I called my sister up this weekend and told her that she better put her thinking cap on, because she was going to be the lucky person to “Great Debate” with me for my website.
Jamie: “I’m in. What are we debating?”
Lincee: “Best George Michael songs. Name your top three. No thinking. Just say it. Go.”
Jamie: “Does this include Wham? What about duets?”
Lincee: “The rules are that George had to be singing the song. If others were with him, that counts.” (This, of course, is breaking the rules, but I had my reasons. So back off!)
Jamie: “Well my number one is obviously…”
Lincee: “Please don’t say it.”
Jamie: “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.”
Annnnnnnddd there it is. Clearly, we are not on the same playing field. I should have known better. This chick has been in my life for 30+ years. Why would I great debate George Michael with someone who squealed every time his pink sweater/shorty short wearing body flashed the TV screen? This is the same girl who cut all the fingers out of her mittens…not to be cool like Madonna…but to be cool like George Michael. Not that I wasn’t right there with her. I’m pretty sure we begged our Mom to buy blacklights so we could put on every florescent piece of clothing we owned (including Le Zinc sunscreen) in order to dance around in the understairs bathroom…the only place in our house that had no windows.
But I have MOVED ON from Wham. Sure I love GM and that other dude, but his solo stuff is way better.
Jamie: “I think my second choice would be Faith.”
Lincee: “Now you’re talking! Faith is my third choice.”
Jamie: “Well why wouldn’t it be? That video?”
Lincee: “That shaking butt!”
Jamie: “Those acid wash, cut-up jeans and boots!”
Lincee: “Those aviator sunglasses…”
The list went on for about five minutes. I’ll spare you the play-by-play.
Jamie: “I’d round my top three off with Careless Whisper.”
C’MON! ARE YOU HEARING YOURSELF? Not one but TWO Wham songs in your top three? How do we have the same blood you freak?
Lincee: “I really don’t know what to say to that, except I would like for you to ask Gary (her husband) to weigh in so that I know you have some sort of sustaining normalcy in your life when it comes to the mastermind that is George Michael.”
Maybe two seconds pass before she answers:
“He said Praying for Time, Kissing a Fool and I Want Your Sex.”
I’m pretty sure I heard him giggling like a 12-year-old boy when she mentioned that last one.
Lincee: “Jamie. I need both of you to reconsider. Freedom MUST be in your top three. It’s my number one.”
Jamie: “Oh…that’s a good one.”
Lincee: “And his duet with Sir Elton John? Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me? HELLO IT’S MY NUMBER THREE!”
Jamie: “They were great together.”
Lincee: “What about Father Figure?”
Jamie: “Oh yes.”
Silence.
Lincee: “You’re sticking with Wake Me Up Before You Go Go aren’t you?”
Jamie: “Yes I am Jitterbug.”
Okay readers. It’s up to you. Please help me change Jamie’s mind and prove to her that Wake Me Up is not worthy of top three status for George Michael. I’m counting on you to join me in pulling her out of that florecent dream she’s been dancing in for the past 20 years.
In the meantime, jump on over to You Tube to enjoy his Faith video. You. Are. Welcome.
Jamie, (soap opera worthy virtual smack across your face to wake you up)…
just tryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy something like this…mellow…relaxed…beautiful chord changes…his voice is super smooth…
Older by GM http://youtube.com/watch?v=PrYdne-tWO4
sorry for the smack, I had no choice. Your sister made me do it.
Let me just preface this by saying that I am 33 and was/still am a HUGE Wham fan and was way more into Andrew Ridgeley (the other dude) than I ever was George Michael. I never really moved on with George Michael. Therefore, I have to agree with Jamie. Wake Me Up would be in my top 5, as would The Edge of Heaven, I’m Your Man, Last Christmas and Wham’s Freedom. If I had to pick non-Wham songs, my #1 would be GM’s duet with Aretha, I Knew You Were Waiting. That is one of my all time favorite songs. I do like Freedom, Fast Love and Father Figure (sort of), but that was about it for me with his solo stuff. Obviously, I have different taste than you, Lincee — I knew this the minute you mentioned the 4 Non Blondes song, which has always been in my top 5 of worst songs of all time — but, that’s okay, I totally respect your love of music and love to hear your opinion and read the Great Debates. Keep them coming! Jamie, Wake Me up will always put me in a good mood. Jitterbug!
I heart you for bringing this back Lincee. I have to agree that Praying For Time is numero uno. I will even go a step further that this may be one of the best cover songs with the way Carrie Underwood did it at that American Idol charity show. If it weren’t for her version the song wouldn’t be on my radar and Father Figure, Last Christmas, or Don’t Let The Sun would be dueling it out for the coveted last spot.
#2 = Freedom!
#3 = One More Try
I do have to say that his album 25 does look pretty good. He has a decent body of work….
Some Guy is now going to spend some quality time with power tools in the garage to maintain the balance of the universe.
Cover songs (done better than the original) would be a good one for a Great Debate, too.
I would like to throw “Monkey” out there as a tribute to Shayne and Matty…
This is not original, but what the heck… My top 3 are:
1. Father Figure
2. I Want Your Sex
3. Faith
Okay, it feels wrong not to mention Careless Whisper and his remake of Feeling Good…
Oh please…you people are totally leaving out his better later work. The top three should include:
1. Freedom 90 (totally agree with you on this one Lincee)
2. Flawless (Go to the City)
3. Outside
Although as I was researching this response and lisenting to the many songs on 25, the choice was VERY difficult.
You see, sometimes I have premonition dreams. I woke up this morning and I couldn’t figure out why the shadowy images that I struggled to focus in on with my minds eye had the music of George Michael running through the background. Almost like elevator music you can barely hear. Now I know, I was just seeing into the future to the moment when I posted:
1. Freedom 90
2. Praying for Time - Completely forgot about this great song, it will be purchased soon.
3a. Somebody to Love - With Queen
3b. Cowboys and Angels - I’m going through a Jazz faze lately and I’m liking the how the rhythm scats in the song.
This truly is a Great Debate.
1. Father Figure
2. Freedom 90
3. Faith
[hmmm all 'F' songs?!]
Runners up: One More Try, I Can’t Make You Love Me, Kissing a Fool.
‘Wake Me Up’ not even near the top ten…! (And I was an 80s teen.)
The second I saw this post Freedom was my first thought and I was so
happy to see Lincee was on the same page!!!
1) Freedom
2) Father Figure
3) I want your sex
They are all awesome…8 days til I see him in concert…WHOOHOO…
I have have been an enormous GM fan since 1984 when I first heard Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go in a caravan park while on a Contiki tour and crushing on my Kiwi tour guide. Ah, good times. Wham! hadn’t yet hit it in the US or Canada, so I thought I was incredibly cool and advanced when I came home with not only that single, but also Wham Rap - c’mon LIncee, how can you forget those lyrics, “Wham! Bam! I am! A man!” Literary genius, I tell you.
Then I grew up, as did my man George, and regardless of his personal quirks and public faux pas I am still an incredibly huge fan after lo these many years. I have to agree with Some Guy re Praying For Time (and I too loved the Carrie Underwood cover), but my top 3 would have to be:
1. Anything from Listen Without Prejudice, but since that’s not really in the rules of the Great Debate, I’ll pick Heal the Pain (but not the version with Paul McCartney, ew.)
2. Careless Whisper (which, by the by, is NOT Careless Whispers! Geez I hate when people, especially DJs get that wrong)
3. Precious Box
That was a tough debate, because I really had trouble picking 3. Good call LIncee… this is my first comment on your blog, but I’ve been a loyal reader for a long time - LOVE IT, keep it up. (And ftr, I miss Graham already.)
No brainer.
1. Father Figure
2. Freedom
3. Praying for Time
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go? This saddens me. I need wine.
Love this question! I am huge GM fan and it really hurts my feelings he is not coming to Denver.
I do have to admit I have a couple of Wham favorites, although not the mainstream ones. If you really want to dig deep get Wham Fantastik–it’s the album before Make it Big. Very cheesy pop stuff but it grows on you! My sister and I listened to that over and over and over….our fave is Wham Rap!
1. Battlestations-Wham-Music from the Edge of Heaven
2. Freedom 90
3. Father Figure
1) Careless whisper
2) Wake me up before you go
3) I want your sex
1988. Goerge Michael concert in Minneapolis. The hair was big.
At the end of the evening, George screams at the audience in that lovely accent, “How many people get to have “Sex” twice in one night???!!! And encores with IWYSex, naturally. My three roommates and I all collapse into girlish giggles, lol. We’ve rehashed that line about a zillion times through the years.
So, sentimentality makes me choose IWYS as number one. Number two is “Faith.” Number three, I have to go with “Father Figure.”
I’m going to have to rate it as
1. Freedom
2. Faith
3. Father figure
I do love “wake me up” and “everything she wants” by wham, but I’m a purist so GM only is how I’m ranking
Anyone watch Eli Stone?! I love the George Michael cameos.
Anyway, here’s my top 3:
1) Faith
2) Don’t let the Sun go down on me (”ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Elton John!”)
3) Freedom
“Last Christmas” is good too…one of the assistants in my office who was all of 22 had never heard it before. I nearly fell out of my chair when she said, “what is this song?! it’s a christmas song?! huh?”
And “Wake me up” is pure classic. My parents still have a tape of me and one of my friends singing (screaming) it when we were 5 or 6. We had no idea what any of the words were, it was awesome.
1) I Want Your Sex
2) Faith
3) Freedom
I forgot how awesome GM was…what happened to the controversial sex figure I grew up with?
#1 Freedom 90
#2 Fast Love
#3 Outside
#17 I only watched Eli Stone because of the GM music. Each show was the title of one of his song. Planning on watching all episodes again this summer (airing on Sat. evenings). His cameo was great!
Anyway my top 3
1. Freedon 90
2. Don’t let the Sun go Down on Me
3. All the rest of his songs.
1. Faith
2. One more try
3. Don’t let the sun go down on me.
1. Father Figure - I absolutely loved it when Ace Young sang it on AI.
2. Careless Whisper - I know that it a Wham song Lincee but it is very good!
3. Faith & Freeedom - These are a tie for me I love them both!!
1. Freedom 90
2. Freedom (by Wham)
3. Monkey
No one else has both Freedoms in their top 3? Both are excellent! I think I need to make a “Top 10 GM mix” now on my itunes.
I am so embarrassed that I actually agree with your sister! I LOVE Wake Me Up!! It is definitely a guilty pleasure of mine….
I think my other favorites would be Freedom and I Want Your Sex
Nice post, Lincee!
Here are my top three!
1) Freedom 90 (Awesome song, great message…be your own person and f*ck those who tell you otherwise)
2) Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me [w/Elton John] (I love this song…it’s a Karaoke favorite of mine)
3) Waiting For That Day [You Can't Always Get What You Want] (I know this one doesn’t get a lot of love, but this is a great tune.)
The wife and I are headed to ATL to see him for my birthday at the end of July! Can’t wait!
Can we do Queen next?
Some insight from my big brother.
“Great debate!
Although this breaks her “rules”, people always forget GM’s first big solo hit occurred between the Wham & Faith albums—his duet with Aretha Franklin.
All and all, I’d have to say his top 3 are the first 3 hits from Faith:
1) Faith,
2) Father Figure, and
3) One More Try. That’s when he was at his peak. “
Absolutely FREEDOM!!! Not only is it his best song…the video will go down in history as being one of the top 100 of all time!!!
I can’t really focus to name my top 2 & 3 pick as I am too anxious for “The Men Tell All” this evening!!!
26. Leslie Said,
Can we do Queen next?
I second that emotion.
my head is going to explode!!! i simply cannot pick a top 3. I love them all. LOVE Freedom. LOVE Faith and IWYS. LOVE LOVE LOVE Praying for time. How can you people narrow it down to 3? I have the GM greatist hits on my ipod and listen to it all the time. He’s just the greatest. And yes (hang my head in shame) I too am a secret lover of Wake Me Up. Sadly, it brings back such fond memories of neon sweatshirts, banana clips, twist a beads from Hobby Lobby, and giant bangs. What can I say? Growing up in the 80s in Oklahoma was a rockin good time!
Can’t wait for the men to tell all!
#1 Everything she wants
(c’mon people- this is a great one to turn up and sing at the top of your lungs to in your own car…Nobody yet, really?)
#2 I want your sex
#3 Freedom
but honeslty- not necessarily in that order…I couldn’t decide…
(and….*#4 Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1-
the whole thing)
#29 said:
26. Leslie Said,
Can we do Queen next?
I second that emotion.
I THIRD that!
When it comes to the amazing GM you gotta go with the Fs
1.) Freedom
2.) Faith
3.) Father Figure
And I definitely third the motion for Queen next
Twist a beads…. now that was fashion!
1) Too Funky
2) Faith
3) I Want Your Sex
I have Freedom 90 as one of my YouTube favorites–I never get tired of that song or that video! (loved it when supermodels were more famous than rock stars!)
Love, love, love Father Figure and remember when that guy (Ace?) did it on American Idol? That was (gulp) nice.
I do love his duet with Elton, but I think I liked his version of Somebody to Love with Queen even better.
Freedom
Father figure
Kissing a fool
All three made every mix tape i ever made during years 1988-1993
I’m sorry but wake me up is my #1
Last Christmas #2
Faith #3
I heart George Michael, but Wham! has so many great memories for me!!
1. I Want Your Sex - the best, most controversial, most taboo song for 12-yr-olds to listen to (in 1987 that is)
2. Freedom - having the models in it was tres cool
3. One More Try - that song always made me want to cry, but it was good
I’m going to his concert in Houston on the 14th and I cannot wait. I’ve been waiting for 20 years to see him!!
Love, love, LOVE George Michael. I think his Freedom album is the best EVER. I was so happy to see this on your blog. Here’s my 2 cents:
1) Freedom
2) Praying for Time
3) One More Try
4) Father Figure
5) Soul Free (just a groovin’ tune)
6) Something to Save
Now I’m going to go listen!
Good topic, Lincee! It’s hard to pick just 3 b/c I love GM - what a voice.
1. Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me
2. Everything She Wants (sorry, but I’m 42 and there were lots of nights spent dancing at Cooter’s to this one - so it’s the song and the memories!)
3. I Knew You Were Waiting For Me
#1 Faith
#2 Freedom
#3 Father Figure.
That is my take on it.
Just got caught up on old posts of yours… had to tell you that I too still heart Matt Hickl. My hubby makes so much fun of me… Matt and his wife go to our church and usually sit near us. I have to keep myself from drooling STILL. Such a cutie. AND he and his wife, before they were married, taught our high school group for a couple of Sundays on Biblical views on $ex and why the two of them were waiting for marriage after they had both made mistakes in the past. So humble. Anyways, I heart him, married and all.
GO TEAM JESSE!!! I heart him too….
Oh, I forgot Praying for Time… Yikes. I repent. Put it up there too… tied for #1.
I loved GM (Wham!) pre-nose job!!!
My top 3 are…
1. I’m Your Man
2. Battlestations
3. I Want Your Sex
Thanks Lincee for bringing back the memories of my awkward years
You are going to see GM when he comes to Houston, no? Can you sense the jealousy from Austin?
After much inner struggle and debate, my Top 3:
1) Freedom
2) Father Figure
3) FastLove
Dallas Girl! OMG. He dated my friend also…for about a year, told her loved her, had never been in love before her…blah, blah, blah. All the same lines. Cheated on her too. He tells all girls what they want to hear…I couldn’t believe a single word out of his mouth this entire season. Even ran into him at a club at the end of May…wouldn’t leave her alone and ruined the evening for us…and he tried to ask her out on a date. Thankfully she rejected him. The American Pyscho comment was CLASSIC!
This is so hard! There are so many gems to choose from - and I’m torn between the traditional Wham songs (Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Careless Whisper, Everything She Wants) and George’s later solo efforts. I’d really like five instead of three, but I play by the rules, so…
1) Faith
2) Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (bc there is nothing better than a duet between George and Elton)
3) Everything She Wants
#3 was a toss-up between Everything She Wants, Freedom, Father Figure, and Hard Day for me. Hard Day is one that I feel the need to mention, bc I see it has not made the list yet. You may not remember it by name, but it has that awesome little pseudo-rap section in the middle:
“Sweet little boy with oh such a big mouth, harsh words can get you into hot water. When people don’t understand you, baby, I’ll always be here for you. And I, and I, will never bring you DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. Do you trust me?”
Yeeesssss!…I knew I wasn’t alone…there is no shame people…speak up…you know you want to…and thanks for taking me back to the banana clip days…I found myself acquiring them more than wearing them…I know…I know…but the twisty ball things just worked so much better on my hair…and if you don’t know what those are then that sounds really weird…oh well.
Jamie, I remember the twisty ball things all too well — there are actually still some in a drawer in my bathroom at my parents’ house! I also bought the banana clips, but never could get them to work right. You and Lincee are the best at remembering the funny blasts from the past!
Jamie, would a banana clip have ever actually shut on your hair!
By the way, I have to have my old friend’s back and say that I loved Wake Me Up Before You Go Go–sorry, Lincee….I’m sure Jamie would also vote that “Youngblood” the movie will never be forgotten as well.
Okay. . this is really hard!!! The #1 pick is a no brainer, and I’m glad to see that Lincee agrees!! The others were slightly more difficult. and I couldn’t limit the number to just 3
1) Freedom ‘90
2) Freedom (Wham version. . .this is a great road trip song)
3) Something to Save
4) Everything She Wants (it gave that “Ridgley” guy some face time. . how nice. . for him anyway)
5) Kissing a Fool
6) I Knew You Were Waiting (duet with Aretha Franklin)
There are more, but those are the top 6
1 - Wake Me Up Before you go, go
2 - I want your sex
3 - Last Christmas
I flew from Nashville, TN to Phoenix, AZ to see him. Seeing him live made my choices easier to pick.
1. Freedom
2. Careless Whisper
3. Father Figure.
BTW: Careless Whisper was a song that was released in the UK as GM being a solo artist, but in the US it is credited to WHAM. So really, CW should be under the greatest GM songs, rather than WHAM song.
My top WHAM Songs
1. Wake me up
2. Last Christmas
3. I’m your man
Also, if you have the opportunity, as the greatest fan ever, I say do what you can, and go see him before he stops touring again!
I have always loved the song “A Different Corner”…so pretty, and sad…
Wendy…so true…so true…the banana clips (although offered in a variety of beautiful colors) sat unused in my vanity drawer…and you’re right…they would just slip off my hair if I was lucky enough to get one to close! Youngblood…I’m going to add that to my queue right now, thanks.
Lincee - my friends and I have been faithful readers from way back in the day and were discussing The Great Debates (ver. # 1 and 2) over the weekend and decided that want to offer up ourselves for the next great debate(s). I chose Journey, which could bring a whole new dimension to the Great Debate because as you may know, Jouney Fan Land is freaking out about whether Journey exists without Steve Perry (it doesn’t)and Schuster chose John Mellencamp. Let us know!
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