11 Times George Michael Was The Perfect Performer
The Wham! and solo singer has left a legacy of music that will be cherished for decades to come
The music world has lost another legend in 2016 with the sudden passing of George Michael who died on Christmas Day aged 53.
The legend had thrilled fans over the past four decades with his infectious and upbeat music – from the days of Wham! and through his unforgettable solo material.
He has also been involved in some of the most iconic duets in music history and has left us with a legacy of tracks that will entertain millions for decades more.
Here are just a few of his most brilliant moments...
Club Tropicana
This 1983 classic never ceases to excite as a call to party, relax and let our hair down.
Sounding like a holiday in music form, Club Tropicana is one tune that will get fans moving no matter where in the world they are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
Another iconic ‘80s power pop tune, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go cannot fail to put a bounce in anyone’s step.
This song was Wham!’s first number one track – but wouldn’t be the last for the band or George.
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all its sad goodbyes
I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you
Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind, ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth, pain is all that you'll find
I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you
Never without your love
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me?
Please, stay
And I'm never gonna dance again, guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend, I know you're not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste a chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again the way I danced with you
Now that you're gone
Now, that you're gone
Now that you're gone
Was what I did so wrong, so wrong
That you had to leave me alone?
Careless Whisper
This saxophone heavy tune is one of the stand out tracks of George’s career with Careless Whisper being a heart wrenching sentimental ballad about being unfaithful.
Romantic woes have really never sounded so good.
If I could touch your body
I know not everybody
Has got a body like you
Oh, but I gotta think twice
Before I give my heart away
And I know all the games you play
Because I play them too
Oh, but I need some time off from that emotion
Time to pick my heart up off the floor
Oh, when that love comes down without devotion
Well, it takes a strong man, baby
But I'm showin' you the door
'Cause I gotta have faith
I gotta have faith
Because I got to have faith, faith
I got to have faith, faith, faith
Baby, I know you're asking me to stay
Say please, please, please don't go away
You say I'm giving you the blues
Maybe you mean every word you say
Can't help but think of yesterday
And another who tied me down to loverboy rules
Before this river becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
Oh baby, I've reconsidered my foolish notion
Well, I need someone to hold me
But I'll wait for something more
Yes, I gotta have faith
Mm, I gotta have faith
Because I've gotta have faith, faith, faith
I gotta have faith, faith, faith
I'll just have to wait
Because I got to have faith
I gotta have faith
I got to, got to, got to have faith
Before this river becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
(I've just got to have faith)
Oh, oh baby, I've reconsidered my foolish notion
Well, I need someone to hold me
But I'll wait for something more
'Cause I gotta have faith
Mm, I gotta have faith
Because I've gotta have faith, faith, faith
I gotta have faith, faith, faith
Faith
One of George’s early solo efforts is still one of his best.
Faith is a timeless tune that will never get old and never fails to make fans feel inspired.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsKqMNDoR4o
Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
What’s better than one music legend singing a heartfelt ballad? TWO music legends singing a heartfelt ballad.
In 1991 the music duo paired up for a re-record of Elton John’s ‘70s classic, becoming a bigger hit than when it was originally released and hitting the top of the UK and US charts.
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
Because 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 (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 (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 (Rock and roll TV)
But today the way I play the game is not the same, no way
Think I'm gonna get me some 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, yeah yeah
Freedom (I won't let you down)
Freedom (I will not give you up)
Freedom (Gotta have some faith in the sound)
You've got to give what you take (It's the one good thing that I've got)
Freedom (I won't let you down)
Freedom (So please don't give me up)
Freedom ('Cause I would really)
You've got to give what you take (really love to stick around)
Heaven knows we sure had some fun, boy
What a kick just a buddy and me (What a kick just a buddy and me)
We had every big-shot goodtime band on the run, boy
We were living in a fantasy (We were living in a fantasy)
We won the race, got out of the place
Went back home, got a brand new face for the boys on MTV (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 I 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, yeah yeah
Freedom (I won't let you down)
Freedom (I will not give you up)
Freedom (Gotta have some faith in the sound)
You got to give what you take
(It's the one good thing that I've got)
Freedom (I won't let you down)
Freedom (So please don't give me up)
Freedom ('Cause I would really)
You got to give what you take (really love to stick around)
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 build to last
(That's what you get)
That's what you get
(That's what you get)
I say that's what you get
(I say 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, yeah yeah
Freedom (Oh)
Freedom
(My) Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom (I'll hold on to my)
Freedom
(My) Freedom
You got to give what, to give what, give what you take
Yeah!
You got to give what, give to what, to 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
Freedom 90
Wham! already had a great tune called Freedom released in 1984, but George’s 1990 solo song also called Freedom is also one of his most iconic.
The music video featuring original supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford (and directed by David Fincher) is one of the most glamorous of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO9zl2M9OKc
Olympics 2012
During the 2012 London Games, George was given star billing as one of the A List stars performing in the closing ceremony.
He played a medley of tunes – including Freedom and his 2012 single White Light.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYAR8RigqDA
George and Queen
When fellow legend Freddy Mercury died in 1991, George teamed with his band Queen for a huge celebration concert the following year.
The raw emotion from George during the performance is spine-tingling and the concert performance will go down in history as one of his best.
I guess you heard me cry
You smiled at me like Jesus to a child
I'm blessed I know
Heaven sent and heaven stole
You smiled at me like Jesus to a child
And what have I learned from all this pain
I thought I never feel the same about anyone or anything again
But now I know
When you find a love
When you know that it exists
Then the lover that you miss
Will come to you on those cold, cold nights
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
Sadness in my eyes
No one guessed or no one tried
You smiled at me like Jesus to a child
Loveless and cold
With your last breath you saved my soul
You smiled at me like Jesus to a child
And what have I learned from all these tears
I've waited for you all those years
Then just when it began he took your love away
But I still say
When you find a love
When you know that it exists
Then the lover that you miss
Will come to you on those cold, cold nights
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
So the words you could not say
I'll sing them for you
And the love we would have made
I'll make it for two
For every single memory
Has become a part of me
You will always be my love
Well I've been loved so I know just what love is
And the lover that I kissed is always by my side
Oh the lover I still miss... was Jesus to a child
Jesus To A Child
One of the most heartfelt songs of George’s career, Jesus to a Child was a tribute to his former lover Anselmo Feleppa who died of an AIDs-related illness in 1991.
The track was recorded in the mid ‘90s and hit the top of the UK music charts upon release in 1996.
Outside, Outside...
(Let's go outside)
Back to nature
Just human nature
Hidden in the back
I think I'm done with the sofa
I think I'm done with the hall
I think I'm done with the kitchen table, baby
Let's go outside (let's go outside) in the sunshine
I know you want to, but you can't say yeah
Let's go outside in the moonshine
Take me to the places that I love best
So my angel, she says, don't you worry
'Bout the things they're saying, yeah
Got no friends in high places and the game that you gave away
Wasn't worth playing
Let's go outside in the sunshine
I know you want to, but you can't say yeah
Let's go outside in the meantime
Take me to the places that I love best
And yes, I've been bad
Doctor, won't you do with me what you can
You see I think about it all the time, twenty-four seven
(Twenty- four, twenty-four seven)
You say you want it, you got it
I never really said it before
There's nothing here, but flesh and bone
There's nothing more, nothing more
There's nothing more, oh, oh, oh
Back to nature, just human nature
Getting on back to -
I think I'm done with the sofa
I think I'm done with the hall
I think I'm done with the kitchen table, baby
Let's go outside in the sunshine
I know you want to, but you can't say yeah
Let's go outside in the moonshine
Take me to the places that I love best
And yes, I've been bad
Doctor, won't you do with me what you can
You see I think about it all the time
I'd service the community but I already have you see
I never really said it before
There's nothing here, but flesh and bone
There's nothing more, nothing more
There's nothing more
Let's go outside
Dancing on the D-train, baby
(You want it, you got it)
When the moon is high
(You want it, you got it)
And the grass is jumpin'
Come on, just keep on funkin'
(I'm dancing on the D-train)
Keep on funkin', just keep on funkin'
I'm dancing on the D-train
I'm dancing on the D-train...
Outside
When George was outed in 1998 after being arrested for “engaging in a lewd act” (reportedly with an undercover police officer in LA), George responded with his defiant track Outside.
The track – as well as being a pulsating power tune – served as an impressive middle finger to his critics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI
Last Christmas
George Michael and Wham! are synonymous with the festive season as their seminal track Last Christmas proves to be a hit year after year.
As one of George’s most iconic moments in music history, Last Christmas will ensure fans never forget his incredible talents as this tune serves as an annual reminder of his sheer genius.
RIP George.
WATCH MORE OF GEORGE MICHAEL'S MOST ICONIC SONGS BELOW
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