Born in East Finchley, Middlesex, Michael rose to fame after forming the pop duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981. Their first two albums, "Fantastic" (1983) and "Make It Big" (1984), reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart. They had commercial success with singles "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)", "Young Guns (Go for It)", "Bad Boys", "Club Tropicana", "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Last Christmas", "Everything She Wants", “Freedom”, and “I'm Your Man”. Their 1985 tour in China was the first by a Western popular music act and generated worldwide media coverage. Michael took part in Band Aid's UK number-one single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984 and performed at the following year's Live Aid concert.
Michael's first solo single, "Careless Whisper" (1984), reached number one in over 20 countries, including the UK and US. The second solo single, "A Different Corner", also reached number one in 1986. After Wham! disbanded that year, Michael released the number-one duet with Aretha Franklin, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". His debut solo album, "Faith" (1987), stayed at number one on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks and topped the UK Albums Chart. It is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 25 million copies worldwide. The singles "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael became the best-selling music artist of 1988, and "Faith" was awarded Album of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards. Michael's second solo album, "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" (1990), was also a number one in the UK and yielded the Billboard Hot 100 number one "Praying for Time" and the worldwide hit "Freedom! '90". Michael went on to release a series of multimillion-selling albums, including "Older" (1996), "Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael" (1998), "Songs from the Last Century" (1999), "Patience" (2004), and "Twenty Five" (2006). The albums earned him multiple hits such as "Jesus to a Child", "Fastlove", "Outside", "Amazing", and "An Easier Affair".
Michael came out as gay in 1998 and was an active LGBT rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser. His personal life, drug use, and legal troubles made headlines following an arrest for public lewdness in 1998 and multiple drug-related offenses. The 2005 documentary "A Different Story" covered his career and personal life. Michael's "25 Live" tour spanned three tours from 2006 to 2008. Michael fell into a coma in 2011 during a bout with pneumonia but later recovered. He performed his final concert at London's Earls Court in 2012. Michael died of heart disease on Christmas Day in 2016 at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Michael
Solo discography
Faith (1987)
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
Older (1996)
Songs from the Last Century (1999)
Patience (2004)
Wham! discography
Fantastic (1983)
Make It Big (1984)
Music from the Edge of Heaven (1986)
Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
George Michael Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made it race against time
Once I build a railroad, now it's done
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once I built a tower to the sun
Brick and rivet and lime
Once I built a tower, now it's done
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee Doodle De dumb
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
Full of that Yankee doodle de dumb
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
I was the kid with the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
It was Al all the time
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
George Michael's song "Brother Can You Spare A Dime" is a classic tune that reflects the despair and disillusionment felt during the Great Depression. The song begins with the singer reminiscing about his past, when he was able to build a railroad and a tower that once stood tall, but are now obsolete. These verses are metaphors for the former industrialization and prosperity of America, which was now struggling with widespread poverty and unemployment. The chorus "Brother can you spare a dime?" is a plea for help from those who were once wealthy and powerful but had now fallen on hard times.
The lyrics later shift to the singer's personal experiences as a soldier during World War I, where he played the drum. He sings about how amazing they looked in their khaki suits, but they were sent to fight in a terrible war. Despite their incredible sacrifice, they came back home to find themselves jobless and penniless. The last chorus is a direct appeal to the listener, asking for assistance, as even the proud and once self-sufficient person now needed others to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I build a railroad, made it run
I used to build railroads and make them run efficiently
Made it race against time
I made sure that the trains ran on time and didn't waste people's time
Once I build a railroad, now it's done
But now the job is complete and the railroad is finished
Brother, can you spare a dime?
But I'm now in a difficult financial situation and need some help
Once I built a tower to the sun
In the past, I built a huge tower that seemed to reach for the sky
Brick and rivet and lime
I used strong building materials, like bricks and rivets, to create the tower
Once I built a tower, now it's done
But the tower is now complete and stands tall
Brother, can you spare a dime?
But I'm still in need of financial assistance, despite my past achievements
Once in khaki suits, gee, we looked swell
I used to wear khaki suits and thought we looked pretty sharp
Full of that Yankee Doodle De dumb
We were full of patriotic pride and enthusiasm for our country's cause
Half a million boots went slogging through hell
But in reality, we were soldiers who suffered through the horrors of war
I was the kid with the drum
I was just a young soldier, doing my part by playing the drum
Say don't you remember, they called me Al
I had a nickname, Al, that people used to call me
It was Al all the time
That nickname stuck, and people continued to call me Al even after the war
Say don't you remember, I'm your pal
I'm someone you used to know and be friends with
Brother, can you spare a dime?
But now I'm struggling financially, and I need your help
Buddy, can you spare a dime?
Can you help me out, my friend?
Lyrics © NEXT DECADE ENTERTAINMENT,INC.
Written by: E. Y. Harburg, Jay Gorney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dannybaker9389
My brother rests in peace. He was one of the very best singers and performers the world had to offer. No one can sing "Brother Can You Spare A Dime" like George Michael!!
@christietheo2168
So true...
@philipiovino2853
I used this song in my latest podcast. I think you might enjoy this show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-EmVRmH_3I
@kemalmeviz4900
You are absolutely right my brother.
@breakfree8629
That is so true❤
@rmr2471
Well said Danny 🤗
@ribbs13
No one makes the hairs on my arms stand like GM, just sublime
@r4b32t11
No words can say how wonderful he was.. A true ARTIST . Incredible singer, handsome, HUMBLE ❤️ I miss him more than I can say..R.I.P SWEET GEORGE ❤
@krishstanley7282
One of my favorites ...no one can do a cover better than original....George love u always RIP...miss you
@hislatestflame7861
Like pure silk. There will never be another to match him.