Great Debate: Round Two

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.

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organza
organza
June 28, 2008 2:54 pm

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.

Catharine
Catharine
June 28, 2008 3:40 pm

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!

Some Guy
Some Guy
June 28, 2008 6:22 pm

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.

Julee
Julee
June 28, 2008 7:52 pm

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

Julee
Julee
June 28, 2008 7:54 pm

Okay, it feels wrong not to mention Careless Whisper and his remake of Feeling Good…

GBF
GBF
June 28, 2008 8:21 pm

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.

The Original C$
The Original C$
June 28, 2008 8:34 pm

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.

Chickpea
Chickpea
June 28, 2008 9:14 pm

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.)

Sheila
Sheila
June 28, 2008 10:07 pm

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

Randee
Randee
June 28, 2008 10:29 pm

They are all awesome…8 days til I see him in concert…WHOOHOO…

Ruth
Ruth
June 29, 2008 6:04 am

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.)

Redone
Redone
June 29, 2008 12:32 pm

No brainer.

1. Father Figure
2. Freedom
3. Praying for Time

Wake Me Up Before You Go Go? This saddens me. I need wine.

Lisa
Lisa
June 29, 2008 2:55 pm

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

cat
cat
June 29, 2008 6:09 pm

1) Careless whisper
2) Wake me up before you go
3) I want your sex

Steph in AK
Steph in AK
June 30, 2008 1:15 am

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.”

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