George Michael, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, was a talented vocalist--with a powerful yet smooth voice--and songwriter. His work with Andrew Ridgeley as 1980s pop duo WHAM! started him in the public eye but it was his solo work that solidified his stature. His album "Faith" was a revelation (1987). It was a seamless blend of English pop with synthesizers and American soul. Take a listen to the funky yet dark "Hard Day."
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down
I've never been one
For playing games
You can move your mouth forever
But the words sound just the same
Something like
Bang bang you're dead
Couldn't we just make love instead
Say yes because it's what we do best
And I've had such a hard day
Take me where their eyes can't find us
Without you I may as well just...
How much - do I have to say
What more - do you have to see
What will it take to make you love me
Well you're not the first
You're not the last
You're not even the one who loves me the best
But all I think about is you
So take me where their eyes can't find us
Without you I may as well just...
So take me where their eyes can't find us
Without you I may as well just...
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down
Please don't wander from my door
I've never been one
For playing games
You can move your mouth forever
But the words sound just the same
Bang Bang you're dead
Shouldn't we just make love instead
Say yes 'cause it's what we do best
And I've had such a hard day
So don't bring me down
Won't you give me a break
Somebody give me a break now!
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down
Sweet little boy with oh such a big mouth
Harsh words can get you into hot water
When people don't understand you baby
I'm always here for you
And I
And I will never bring you down, down, down my baby
Trust me
I want you to trust me
Oh trust me
'Cause I won't bring you down
(Don't bring me down)
I won't bring you down
Do you trust me
Yeah
But his 1990 release "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" took him to another level. The song "Freedom! '90" was ostensibly about his own rise to fame and his unease in that position, but can be read at the same time as a declaration of emancipation for anyone feeling tied to or trapped by something not of their choosing.
I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
‘Cause I would really, really love to stick around, oh yeah
Heaven knows I was just a young boy
Didn't know what I wanted to be
I was every little hungry schoolgirl's pride and joy
And I guess it was enough for me
To win the race? A prettier face!
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll TV
But today the way I play the game is not the same
No way
Think I'm gonna get myself happy
I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I told you so
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone else I've got to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man
All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me yea yea
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Heaven knows we sure had some fun boy
What a kick just a buddy and me
We had every big shot good-time band on the run boy
We were living in a fantasy
We won the race
Got out of the place
I went back home got a brand new face
For the boys on MTV
But today the way I play the game has got to change
Oh yeah
Now I'm gonna get myself happy
I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I stopped the show
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone I forgot to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Don't think that I'll be back again
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man
All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me, yea yea
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Well it looks like the road to heaven
But it feels like the road to hell
When I knew which side my bread was buttered
I took the knife as well
Posing for another picture
Everybody's got to sell
But when you shake your ass
They notice fast
And some mistakes were built to last
That's what you get
That's what you get
That's what you get
I say that's what you get
That's what you get for changing your mind
That's what you get for changing your mind
That's what you get
That's what you get
And after all this time
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes
Do not make the man
All we have to do now is take these lies
And make them true somehow
All we have to see is that i don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me yea yea
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
You've got to give for what you take
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom
You've got to give for what you take
Yea you've got to give for what you, give for what you give
May not be what you want from me
Just the way it's got to be
Lose the face now
I've got to live I've got to live
But one of my all-time favorites is his delirious song "Flawless (Go To The City)" from his album "Patience." The music always gets me grooving and his message of hope to those who don't fit in (gay men and women in small towns in particular) is quite uplifting , but I especially love this video that was filmed, amazingly, all in one continuous four-minute take. The concept is actually extremely moving and inspiring, seeing all the people and lives who have moved through a single space. And watching them all in this overlapped sense of time--where all time is simultaneous--suggests ideas of quantum physics and multiple universes. And of course there is a metaphysical aspect in that beautiful, transcendent moment, when, for one instant, all these people who do not know--and never will know--each other, are in sync and connected through space and time by their sense of self, and by their sheer, unstoppable life force. Lovely...
'Cause you're beautiful (Perfection)(Like no other)
Flawless, absolutely flawless
'Cause you're beautiful (Perfection)(Take me, make me)
'Cause you're beautiful (maybe tonight, they'll see you tonight)
And it's no good waiting by the window
It's no good waiting for the sun
Please believe me, the things you dream of
They don't fall in laps of no-one
And it's no good . . . Waiting, waiting
And it's no good . . . Waiting
You've got to go to the city
Always the same
Always the same dreams yeah yeah
Always the same (yes you're movin' up)
Well you've got to think of something
'Cause your job pays you nothing
But you've got the things God gave you
So the music may yet be your saviour
Got to be a way, some way
Got to be some way to make your way to the light (All the girls say)
Got to be some way, today, today, maybe tonight, maybe tonight
And it's always the same . . .
Always the same dreams yeah yeah
Always the same (yes you're movin' up)
You're beautiful, you are, and you know it
You're wasted here, you're a star
In this small town of hand-me-downs who don't even know it
Sometimes they’re beating you down
Sometimes they’re eating you up
Sometimes you think that your head's going to blow
It doesn't get better . . .
Don't you know, you've got to go to the city
You've got to reach the other side of the glass
I think you'll make it in the city baby
I think you know that you are more than just
A fu**ed up piece of ass
You've got to go to the city
You've got to go to the city,
They're going to find you there
'Cause you're beautiful
'Cause you're beautiful
Do you want a saviour, saviour
Say that you do,
You know you're wasted here, wasted here
And there ain't no miracles happening any time soon ...
Goodbye, George. Rest in peace.
http://www.georgemichael.com/
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