Supreme (song)

"Supreme"
Single by Robbie Williams
from the album Sing When You're Winning
Released	December 11, 2000
Format	CD Single, Cassette
Recorded	2000
Genre	Pop
Length	4:15
Label	Chrysalis Records
Producer	Guy Chambers
Robbie Williams singles chronology
"Kids" (2000) "Supreme" (2000) "United" (2000)

"Supreme" is a song by Robbie Williams released in 2000 as the third single from his album Sing When You're Winning, and contains an interpolation of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" because, according to Williams, he was in a trip in Switzerland and when it was approaching the new millennium, the tourists, although none speak the same language, were all humming the string solo of I Will Survive. The string instrument part is by François de Roubaix originally from the José Giovanni directed film Dernier domicile connu starring Lino Ventura and Marlène Jobert. The song is the title theme for the Polish TV drama series Londyńczycy aired on TVP 1 since late 2008.

Music video

The "Supreme" video, titled "Gentlemen racers" as seen in its opening credits, is a tribute to British Formula One driver Jackie Stewart. Williams portrays the fictitious character Bob Williams, a rival driver competing for the 1970s F1 World 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, 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.

Chart success

The song became another massive success for Williams - it managed to make the top ten in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand and other countries, the song was recorded in French and released in France peaking at number-twelve and spending thirty-four weeks inside the French charts being certified Gold by the SNEP.

Cover versions

The song was covered by German bandleader Max Raabe and his Palace Orchestra on the album Superhits. There is also a version of the song called "Suprême", entirely in French, (except for Williams' rap) on the album Sing When You're Winning. The French version appears instead of the original English version on his Greatest Hits compilation in some regions.

The McFly song "I Need a Woman" from 2010's Above the Noise album samples the riff from "Supreme".

Tracklisting

UK CD1

1. "Supreme" - 4:15
2. "Don't Do Love" - 4:56
3. "Come Take Me Over" - 4:13

UK CD2

1. "Supreme" - 4:15
2. "United" - 5:56
3. "Supreme" [Recorded Live At The Manchester Arena] - 4:18
4. "Supreme" [Filmed Live At The Manchester Arena] - 4:08

Certifications and sales

Country	Certification (if any)	Sales/shipments
France	Silver	125,000+

Charts

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Austrian Singles Chart	3
New Zealand Singles Chart	3
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart	4
Italian Singles Chart	4
Swiss Singles Chart	4
UK Singles Chart	4
Irish Singles Chart	10
Norwegian Singles Chart	11
French Singles Chart	12
Australian Singles Chart	14
German Singles Chart	14
Swedish Singles Chart	14
Dutch Singles Chart	16
Finnish Singles Chart	16
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart	29