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TGJ Replay: George Michael’s ‘Faith
https://www.youtube.com/w...1421914688 Spending the rest of 1987 writing and recording his first solo album, Michael’s hands were involved in every single aspect of the project’s production from vocals and lyrics to playing several instruments. Ensuring the set’s ingredients aligned with his vision, the collection of tunes – christened ‘Faith’ – would see him depart from the cookie-cutter content of his former group to address adult themes such as sex, love, infidelity, and subtly address some of his own demons – namely his repressed homosexuality. The album not only thematically abandoned much of the concepts that lined Wham! albums, but its recipe of R&B, soul, pop, funk, and rock would see it do so sonically as well. Evidence of this was easily located via the album’s first single ‘I Want Your Sex’: Intent on completely distancing himself from his boy band beginnings, ‘I Want Your Sex’ came as a parent and censor’s nightmare. Many argued it promoted promiscuity despite being littered with messages of safe sex practice and monogamy. Because the tune’s lyrical composition and accompanying video – while tame by today’s standard – sent shockwaves across the industry in the late 80s, it was heavily censored for television and banned by most radio stations. The backlash proved no deterrent for fans who still helped the number shoot straight to #2 , a true testament to their support of Michael’s solo ventures (given the absence of industry support). The aforementioned was cemented by the time the set’s title track was released: Just two weeks before the release of his first solo album, Michael tapped its much safer title track as the follow-up to the ever-controversial ‘Sex.’ If ‘Sex’ secured the launching pad for a career by his lonesome (and even temporarily helped divert from those pesky gay rumors), ‘Faith’ (the song) would be the vehicle to send him into the stratosphere. Reaching #1 before 1987’s end, the number would act as the truest indicator of how well his inaugural full length solo venture would be received. https://www.youtube.com/w...1421914688 By the end of 1988, George was pop’s top troubador. On the hems of six top 5 singles (four of which were consecutive #1 hits), he entered history books as the first and only British act to have four #1 singles on the Hot 100 from one LP. Elsewhere on Billboard, the album ‘Faith’ showed seemingly unyielding staying power. With 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 Top 10 to its name, including 12 weeks at #1, the project, like its title track, would see itself at the top spot on 1988’s year end chart. The feat made Michael the second act in history (behind the Beatles) to be #1 on a year end chart more than once (1985’s ‘Whisper’ & 1988’s ‘Faith’). Later winning the 1988 ‘Album of the Year’ Grammy, Michael’s success rivaled that of Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. When the dust settled, ‘Faith’ was certified diamond in the U.S. and has been clocked at 25 million sold worldwide to date. https://www.youtube.com/w...l=84503534 Let us tell it, George Michael is still pop’s top blue-eyedsoulster. Coming in as the first truly successful white R&B/soul singer of the video era, this man ushered in a cool unbeknownst to the 80s generation of black audiences from the Caucasian persuasion. This accomplishment was evidenced by ‘Faith’ becoming the first album by a white singer in history to top the Billboard’s R&B charts. Interestingly blazing a path that the likes of Justin Timberlake and Nick Jonas would follow (leaving pop groups to traipse across unadulterated R&B terrains in their solo work), we’ll argue Justin Bieber, Robin Thicke,and many other crooners – both blue eyed soulsters and none – have taken a page from ‘Faith’….quite disappointingly in most cases. Read more: http://thatgrapejuice.net...z3Pg2or5jq Follow us: @ThatGrapeJuice on Twitter | ThatGrapeJuiceOffici al on Facebook | |
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. Excellent album, even if in many ways, GM was still very much bound by certain creative restraints from his record label (which he would ultimately cut himself free of around the time he released Listen Without Prejudice). . My favourite non-single album track on this is 'Hand To Mouth', though I also really like 'Hard Day'. . About the Robin Thicke comparison, he has mentioned GM among his influences, and I think it shows on quite a bunch of his ballads. And imo, he puts that influence to good use. . I don't want your rhythm without your rhyme | |
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what is TGJ? | |
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. thatgrapejuice.net, a music news site. . I don't want your rhythm without your rhyme | |
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Lately, I've been listening to this album on an almost daily basis. I also recently found the original vinyl and it sounds great. Here's an interesting article about the making of the album (especially the title track): | |
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"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato
https://youtu.be/CVwv9LZMah0 | |
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