Found "Ladies & Gentlemen, the Best of George Michael" on Amazon for a steal ($5 I think) b/c I needed to hear his version of "I Can't Make You Love Me", which was cool. (Bonnie still kicks everybody's ass though )

So I skip around the disc for songs I like & haven't heard in years. "One More Try" hasn't aged well (though I still like it), that sax @ the beginning of "Careless Whisper" takes me so far back in time, lol. And I get to "Father Figure", a song I always liked a LOT...

• the build of the song is fantastic...
  
  
• the way his vocal is layered w/ the b/g singers on the chorus:
  
  I will be your father figure
  (oh baby)
  put your tiny hand in mine
  (I'd love to)
  I will be your preacher teacher
  (be your daddy)
  anything you have in mind
  (it would make me)
  I will be your father figure
  (very happy)
  I have had enough of crime
  (please let me)
  I will be the one who loves you 'til the end of time
  
  BEAUTIFUL...
  
  
• the way he whispers/moans through the whole song... like he's laying next to you clutching you in a bear hug, his dick resting against your ass, whispering in your ear just a little too loud...
  
  
• the way he says "naked"...
  
  
• faint memories of the video which I always thought was great (the story, the style, the fighting, his look... I can dream)...
  
  
• the line "put your tiny hand in mine" - it's sweet & assuming & macho & loving... I want it to annoy me but it doesn't, lol...

I was really diggin' on this on the ride home tonight, it's still a great song IMO. Anybody with me?



.
[This message was edited Sun Jul 25 1:45:07 2004 by CalhounSq]

Yes..I Love That song and I Want Your SEX.... Great ALBUM.... Great Look he Had going on in those years...I Like the FREEDOM Video also with him Burning his Leather Jacket and all the Models.

CalhounSq said:

I love this song, but that's NOT an image I get when I hear this song!!!

yeah, I love "Father figure" but I don't think like Calhoun sq either....yuck! Love "I want ur sex" and "Monkey" too..... u know what the "Monkey" he is referring to is don't ya? I like to think I do.....


"Praying 4 time" has good lyrics actually and "something to say" is nice as is "Heal the pain".....good songs.....after that album he got pretty boring as all his ballads sound the same to me, liked "Freek!" though....



yeah "Father figure" is quite a beutifull song.....seen the vid? Very much of it's time..I like it though....

I have the "Ladies & Gentleman" comp and I LOVE "Father Figure."

thesexofit said:

I've always felt that the girl in the video is really A MAN BABY! (Or, that she used to be one.) I'd bet money on it.

I've mentioned this a million times.... I would love GM to cover one of my favorite joints, Peter Brown's "Do you wanna get funky with me."

I love Father Figure. It's such a beautful song.

CalhounSq said:

Erm.....no, that's not the image that comes to mind when I hear this song.

mrdespues said:

God, now I will carry that image with me for the rest of my life.

CSq is leaving me shell shocked. And George's vanity problems already left me rather itchy...

I bought "ladies and gentlemen.." recently.Good cd.However,some of that '80's stuff I wouldn't mind hearing re-recorded.The hollow drum sounds are distracting. But,overall,George was on a serious roll for a very lobg time.A true pop master.

I knew you bastards would get caught up on that one line Okay, forget his dick... his delivery reminds me of an intimate moment... LAWD

"Father Figure" is an amazing song,but nothing tops "Careless Whisper"

Marvellous song, yes. But the imagery is a little extreme in this review, Calhoun.

And I have to agree with Gooey on his ego problem. I think George is fabulous but he needs to stop behaving like such a twat. I really think his music is suffering too. None of his new stuff is a patch on what's on Ladies and Gentlemen... Especially that god awful Flawless remix with him singing over the top. What's that all about, Georgie?

CalhounSq said:

thesexofit said:

It's a drug addiction.

CalhounSq said:

There's a troupe of drag kings here in Boston (yes, drag kings: women who dress as men and perform) who do a deeply crazy skit to this song. Suffice it to say, one is dressed as a priest and the other as an altar boy. Not for the faint of heart.

Didn't we have a thread like this not too long ago?

this is my favorite George Michael song out of several that I really like..
here is my "breakdown" of the song - the lyrics with my observations thrown in.


this song really builds up to climatic crescendo.

those forboding synth lines,
the furtive, barely perceptible guitar strings..
that plaintive melody..

then Mr. Michael goes into his masterful vocal interpretation of the lyrics :

That's all I wanted
something special, something scared
in your eyes
for just one moment
to be bold and
naked
at your side

[--> the cold vulnerability with which he emotes the word "naked".. almost makes the whole song itself!]

Sometimes I think that you'll never
understand me
maybe this time is forever
say it can be

[--> the sense of frustration is palpable, yet he still (foolishly?) believes that they can still be together..]

That's all you wanted
something special, someone sacred in your life
just for one moment
to be warm and
naked
at my side

Sometimes I think that you'll never
understand me
but something tells me together
we'd be happy

I will be your father figure (Oh baby)
Put your tiny hand in mine (I'd love to)
I will be your preacher teacher (Be your daddy)
Anything you have in mind (It would make me)
I will be your father figure (Very happy)
I have had enough of crime (Please let me)
I will be the one who loves you
Until the end of time

[--> it's a significant twist, the way he seems to go from being regretful, remorseful & contrite.. to (arrogantly? lovingly?) offering to be this "father figure"..]

That's all I wanted
but sometimes love can be mistaken
for a crime
that's all I wanted
just to see my baby's
blue eyed shine
this time I think that my lover
understands me
if we have faith in each other
then we can be
strong

[--> it seems like he's trying to "rationalize" the "crime of love" - & his "father-like" (dominant?) behavior.. like he's trying to convince himself that this (relationship) could work..]

I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
I will be the one who loves you
Until the end of time

[now, the BEST part of the song :]

If you are the desert
I'll be the sea
If you ever hunger
hunger for me
whatever you ask for
that's what I'll be

So when you remember the ones who have lied
who said that they cared
but then laughed as you cried
beautiful darling
don't think of me

Because all I ever wanted
it's in your eyes baby, baby
and love can't lie, no...
(greet me with the eyes of a child)
my love is always telling me so
(heaven is a kiss and a smile)
just hold on, hold on
I won't let you go, my baby

I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine
I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind
I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime
So I am gonna love you
Until the end of time
I will be your father
I will be your preacher
I'll be your daddy
I will be the one who loves you
Until the end of time



I really could go ON & ON & ON & ON about this song.
it's "accessible" yet "remote".
it's 1 of those rare songs that you can
feel
as well as listen to.

George Michael nailed it on this 1 ;
he hit it way out of the park.

& (as I'm sure I've said here before)
this is 1 of my favorite songs to do at karaoke..
& if I may be so immodest..
I get a good response from the ladies-
I mean, the crowd, every time I do this 1.

Father Figure :
it's HARD to do better than this.

"Father figure" is one of my fave songs ever I love George Michael!!!!!

This could be the theme to "The Thorn Birds."

mrdespues said:

Calhoun baby...I FEEL YOU....YES EXCEPT I WILL REPLACE GEORGE MICHAEL WITH L.L., I just can't get over George's flamboyant antics in the early Wham videos...I do find him more attractive now though then in the 80's he's a daddy...

UptownDeb said:

I've always thought the same thing about that woMAN!!

adoreme said:

Sorry, it's the image I get in my head

CalhounSq said:

George was hot in the 80's, it's true.

boriquateddy said:

George was HOT during that time... NOT during the WHAM days, lol, but during this time he was pretty cute

okaypimpn said:

CalhounSq said:

Are you sure?

One of his very best songs.

CalhounSq said:

yes sirrree! the sexy factor is through the roof!


it makes me wanna.... mr. 'pimpn are you free???


water for mr. grainger!

mochalox said:

Ready, Willing & Able!!!

okaypimpn said:

Of course not, the search is down