Egyptology is the fourth studio album by World Party released in 1997, re-released in 2006. It contained the #31 British single "Beautiful Dream" and the award-winning "She's the One", among other songs. But the album was not a commercial success, and Karl Wallinger was upset when his label, Chrysalis, used "She's the One" as a vehicle for pop artist Robbie Williams; Williams' version hit #1 on the British pop charts and won Williams several awards. Wallinger later wrote:

I was so lucky that Robbie recorded "She's the One" because it allowed me to keep going [after Wallinger's aneurysm in 2000]. He nicked my pig and killed it but gave me enough bacon to live on for four years. He kept my kids in school and me in Seaview [Wallinger's recording studio] and for that I thank him.

Due in part to the disagreement over "She's the One", Egyptology would be Wallinger's last album with Chrysalis; his 2000 album Dumbing Up was released on his own label.