Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Sunday Scribblings - "Faith"

Does anybody still like George Michael (formerly of Wham! fame, more latterly of driving-under-the-influence-of-drugs-and-crashing-into-a-shop fame)? He shot straight to the top of my Most Favourite Pop Stars list when I first saw him in the video for “Careless Whisper”, and has remained there pretty much since – as a singer/musician, that is.

I remember me and my cousin both sighing “HOW could she be so hard-hearted as to not forgive him?” when he begs her to “Please stay!” even as she rushes away to her waiting private aircraft – “she” being his girlfriend in the video who caught him cheating on her. (In our defence, it was his beautiful brown eyes, thick blond hair, slightly protruding teeth and the squeaky-clean image he had then, that made our pretensions to feminism vanish in a flurry of besotted heartbeats!)

Of course we were broken hearted when he outed himself as gay, because it meant that we stood no chance of ever capturing his heart – because naturally there would have been every chance of one of us (mainly me, natch) becoming Mrs George Michael if only he’d been straight. (What? I had ambitions, dammit!)

Anyway, over the years I have loved loads of his songs right from the Wham! days. His songs, but never Andrew Ridgeley's, not even in Wham!'s most popular period. I don’t really remember any of Andrew Ridgeley’s songs because he was a wishy-washy singer and also didn’t look as macho as ol’ George – in fact, he looked downright campy and gay. Yes yes, I know, the irony...

So, as I was saying about George Michael, songs like “Faith”, “Father Figure”, “Freedom” and many others (but NOT, EVER EVER EVER and let me say that again EVER EVER EVER EVER, “Last Christmas” - EVER!) are just as good to listen now as when I first heard them.

I’d been wanting to see George Michael live in concert, but that particular ambition was struck off my “wanna do” list after I watched a recording of his most recent concert on Sky (a while back). It was such a disappointment, with George Michael (I can’t seem to refer to him as just “George” or just “Michael” – it’s GOT to be “George Michael”) completely lacklustre and devoid of any kind of enthusiasm. He didn’t look like he wanted to involve the audience in the music or interact with them in any way. Frankly, it was like he was just going through the motions because he had to.

Had I paid good money to watch him sing live and got the sort of performance I saw, I would have been extremely pissed off – and heartbroken too. I guess I don’t have faith any more in him as a performer, although he was – and will always be – a fantastic musician and singer.

11 comments:

Anu said...

You're my kind of gal. My friend R and I were into major time swoon over ol' Georgie and "Careless Whispers" was top on our list for many years long after ...

"Freedom", "Last Christmas" and "Different Corner" were the other songs we liked.

Then age caught up with us I guess and we bid adieu to Georgie without realizing it...but every once in a while I "youtube" "Careless Whispers".

Munimma said...

Yep, all those childhood hopes and dreams irrevocably shattered to bits. Careless whispers was a topper on my list too. I can so relate to this. Sigh! A big deep sigh!

Pollux aka Paps said...

Aaah, the buckets of jollu we wasted over GM, da. Too right, he's nothing now compared to his good ol days of Careless Whispers or Last Christmas.

Shammi said...

Anu: I cant stand "Last Christmas" any more because the supermarkets play it INCESSANTLY in the 2-month run-up to Christmas. It's not even a "christmassy" song! But all the others - oh yeah! :)

Munimma: :)

Gee: No Last Christmas! And the jollu was not wasted until he went openly gay :(

Shammi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CW said...

Ah, Careless Whispers..I discovered the song much later in my youth (because, of course one was bombarded with Last Christmas every single year) and loved it. Never seen the video-- do you think it might be worth checking it out now (for a few laughs at least)?

Teesu (very very Indian, very very good) said...

Wow, same thoughts as me with respect to 'Careless Whispers' video. In fact I for one, was happy she did not forgive him in that vieo so I could have him! (Hah!) Then, there was this rumour in say 1986 that "Wham DIED" or that "Wham has AIDS" or something. Yes, and Andrew was QUITE the sidekick. George -- was wonnndering how some guy could be blonde, THIS hot and SUCH a good singer ...and then they said it. GAY. I was NOT in a gay mood when I got that piece of info. Why don't you like 'Last Christmas' btw? I would listen to Wham and MJ feverishly in that period--mid 80s. Tried immitating George Michael but knew I sounded wheezy rather than needy. Heh heh.

Shammi said...

CW: The video is to be watched ONLY if you're a die-hard fan of the 80s look :) I am - and George Michael has the most beautiful hair! :)

Teesu: The supermarkets play "Last Christmas" incessantly from October on :( I hate it. It's NOT a Christmassy song - nothing religious or relevant to Christmas in any way. It's as if GM's job (going by the lyrics) is to give his heart away to some girl or other every Xmas :D

Linda May said...

I like that song but never was attracted to his look.I am a rocker type not a pop music type. I have faith that I will never meet one of the ones I have liked in the past though. Nice interpretation of our prompt this week. I enjoyed it.

Shammi said...

Linda May: No, it doesnt really pay to resurrect the past :) Especially when you find your star cant sing live and anyway the song doesnt sound like it did in the album. New versions are NOT required.

swarna said...

shyam, ditto ditto ditto ditto ditto to the first 5 paras of your post!!! wow seriosuly never knew you were a George Michael fan...and Wham...*same pinch* oh those 80s...do you r'ber Heartbeat Heartbeat, my BFF and I travelled an hr and half to another part of madras to get hold of a book of lyrics that contained the Heartbeat song, and a few more of Whams, and came back home well into dusk to be massively told off by elders. Whew what an adventure that was. oh I was a mighty 13yr old then!LOL