Uncool Music Appreciation ~ Episode 5 Part II ~ George Michael Appreciation Thread

[Zoots]

Welcome to the UMAs where we celebrate artists and bands that are generally completely hated and reviled by the cool kids of this forum. Here you will find all those artists that you have been advised over and over not to like by the ones with impeccable taste in music. So don't look for B&C favorites like Radiohead, Arcade Fire or Sigur Ros in here. In fact, indie music is banned in this thread. The more mainstream an artist is, more is the chance you will find them featured in this series. Now let's go ahead and celebrate extremely popular mainstream music with the UMAs!

Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (born 25 June 1963), best known as George Michael, is a two-time Grammy Award winning, English singer-songwriter, who has had a career as frontman of the duo Wham! as well as a soul-influenced, solo pop musician.

Thanks, wikipedia. Who doesn't know this guy?! He is one of the most prolific male pop artists of the last 25 years but sadly only known for his overtly sexual, lightweight 80's hits. There is so much more to his music, which is the point of this thread.. to highlight his soul-influenced pop side. I am going to avoid the most popular US hits like Faith, Father Figure, I Want Your Sex, Freedom '90 etc. because (a.) You all have probably heard them countless times anyway (b.) He is more than a leather jacket n' jeans clad heartthrob with a stubble, cool sunglasses and a cross in his ear. (c.) Those aren't his best songs in my opinion. The guy has been popular for all the wrong reasons, which may or may not be his fault depending on the news item. So let's just celebrate the music. As always, some of these videos won't work as embedded files so just click on the title and go to youtube to watch or listen.

Here are a couple of my favorite songs from 1987's Faith...

One More Try

I've had enough of danger
And people on the streets
I'm looking out for angels
Just trying to find some peace

YouTube - George Michael - One More Try - 100% Q (Original Version)

What a voice! Especially when he hits those high notes!


Kissing a Fool

People,
You can never change the way they feel,
Better let them do just what they will

YouTube - George Michael - Kissing a Fool - 100% Q (Original Version)


And then in 1990 he released what could be his best album to date, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. I. Here are a couple of stunning songs from it...

Praying for Time

These are the days of the open hand
They will not be the last
Look around now
These are the days of the beggars and the choosers

This is the year of the hungry man
Whose place is in the past
Hand in hand with ignorance
And legitimate excuses

The rich declare themselves poor
And most of us are not sure
If we have too much
But we'll take our chances
'Cause God's stopped keeping score
I guess somewhere along the way
He must have let us all out to play
Turned his back and all God's children
Crept out the back door

And it's hard to love, there's so much to hate
Hanging on to hope
When there is no hope to speak of
And the wounded skies above say it's much, much too late
Well maybe we should all be praying for time

Could any other song be more perfect for the bailout-happy climate of 2008/2009?

YouTube - Praying For Time - George Michael - Rare Video


Cowboys and Angels

I know you think that you're safe
Mister
Harmless deception
That keeps love at bay
It's the ones who resist that we most want to kiss
Wouldn't you say?

You guys should watch this video, if only for the gorgeous Liv Tyler. Such an amazing song.. the sax kills me!

YouTube - George Michael - Cowboys And Angels


And then further on into the 90s amidst a battle with Sony and dropping popularity in the states, he released another great album, Older which gives LWP a run for it's money! Here are some beautiful songs from it...

Jesus to a Child

When you've been loved
When you know it holds such bliss
Then the lover that you kissed
Will comfort you when there's no hope in sight

YouTube - Jesus To A Child - George Michael




Spinning The Wheel

I will not accept this as a part of my life
I will not live in fear
of what may be
and the lessons I have learned...
I would rather be alone than watch you
spinning that wheel for me

YouTube - Spinning The Wheel - George Michael - 1996

Such a sexy groove but in a classy way, not in a cheesy I Want Your Sex way.


Older

strange
don't you think I'm looking older?
but something good has happened to me
change is a stranger
you have yet to know

YouTube - Older - George Michael - 1996

More of that gorgeous sax mixed in with his crystal clear voice.


Then came Patience in 2004, to virtually no reception in the states. Here is a hidden gem from the album:

Round Here

My daddy got here on the gravy train
I guess my mama had a real bad start to the game
They went walking and she took his name
Round here
There was dancing in the afternoons those days
Waiting tables, chasing girls with the money he made
It was 1957, and love felt the same, love felt the same

YouTube - George Michael - Round Here

Here are some nice collaborations and covers:

I Knew You Were Waiting For Me w/ Aretha Franklin
YouTube - I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) George Michael & A Franklin

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me w/ Elton John
YouTube - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - George Michael Elton John

Somebody To Love w/ surviving members of Queen
YouTube - Somebody to Love

That last one is dedicated to CorianderStem.

And here's my favorite...

Killer/Papa Was A Rolling Stone originals by Adamski/Seal and The Temptations
YouTube - Killer / Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - George Michael - 1993

Okay that's the end of this celebration of the man's music. Sorry for the long post but there is just too much underrated awesomeness that cannot be explained with simply a cursory look at his career. It just doesn't do justice. Please post your own favorites too!

Lastly, I ask that if you're going to come in here and bash him incessantly based on some stupid thing that the media reported, please don't bother. I'm not saying don't have fun here. Lighthearted ribbing is always fine because otherwise threads become boring droolfests. And I also hope this thread opens your eyes to some of his beautiful music, but I'm not counting too much on that, although it would be nice.


Next Up: An international pop superstar who doesn't seem sure about his racial identity.

 

[Screwtape2]

Cowboys and Angels

I know you think that you're safe
Mister
Harmless deception
That keeps love at bay
It's the ones who resist that we most want to kiss
Wouldn't you say?

You guys should watch this video, if only for the gorgeous Liv Tyler. Such an amazing song.. the sax kills me!

YouTube - George Michael - Cowboys And Angels

One of the most amazing songs I've ever heard.

 

[U2isthebest]

George Michael, especially post-Wham, late 80s and early 90s George Michael is awesome. The guy is very underrated as a songwriter and performer.

 

[Bono's shades]

I love George Michael and am not ashamed to admit it.

 

[corianderstem]

I'm not a fan of his 80s stuff (nothing from Faith has really held up for me), but I really love his uptempo stuff. Other than Praying For Time, I'm not a fan of the slower songs. Praying For Time is amazing.

Dude can sing.

 

[Zoots]

Did you see my dedication to you, Cori?? Did you???

 

[RedRocksU2]

George Michael ruined his career by going against Sony. Too bad, he was great.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Faith is a good song. I think.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

he's an extremely talented guy. i don't love all his solo stuff but what i do like is great. even better than wham

 

[Cin]

Faith is a good song. I think.

It is a really good song.

He has a beautiful voice

 

[Zoots]

he's an extremely talented guy. i don't love all his solo stuff but what i do like is great. even better than wham

lol. His solo stuff cannot be talked about in the same breath as Wham! Just take a look at some of the lyrics I posted. No "doo doo doo woah woah yeah"s.

 

[Popmartijn]

George Michael, especially post-Wham, late 80s and early 90s George Michael is awesome. The guy is very underrated as a songwriter and performer.

I wanted to post some appreciation here, but you took the words right out of my mouth.
I only bought Faith and Listen Without Prejudice last year (though I knew most of the songs already). Excellent albums!

And I still think his performance of Somebody To Love was the highlight of the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. He owned that stadium during that song.

 

[Zoots]

And I still think his performance of Somebody To Love was the highlight of the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. He owned that stadium during that song.

Fantastic performance! I posted the video in the first post. I like it more than the original!

 

[LemonMelon]

Father Figure is a great song, and George Michael is an excellent vocalist. There, I said it.

 

[corianderstem]

Did you see my dedication to you, Cori?? Did you???

I did.

 

[Cin]

lol. His solo stuff cannot be talked about in the same breath as Wham! Just take a look at some of the lyrics I posted. No "doo doo doo woah woah yeah"s.

Wham!

YouTube - Wham I'm Your Man

 

[Zoots]

You should've posted that in Part I.

 

[Cin]

I know but I couldn't resist

 

[intedomine]

Fastlove is brilliant...

 

[Zoots]

Here's an interview from after the 25 Live tour I think, for those interested. You can also find parts 2 and 3 of the same interview on youtube. I found it quite enjoyable to listen to the guy. He is quite clearly sick of the media and talks about what a surprisingly warm reception he got in concert recently. Despite his reclusive nature, he comes off humble I think. Oh and... he talks about future plans regarding his music.

YouTube - George Michael 25 Live TV Interview June 2007 (Part 1)

Oh btw, this is pretty much his last song I think. "Through" from 2004's Patience:

Is that enough?
I think it's over
See, everything has changed
And all this hatred may just make me strong enough
To walk away

They may chase me to the ends of the earth
But I've got you babe
And they may strip me of the things that I've worked for
But I've had my say

So hear me now
I've enough of these chains
I know they're of my making
No one else to blame for where I stand today
I've no memory of truth
But suddenly the audience is so cruel
So God, hey God you know why I'm through

Through

I guess it's tough, I guess I'm older
And everything must change
But all this cruelty and money instead of love
People, have we no shame?

They may chase me to the ends of the earth
But I've got you babe
And they may take away the things that I've worked for
But you'll pull me through

It's so clear to me now
I've enough of these chains
Life is there for the taking
What kind of fool would remain in this cheap gilded cage
I've no memory of truth
But suddenly the audience is so cruel
Oh God, I'm sorry

I think I'm through
I think I'm through
I think I'm, I know I'm...

Are you happy now, America?

 

[Saracene]

I enjoy his Best Of collection a lot,

 

[ShipOfFools]

How is George Michael uncool? I've never been able to understand that. Yeah, that whole 'incident' in the 90s was embarassing, and he tends to blurt out really embarassing things in interviews, but as for his singing, songwriting, and music videos, the guy is incredibly talented.