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)
Faith
George Michael Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know not everybody has got a body like you, oh
But I gotta 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, when that love comes down without devotion
But I'm showin' you the door
'Cause I gotta have faith
I gotta have faith
Because I got to have faith, faith, f-
I got to have faith, faith, faith
Baby, I know you're askin' me to stay
Say, "Please, please, please don't go away"
You say I'm givin' you the blues
Maybe, huh, 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 somethin' more
Yes, I gotta have faith
Ooh, I gotta have faith
Because I gotta have faith, faith, faith
I gotta have faith, faith, faith
I'll just have to wait
Because I've got to have faith
I gotta have faith
I've got to, got to, got to have faith
Before this river becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor (I just got to have faith)
Oh, oh baby, I reconsider my foolish notion
Well, I need someone to hold me
But I'll wait for somethin' more
'Cause I gotta have faith
Ooh, I gotta have faith
Because I gotta have faith, faith, faith
I gotta have faith, faith, faith
In the first verse of this song, George Michael sings about his attraction to someone and how he needs to be careful not to give his heart away too easily. He references the fact that people play games in relationships and that he is aware of them because he has played them himself. The chorus serves as a declaration of his need for faith in love, both for himself and for the person he is interested in. He repeats the phrase "I gotta have faith" multiple times in a catchy and memorable way.
The second verse continues the theme of caution in love, with the singer considering the possibility of heartbreak before diving in. He also acknowledges that the person he is interested in may be sincere in their desire for him to stay but that he needs to be sure that he is not getting tied down to someone who will hurt him. This verse ends with a reiteration of the need for faith in love.
Throughout the song, there is a tension between the desire for love and the fear of vulnerability and heartbreak. The repetition of the phrase "I gotta have faith" represents the singer's attempt to build up his own confidence and trust in love, even when he is unsure if it is safe to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I guess it would be nice if I could touch your body
I find you physically attractive and wish to be intimate with you.
I know not everybody has got a body like you
I am aware that there are not many people with a physique like yours.
But I gotta think twice before I give my heart away
However, I need to be cautious before giving you my heart and committing to a relationship.
And I know all the games you play because I played them, too
I understand the manipulative tactics you use in relationships because I have used them myself.
Oh, but I need some time off from that emotion
I need a break from the emotional turmoil and drama of relationships.
Time to pick my heart up off the floor
To take time to recover from the emotional pain and hurt caused by past relationships.
Oh, when that love comes down without devotion
If love is not accompanied by loyalty and commitment, it is meaningless to me.
Well, it takes a strong man, baby
It takes a person with strength and courage to reject such love.
But I'm showin' you the door
I am leaving this relationship because it lacks devotion and commitment.
'Cause I gotta have faith
I need to have trust and belief in the other person to commit to a relationship.
I gotta' have faith
To commit to a relationship, I must have unwavering faith and trust in the other person.
Baby, I know you're askin' me to stay
I am aware that you want me to stay in this relationship.
Say "Please, please, please don't go away"
You are pleading with me to not end the relationship.
You say I'm givin' you the blues
You are saying that my decision to end the relationship is causing you emotional distress.
Maybe you mean every word you say
I am unsure if you are genuinely expressing your emotions, or if you are manipulating me.
Can't help but think of yesterday
I can't help but think of past relationships and the pain they caused me.
And another who tied me down to loverboy rules
I remember being in another relationship where I was forced to conform to someone else's expectations.
Before this river becomes an ocean
Before this relationship becomes something more substantial and permanent.
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
Before you break my heart and cause more emotional pain.
Oh, baby, I reconsider my foolish notion
Oh, I am rethinking my previous decision to commit to this relationship.
Well, I need someone to hold me but I'll wait for somethin' more
I desire emotional intimacy but will wait for someone who is willing to commit to a serious relationship.
Yes, I gotta have faith
I must have absolute trust in the other person to commit to a relationship.
Ooh, I gotta have faith
I must have complete faith and confidence in the other person to trust them with my heart.
I'll just have to wait
I am willing to be patient and wait for the right person to come along.
Because I've got to have faith
Because I need trust and belief in order to be vulnerable in a relationship.
I gotta have faith
I need to have unwavering faith in order to commit to and stay in a relationship.
I've got to, got to, got to have faith
It is integral for me to have complete confidence and trust in my partner to make a relationship work.
Lyrics © Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Michael
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind