Breaking my silence of late to note the terrible news that George Michael, 80s/90s pop legend, has died at the too young age of 53. It's a rare year that claims the lives of multiple legends. Bowie. . .Prince. . . It may not be quite accurate to put Michael in their category, given the waning of his star since his heyday. He seemed to sputter out while transitioning from closeted to out gay man, and had apparently quite a few demons he couldn't slay. But there is no doubt that Michael's talent was in their league, and possibly surpassed it. There is no doubt that he can claim a sex appeal in his prime beyond either of them.
There was something obvious about Michael's talents even in his cheesy stateside debut with Wham!'s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go. You could see it and hear it, there was more to this guy than a novelty hit. His voice and vocal range were astonishing. Clear as a bell, total control. And he could dance. I'm at best an awkward and rhythm-challenged white guy, but what I could manage, I learned by watching him. It didn't hurt that he had a mesmerizing physique, naturally.
And it was that beauty and sudden white-hot fame that seemed to trouble him. He seemed to unravel quickly, and never quite re-ravelled. I think we're all a little cheated for that, though it's surely not his fault. We're certainly cheated by his early passing. RIP, Mr. Panayiotou.
The first song I knew by George Michael:
The sexy George Michael:
The sexier George Michael:
My favorite George Michael song:
The Other Half's favorite George Michael song:
The song that helped me learn how to (sort of) dance:
This week's edition of Blast from the Past is less about nostalgia, and more about the rapid forward motion of time. 1988 sounds like a long time ago, and in many ways was a long time ago. It was the late 80s, but still the day-glo, big hair, stupid clothes 80s. Ronald Reagan was still president. Cell phones were rare, expensive and huge. A person with an internet connection was rarer still, and there were no web sites as we know them now. A kid thrown from today into 1988 would feel very disconnected, very anonymous. And probably be very, very bored.
But to those of us who remember it, there are things about the late 80s that feel quite recent. My first CD was George Michael's Faith, a smash album that produced several hit songs, several of them in 1988. While I've ditched all of my audio cassettes, vinyl records, VHS tapes and laser discs, I still have that first CD. I wonder though, for how much longer. I still wonder if your average kid today hears a song from 1988 and has the same feeling toward it that I might have about Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets. It's the same amount of time.
1. Faith by George Michael - This was the title track of Michael's first solo album after WHAM! split up. The video was iconic, and was much loved and also widely lampooned. Michel himself literally blew up the items from the video in a later one. This was the number 1 song of 1988.
2. Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley - This cheesetastic ditty came from the Stock Aitken Waterman music factory of interchangeable singers. They could plug anyone into a song and make a hit, for a while there. But nobody knew that this song would give birth to "Rick Rolling." Number 4 in 1988.
3. Wild Wild West by Escape Club - People think this band was a one-hit-wonder. Not so! They actually cracked the top 40 three times in the US, though this was the only one that went to number 1. The video was awesome in its day. Number 18 for 1988.
4. Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard - This song was supposedly written as something of an afterthought, but it's by far my favorite song by the band. It's one that doesn't seem like it's 25 years old to me. And it pissed off Pat Robertson, so that made me like it even better. Number 19 for 1988.
5. Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer - This was the last major "lip girls" song by Palmer, and of all the songs on the list, the most evocative of its era. For some reason, this song was also a Pepsi commercial. Number 23 for 1988.
6. The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson - MJ was on his second 80s wave, the first being from his album Thriller, and at this stage from Bad. This was just one of many hits from the latter, and it was number 36 for 1988.
7. Don't Worry, Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin - You could likely make a whole list of embarrassing hits from 1988. Along with this one, you could throw in Kokomo by The Beach Boys, anything by the likes of Poison and Whitesnake or Debbie Gibson and Tiffany, and of course that Rick Astley one. This one was number 37 in 1988.
8. What Have I Done to Deserve This? by Pet Shop Boys, featuring Dusty Springfield - This is one that transcends the era. It doesn't feel like an 80s song to me, maybe just because the Pet Shop Boys have a unique sound. It was Number 50 in 1988.
9. What's On Your Mind by Information Society - Notable for its inclusion of Leonard Nimoy as Spock saying the words, "pure energy." I loved the song, the video I could do without. But check out the coloring of that one with the one that follows. This one was number 51 for 1988.
10. Tell it to My Heart by Taylor Dayne - Dayne seemed to get stuck in the late 80s, though I thought she was wicked talented. I don't know what the heck happened. This was just one of her short burst of hits, number 53 in 1988.
What's worse, that Last Christmas by Wham! is now a perennial, or that it has actually been covered by other artists as well? Oh well, I'm a child of the 80s, and will always have a soft spot for George Michael.
I got the idea for a George Michael edition of Blast from the Past as I get many of them: on my walk while listening to Pandora. George Michael is one of my favorite artists, and one of several who is an amazing talent but who has had a difficult time breaking out beyond his heyday. Like Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper and Olivia Newton-John, he has his big "hit period," and then dribs and drabs. You could probably even put Michael Jackson into that category. With George, some of the problem was him being his own worst enemy. And as with Jackson, sadly, his latter career has been known more for controversy than it is for his music.
But this is about his glory days, so here are some of my favorite George Michael songs, both as a solo artist, duet partner and with Wham!
1. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Undoubtedly the first song most Americans knew him for, this way gay video should have alerted fans to his sexuality years and years before he announced. Those short-shorts! It's a silly, but ridiculously catchy song.
2. Careless Whisper - This one solidified Wham! as more than a novelty act, though it's actually billed as a solo song.
3. Freedom - When the tunes kept flowing from the provocatively titled Make it Big, we thought Wham! was here to stay.
4. I'm Your Man - There were several hits I'm skipping over, but by the time Music from the Edge of Heaven came out, Wham! was almost finished, even it was only their second hit album in the US.We should have known Michael would strike out on his own, since A Different Corner from this same record was his second solo tune on his group's albums.
5. I Knew You Were Waiting - This duet with Aretha Franklin (who was then enjoying a pop music comeback) served as the transition between Wham! and Michael's solo career. And it was a huge hit.
6. Faith - Though we thought he was cute before, Faith was the album that launched Michael as a sex symbol. With this tune, and the one below, his sexiness was a strong selling point.
7. I Want Your Sex - This song actually preceded Faith, having been part of the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack. With jaw-dropping lyrics at the time, this left Michael's squeaky-clean image on the floor amongst the sweaty, soiled sheets. Watch the video, you'll see what I mean. But it also seemingly set Michael on a self-loathing jag, a few years later.
8. Monkey - This might have been the last "George Michael is sexy" video. I just wanted to be able to dance like him. The song is not as impressive on the album, but was remixed for the single, and that version is the one used in the video.
9. Kissing a Fool - I'm skipping over several more hits, but this one always hit a soft spot for me. Anyone with unrequited love could sing along with this one, and really feel it at the crescendo before the end. This was a real showcase for Michael's voice.
10. Freedom 90 - Using the title of one of the early songs, this was where Michael started hating his sex appeal--maybe because he was selling it as straight sex appeal?--and wouldn't even appear in his own videos. No matter, this is still a fantastic video, with supermodels and still lots o' sexy.
11. Too Funky - Still (mostly) shying from the camera, this one (from the AIDS charity album, Red, Hot & Blue) has always been one of my very favorites.
12. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Michael's duet with Elton John seemed almost inevitable.
13. FastLove - This is the last song I remember dancing to on the dancefloor. Of course, that might be because I'm an elderly shut-in who doesn't go out any more (hah!). The dance remix was fun though, I remember that.
14. Outside - When Michael's scandals started to outshine his music, he still managed to be cheeky about it. This video--after his arrest for public lewdness--managed to laugh it off.
And at twelve tunes, I think we've got more than enough, even though I've left out some winners like One More Try, Father Figure, Praying for Time, and Everything She Wants. Any more, and this will take too long to load in your browser, and you'll just leave the page anyway! So, that will do it for this week. Happy Monday!
This week, in Blast from the Past, we revisit 1987, which is 25 years ago. I know, it's shocking to me too. I used to measure my age by imagining that a kid born when x happened would be old enough to drive, old enough to vote, whatever, when I thought back to a time. But I realize that kids born in 1987 are now old enough to be college grads, and married with children themselves. Isn't that freaky?
Those kids were either infants or not yet born when these songs were burning up the charts. How many of them feel like much newer songs to you? So off we go, in no particular order, other than these were all hits during 1987. . .
All of the songs above were number one hits, except the last six (Swing Out Sister, Hipsway, Breakfast Club, Pseudo Echo, T'Pau and The Other Ones, which were one-hit wonders I'm particularly fond of. Some of these songs are so mired in their very 80s-ness, it's not difficult to believe it's been 25 years. Others? Seem much more recent to me. Anyway, there's a little mortality to start your week with. Happy Monday!
As I sat down for this week's edition of Blast from the Past, I thought about tying it to the Super Bowl (the game with the number that heralds my age every year. . .I'll be XLVI!!!). But everyone is doing that this weekend. So, during my walk, I was listening to Pandora, and Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun came on. It's an 80s favorite, but have you ever listened not so much to the song, but to Cyndi's voice? There is real power there! And I got to thinking about songs and artists that the youngsters on American Idol ought to be covering, if they want to blow the judges away.
Now, I haven't watched every episode of the show, frankly having lost interest the year Paula Abdul left. So, some of these songs, and surely some of the artists have been done. Not the point. Put the nostalgia and the personalities. Listen to the voices here.
1. I'm Gonna be Strong, Cyndi Lauper -Girls may be her signature song, but take a listen to this one, the song that got her a recording contract. Close your eyes, and imagine if this voice hit that stage with no buildup.
2. Pavement Cracks, Annie Lennox - As half of Eurythmics, Annie is often remembered in the same category as Cyndi, with unusual hair, makeup and clothing. But she has a clear, unmistakable, beautiful voice.
3. Hard Candy Christmas, Dolly Parton - When Idol contestants try to do runs and trills, it usually seems like showing off, and seems forced. When Dolly does it, it sounds effortless and natural. I'm not a fan of her country music--for the most part--but there is no denying her talent.
4. Promises in the Dark, Pat Benatar - Pat is mostly remembered for her makeup, her leg warmers and other hideous 80s fashions. But she has an astonishing voice with a wide range, exhibited in a variety of genres. This one was chosen for its hard edge, but softness too.
5. Kissing a Fool, George Michael - George Michael has unfortunately been more well known in recent years as a tabloid fixture. But his voice combined with his good looks made for an amazing combination for a while in the 80s and 90s. He seemed to have a complex about the looks part, but the strength of his voice was never in doubt. Listen to this song--particularly the bridge--and imagine Idol judges heads exploding.
6. A Little More Love, Olivia Newton-John - ONJ has always been one of my favorites. Her beauty
was staggering back in the day, but her voice was so pretty and clear. Listen to this one, how in each chorus, she changes the note pattern, and yet is always in perfect pitch.
7. It Must Have Been Love, Roxette - Yes, your memories of Roxette are covered with cheese. But they're better than you remember. As proof, this song. Listen to lead singer, Marie Fredriksson. From the soft notes to the power belting, this would wow the judges.
8. Rockin' Back Inside My Heart, Julee Cruise - Best known for the theme from Twin Peaks, and her performances within the show, Cruise has a voice I once read described as "an angel on quaaludes." Idol might not be able to showcase a voice this unique. But imagine if this song came out of one of those young waifs!
And that will do it for me for now. I'm off to a Super Bowl party, and we'll have to see if I have any more blogging in me afterward! Either way, happy have a good week!
I can't say how much I love Cyndi Lauper. For me, there are four popular artists of the eighties who seem to have gotten largely stuck there, unfairly (the others being Pat Benatar, George Michael and Olivia Newton-John). All of these artists are amazing talents, and all have been shunted into nostalgia. No fair, man.
But Cyndi is the one who I really connect with. Not only is she amazingly talented, but her political outlook matches mine to a "T." Here is Cyndi, in her own words.
This is worth watching because it's funny, and surprisingly catchy. Some Florida politician (Mike Weinstein) had his son Scott write, choreograph and sing a song for his political ad. I have no idea if it will get Sr. Weinstein elected, but I have a feeling it might do well for Scott's career.
Another one from the vaults. I'm aware that some people put this song in their "worsts" lists. I disagree, but there is a fair amount of nostalgia in this one for me.
ORIGINAL POST
I'm a child of the 70s and 80s. And one of the "big events" of the 80s was Band Aid, and "Do They Know it's Christmas?" It was a star-studded (by British and MTV standards) effort to spotlight the suffering of African people who were starving. Or something.
Today, the song is simply a perennial, an inclusion into our "All Christmas, All the Time" music stations. Whatever good it might have done at the time is rendered into a classic song that plays along side I Want a Hippopotomous for Christmas, and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Still, it was a chance to hear Boy George (O'Dowd)'s voice meld into George Michael's, Simon Le Bon's, Sting's and Bono's. I still don't know if this song helped starving people. But it is a pop culture touchstone. Enjoy. Or be depressed. Whatever.
I haven't done one of these for a while, but the home-made MP3 CD I was playing in my Jeep today landed on three different songs by Olivia Newton-John, and it reminded me of this series. I featured--back in the early days of this blog--a series of posts about musicians whose careers were tragically cut short. Don't get me wrong, they're still celebrities, but they never recaptured the massive fame they once had.
The previous entries included Pat Benatar, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael and yes, Olivia Newton-John. All of these pop stars had a stunning stream of hits, and all have equally stunning voices. Benatar had the rocker thing, Lauper had the "new-wave" thing, Michael had the "ambiguously gay" thing, and Newton-John had the Madonna/whore complex.
When I was a little kid, Olivia Newton-John was a country star. Which was confusing, because I knew she was an Australian. And also, her "country" songs were also mostly top 40 hits. From If You Love Me Let Me Know to I Honestly Love You, she was a sweetie-pie, absolutely pure as the driven snow. And she rode that image to Grease, which turned her from a goody-two-shoes to a hot mama. She came out with Totally Hot, an album with racy photos that drove my step-dad bananas. And she followed that with first, Xanadu, where she reverted to pure, and then Physical, when she got a little trampy again. But after that, things went sour.
After Xanadu the movie bombed (though the soundtrack did very well), she followed with Two of a Kind, a movie with John Travolta. It bombed too. Then Soul Kiss, a sort of concept album, playing up her sexiness bombed. Then, a cancer scare, a divorce, the disappearance of her boyfriend. She became tabloid fodder. She's been in a few small movies (loved her in Sordid Lives the movie and the series). But no hits. None at all. And I wonder why?
Cher made innumerable comebacks. Elton John, Rod Stewart, Bette Midler. . .all have had comebacks, and/or Las Vegas shows. Why couldn't Olivia? It isn't fair. And it's overdue.
#1 - Xanadu - This was the infectious theme song from the disasterous roller-disco/muse film. It's become a Broadway musical in the mean time, and has garnered a "so bad, it's good" reputation. The song is still guaranteed to fill a dance floor.
#2 - Summer Nights - One of the best (and most successful) songs from Grease. I won this record in a "sock hop" in junior high school, believe it or not.
#3 - Let Me Be There - This was one of the early ones, and it demonstrates Olivia's beautiful voice, and beautiful face. Man, she's pretty. And can you imagine if you could transplant this performance to American Idol? They'd totally plotz.
#4 - A Little More Love - This song, from Totally Hot, is one of my very favorites. I included it for the American Idol comment from above. Olivia mastered the "runs" and changeups favored by Idol stars without making them cliche or trite. She managed to change each chorus, hitting different notes, going from melody to harmony. I just love it.
And here's a bonus, the theme song from Sordid Lives, It's a Bitch
I'm a child of the 70s and 80s. And one of the "big events" of the 80s was Band Aid, and "Do They Know it's Christmas?" It was a star-studded (by British and MTV standards) effort to spotlight the suffering of African people who were starving. Or something.
Today, the song is simply a perennial, an inclusion into our "All Christmas, All the Time" music stations. Whatever good it might have done at the time is rendered into a classic song that plays along side I Want a Hippopotomous for Christmas, and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. Still, it was a chance to hear Boy George (O'Dowd)'s voice meld into George Michael's, Simon Le Bon's, Sting's and Bono's. I still don't know if this song helped starving people. But it is a pop culture touchstone. Enjoy. Or be depressed. Whatever.
Don't worry, I'm not bumming today (except for that Senate vote, grrrr). It's just that we were talking about music at work today, and somehow the Gilbert O'Sullivan song, Alone Again (Naturally) came up.
If you are unfamiliar with the tune, it's probably the single most depressing song ever released. When a song opens with a guy who's so depressed that he might go kill himself later if he feels better, you've hit the sad song jackpot. It was nonetheless a huge hit in the 70s, though many probably weren't listening very closely to the lyrics.
It got me to thinking about sad songs, and what others might be saying about them online. Surprisingly, I couldn't find my vote in any of the lists! I couldn't find the other grand champion, Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me either, and that's a song that could make a sunny optimist open a vein. Here are my votes for saddest songs, along with the tune that provides the title of this post. Get your hankies out. . .
#1 - Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan - Wallowing in self-pity never sounded so 70s smooth.
#2 - I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt - If you've ever been so desperate for love that you'd beg someone who's "not that into you" to pretend for just one night, this is your song.
#3 - Kissing a Fool - George Michael - George's voice was never more flawless, his music so pure as in this song. But it's desperately sad.
#4 - Sad Songs Say So Much - Elton John - Sir Elton explains exactly why we listen to tear-jearker songs in the first place.
EDITOR'S NOTE: YouTube clips have a funny way of disappearing. If you find that one or more of these videos will not play, please contact me at editor@greenleegazette.com.
This is the last part of the series, at least for today. But hey, I'm up to 96 posts (my goal is 100 posts by my first month blogiversery tomorrow!). I'll try to dump the frivolity for posts 97 - 100. But, no promises!
On to George Michael. I can't think of a male performer who has a better talent for singing. That much was evident even back in the WHAM! days, despite some of the silly 80s glitz. But somewhere after his first solo album, Faith, George got very introspective, and was embarrassed by his "sex symbol" status. Silly, I say, if you've got it, flaunt it. Especially when you have the talent to back it up.
His dour mood seemed do rise to the surface, and obscure his music. His personal life didn't help matters, but at least it brought him "out" and then he didn't have a big secret to worry about. But sadly, all of the personal issues seem to be keeping him off the charts. His last US chart hit in the US was Fastlove in 1996. But of all the people on my list, George Michael is the one I think has the most likely shot at getting his US career back. And now (especially for the Other Half), Freedom '90 Yeah. It's been that long.
