A great single from the late George Michael. Was it his best?
We've now reached the first day of the new year which is 2017. 2016 is now a thing of the past; And now we all have to - "look to the future..."
I was thinking of the Slades, UK - Christmas's Number One hit of 1973 when I mentioned that...
However, during the middle of the day on Christmas Day, 2016. I found out that George Michael had just died.
It didn't strike me at first as real. Maybe it was a prank I thought. A cruel joke. However, they might be something into this........
So I casually reached for the remote control device for my television and switched over to BBC News. And there it all was.
This is how I got the news. Other people/friends and fans that were much closer to George Michael than I could ever be - expressed how sad they were to find out themselves; and what he meant to them.
Please click on this below to read about this... - http://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/george-michaels-wham-band-mates-9515170
So now I had to believe it It was all official and in black and white. The Funny thing was that I wasn't that much of a George Michael or Wham! fan, apart from a few singles in his Wham! days and this one.
Now this one is a bit special.
The Track in question was/is called "Faith". It was from his first debut album since going solo - when he used to be with Wham! And what a single it was. It was also called "Faith"
Many music critics thought that his time would be over as soon as the band that was Wham ceased to be around anymore.
However, he proved them wrong with this track alone. Of all the tracks that he did. This one has to be my favorite.
It's quite a simple track really. And for the impact it had, it’s a very short track indeed. One of the shortest tracks in time length to reach number one that’s for sure.
This was the second release from the album of the same name.
And this was the one that turned heads!
It was released in October 1987, just weeks before the album was officially released.
It held the number one spot for 4 consecutive weeks on the Usa Billboard Hot 100; and reached number 2 in the UK singles chart.
The musicians behind the single were:
Vocals: George Michael
Guitars: Hugh Burns
Bass Guitar: Deon Estus
Cathedral Organ: Chris Cameron
The Scottish session player (Hugh Burns) worked wonders here and did all the guitar solo work and rhythm guitar work which was modeled on the "Bo Diddley Beat/Rhythm".
For the solo, Hugh Burns played in the style of a 1950s Rock Roll rhythm guitarist, which the engineer Chris Porter then drenched heavily in reverb effects.
George Michael, the ever-perfectionist worked hours with Hugh Burns to ge the guitar sound correct to match the vocals that he was preparing for the track. http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2695
To be fair George Michael couldn't play the guitar, and was completely faking it when we saw him brandishing one around within the video for "Faith".
This was one of the first digital recordings that allowed George Michael to put together a song piece by piece.
His vocals were done line by line, and sometimes - word by word, as he would write the lyrics down at the microphone; and then record them on the spot.
It was a tedious process, but it worked and resulted in an outstanding piece of work http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2695
"Faith" the single by George Michael, is just one of several singles that has used the Bo Diddley Beat/Rhythm. Other songs that come to mind that have used this rhythm are:
1. Elvis Presley - Lastest Flame - 1961
2. Shirley and Company - Shame, Shame, Shame - 1973
Bo Diddley (30th Dec 1928 to 2nd June 2008) has in himself influenced the crème de la crème in modern-day pop music.
From Buddy Holly to the Rolling Stones, The Beatles to Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton to Jimmi Hendrick, and from the Yard Byrds to Funkadelic/Parliament.
He is inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.
He is/was recognized for his technical innovations, including his distinctive rectangular guitar.
The "Bo Diddley Beat/Rhythm" is essentially the "Clave Rhythm" - one of the common bell patterns found in Sub-Saharan African music traditions.
Bo Diddley has given various accounts of how he came about the "Bo Diddley Beat/Rhythm.
In its simplest form, it can be counted as either a one-bar or a two-bar phrase. Many songs often have no chord changes; that is musicians play the same chord progressions throughout the song
As with the rest of the Album also called "Faith," it was produced, written, and arranged by George Michael apart from one song on the album.
The video which was directed by Andy Morahan (English Film and Music Producer)
We see George dressed in a black jacket, blue jeans, White tee-shirt, Cowboy books, Shades, Designer Stubble, 1 x black glove, and a Guitar.
The Performance within the music reminded me a little bit of an Elvis Presley performance or something that he would have done.
Whatever the performance. It was a great one, and for me, it was a case of the Music video truly helping to sell the song.
Faith" by George Michael
Well I guess it would be nice
If I could touch your body
I know not everybody
Has got a body like you
But I've got to think twice
Before I give my heart away
And I know all the games you play
Because I play them too
Oh but I
Need some time off from that emotion
Time to pick my heart up off the floor
Oh and when that love comes down
Without devotion
Well it takes a strong man baby
But I'm showing you the door‘‘
Cause I gotta have faith
I gotta have faith
‘Cause I gotta have faith, faith
‘Cause I gotta have faith, faith, faith
Baby,
I know you're asking me to stay
Say please, please, please don't go away
You say I'm giving you the blues
Maybe
You mean every word you say
Can't help but think of yesterday
And another who tied me down to loverboy rules
Before this river
Becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
Oh oh baby I reconsider
My foolish notion
Well I need someone to hold me
But I'll wait for something more
Yes I've gotta have faith…
Mmm, I gotta have faith
‘Cause I gotta have faith, faith, faith
I gotta have faith-a-faith-a-faith
Before this river
Becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
Oh oh baby I reconsider
My foolish notion
Well I need someone to hold me
But I'll wait for something more
Cause I gotta have faith
Mmm I gotta have faith
Because I got to have faith-a-faith-a-faith
I gotta have faith-a-faith-a-faith
For me, that was the best song she did as a Solo artist. Maybe in regards to his whole Career. I know I am going to be pounded with disagreements from Loyal fans of Wham! and George Michael separately. And if you do please let me know what is your favorite.
Well, that's all folks for me now anyway.
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