Hot damn! Everybody let's play the GEORGE MICHAEL TRACKS POLL results thread

you are doing an excellent job Ismael Klata! don't know George Michael too well outside the singles, so this is an education. thanks for the Spotify as well.

I finally get Andrew Ridgeley's function: besides being the crucial inspiration for starting Wham!, he and Michael's camaraderie looks unforced and I can believe they remain good friends.

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 21 September 2016 21:29 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

he made George more human and -- crucially when it was needed -- hetero.

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 21 September 2016 21:30 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I'll give a quick shout-out to Pepsi and Shirley here - they had a small but important part to play too.

― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 21 September 2016 21:32 (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I've been thinking about this non-exchange, and about the significance of Wham! being a band, rather than George starting off as a solo act. I think it's crucial - imagine the strain on him had he been this ultra-talented 22-year-old sole-centre of the nation's' attention, with a *dark secret*. It was evidently too much to bear when he did take it on, with five years' experience, and then he went off the rails often enough in later years anyway.

Also, I was only a kid at the time and too young to be really paying attention - but it did feel to me like Wham! were *an event*, rather than one-guy-plus-a-backdrop. It must have really helped.

Yeah, whether or not Ridgeley had much creative input, having two guys introduces a very different dynamic than a solo act

I #1'd Heal the Pain, a simple and beautiful song, quite an eye opener in the period a few years back when I got proper into GM

Has a good message imo

Are we getting more tracks today Ismael?

in the meantime..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRcAqItYydc

We are xp. It's a tight schedule but I'm planning to take it all the way down to no.1

http://s19.postimg.org/3zu8grgir/15_Go_Go.jpg

15. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
163 points, six votes, one number one vote
from Make It Big, 1984

should've been #2. This song is a delight and I've never gotten tired of it and y'all are invited to my A+ karaoke rendition but you gotta buy me shots

Never even considered voting for it. I heard it today and was staggered at how good it is.

JITTERBUG

http://s19.postimg.org/4o32zpf8j/14_Freedom.jpg

14. Freedom
164 points, eight votes
from Make It Big, 1984

at #14????

i couldn't fit "freedom" on my ballot but i am also surprised it's not top ten

15. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

Ha, too low! Me and this song have a long history.

'Freedom' also too low.

Freedom's single mix is ever-so-slightly different from the Make It Big mix; the piano in the verses etc. it pops more than the album version. there's no mention that i can see anywhere of the mixes being different but you can really tell. this was just 'a thing' in the mid to late 80s it seems; giving the radio mixes a lick and polish.

and yeah Freedom.. way too low!

I should here express my gratitude to the electorate - bar one ordering query, I never had to clarify any of the ballots.

http://s19.postimg.org/yrhlrnihv/13_Cowboys.jpg

13. Cowboys and Angels
185 points, eight votes
from Listen Without Prejudice, vol.1, 1990

incredible song

The bass

yeah you're right, it was a proper 'stop you in your tracks' record for me, never heard anything like it before or since. a flop single too; didn't go near the charts.

Freedom's single mix is ever-so-slightly different from the Make It Big mix; the piano in the verses etc. it pops more than the album version. there's no mention that i can see anywhere of the mixes being different but you can really tell. this was just 'a thing' in the mid to late 80s it seems; giving the radio mixes a lick and polish.

― piscesx, Thursday, September 22, 2016 8:23 PM (eight minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It's in mono, too.

Wow these all seem very low, but I guess we're left with mostly huge hits now.

Alfred I'll but the shots if you let me sing "Wake Me Up" with you.

xp yeah i just read that.. weird. i wonder of that was 'a thing' too?

http://s19.postimg.org/gn9zt9vfn/12_Time.jpg

12. Praying for Time
189 points, eight votes
from Listen Without Prejudice, vol.1, 1990

xpost:

Nah, definitely not - if anything, the appearance of new monophonic recordings were very unusual at that time. In a way, it makes sense that the track is in mono, though, given how the song is stylistically.

"Praying for Time" was another shock when released: it zoomed up to #1 in the United States but plummeted quickly, whereupon programmers took to "Freedom '90" almost out of relief.

I'm not fond of it as anything more than defiant gesture but given my increased political engagement I appreciate the resources that Michael pours into THE RICH DECLARE THEMSELVES POOOOAHH/THE REST OF US ARE NOT SUUURE

there's a bit on the 1990 South Bank Show docu where he goes through it line by line explaining each. i almost cringed myself inside out watching it.

I need to see that.

What do you think about George's political engagement? I was a little bit surprised, running through the catalogue, at how big-themey he is. Religion appears a lot, there's economic stuff, they did miners' benefits ... even Young Guns or Wham Rap do kids' politics in their way. It seems a bit unfair that they had the reputation as being the epitome of vacuity.

http://s19.postimg.org/59ngi2kwz/11_Waiting.jpg

11. Waiting for that Day
228 points, ten votes
from Listen Without Prejudice, vol.1, 1990

I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW YOU HEAR THESE WORDS THAT I SAY!

This song should've been #1 for three weeks.

And it's more poignant than "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

http://s19.postimg.org/8rzgeglsz/10_Christmas.jpg

10. Last Christmas
231 points, eleven votes
single, 1984

THIS YEAR

i guess you can't argue with the political stuff even though the way he expressed it was often cack-handed. no more so than Ronnie Talk To Russia though or whatever.

that 1990 South Bank Show in question FYI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmcJnVi30KQ

He must make so much money from this song every year. In 100 years people will still be playing it.

The only Xmas song to truly ever have my heart. I even find myself listening to the pudding mix year round.

http://s19.postimg.org/7ofc2i15v/9_Funky.jpg

9. Too Funky
232 points, ten votes, one number one vote (mine!)
single from Red, Hot + Dance, 1992

YESSSSSSS

too high!

pfft nah

it is def too funky though

Not high enough more like

It's fantastic and actually made me discover "Somebody Else's Guy" back in the day.

http://s19.postimg.org/do3365lyb/8_Faith.jpg

8. Faith
235 points, ten votes
from Faith, 1987

One thing about Too Funky - is the sound at the start lifted from the Pet Shop Boys' One More Chance? It's only a piano drag, but they sound identical to me.