth.

3

Angels

Released In 1997

One of the reasons that Better Man has received such great reviews is that it’s incredibly honest and transparent, with Williams’ narration giving the film an extremely personal angle despite all the glitz and glamor. This is most prevalent during Better Man’s montage of Robbie’s grandmother’s death, which is soundtracked by this timeless song.

Better Man uses this song to pay tribute to Williams’ grandmother and display how strongly the singer was affected by her passing. After being rejected by his father, then by his Take That bandmates, and finally by Nicole, this moment represents a troubling low point of the artist’s life.

2

Let Me Entertain You

Released In 1997

“Let Me Entertain You” was released as part of Williams’ debut album “Life Thru A Lens”, the project that finally allowed him to make a name for himself outside of Take That. In Better Man, the song plays during his performance at Knebworth, as the film takes a major creative swing and sees Robbie Williams jump from the stage and violently attack the physical embodiment of his own past.

It’s a bold move to interrupt Williams’ iconic Knebworth performance with this loud, stylish interlude of violence – but it ends up being one of Better Man’s strongest scenes. The sequence perfectly depicts the singer’s self-destructive behavior and intrusive thoughts, using the violence as a metaphor for his own depression.

1

Rock DJ

Released In 2000

The “Rock DJ” dance number is the best scene in Better Man by a mile, and it’s a perfect display of Michael Gracey’s talent as a director. The uplifting sequence comes during the peak of Take That’s success and follows the boys as they dance through the streets of London and collect a huge number of backing dancers in their wake.

Though many international audiences may not have previously known who Robbie Williams is, this scene proves that you don’t need to be familiar with his music or struggles to have fun with Better Man. The music is catchy, the choreography is huge, and the cinematography is wonderfully dynamic. It’s five minutes of pure joy that encapsulates everything great about musical filmmaking.