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", βFreedomβ, and βI'm Your Manβ. 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)
Older
George Michael Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It seemed too easy
You were there
And I was breathing blue
Strange
Don't you think I'm looking older?
But something good has happened to me
You have yet to know
Well you're out of time
I'm letting go
You'll be fine
Well that much I know
You're out of time
I'm letting go
I'm not the man you want
I should have known
It seemed so easy
You were there
I thought I needed you
Strange
Don't you think I'm looking older?
But something good has happened to me
Change is a strange
Who never seems to show
Well you're out of time
I'm letting go
You'll be fine
(or maybe you won't)
You're out of time
I'm letting go
I'm not the man that you want
I never should hove looked back in your direction
I know that
Just the same old fights again, baby
These are wasted days without affection
I'm not that foolish anymore
The lyrics of George Michaelβs song βOlderβ express a sense of acceptance and the passage of time. It starts off with the opening line, βI should have known, it seemed too easy, you were there, and I was breathing blueβ. The following verse discusses how seeing things through a different lens can bring about the realization of aging. The chorus of the song is the repetitive βStrange, donβt you think Iβm looking older?, but something good has happened to me, change is a stranger, you have yet to knowβ. These lyrics allude to the idea that aging is inevitable, but there can be newfound happiness and strength that comes with age.
The second verse discusses the idea of letting go and moving on from a past lover. The lyrics, βWell youβre out of time, Iβm letting go, youβll be fine, well that much I know, Iβm not the man you wantβ portray an acceptance of the end of a relationship and self-realization that they are not meant to be together. The third verse discusses the foolishness of returning to a past lover and how it is not worth wasting time on a relationship without affection.
Line by Line Meaning
I should have known
The singer regrets not realizing something earlier
It seemed too easy
The situation appeared simple and straightforward, but turned out to be more complicated
You were there
The person being addressed was present during a particular time or event
And I was breathing blue
The artist was feeling sad or experiencing emotional pain
Strange
The artist is using this word to introduce a surprising or unexpected observation
Don't you think I'm looking older?
The singer is asking the listener for their perspective on the singer's appearance
But something good has happened to me
Despite the singer's physical changes, they have experienced a positive development in their life
Change is a stranger
The artist is expressing the feeling that change is something unfamiliar or uncomfortable
You have yet to know
The person being addressed has not experienced the same changes that the artist has
Well you're out of time
The person being addressed has run out of opportunities to do something
I'm letting go
The singer is releasing their hold on something emotionally or mentally
You'll be fine
The artist believes that despite the current difficulty, the person being addressed will eventually recover
Well that much I know
The singer is certain about the previous statement
I'm not the man you want
The singer realizes that they are not what the person being addressed needs or desires
I never should hove looked back in your direction
The singer regrets revisiting a past relationship or situation
I know that
The artist is admitting to a mistake or error in judgment
Just the same old fights again, baby
The artist is frustrated at repeating the same conflicts or disagreements with someone
These are wasted days without affection
The singer is expressing that their current circumstances are empty or unfulfilling
I'm not that foolish anymore
The singer has gained wisdom from past experiences and no longer makes the same mistakes
Lyrics Β© Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE MICHAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ri7ws8bw2k
You should have known
It seemed too easy
You were there
And I was breathing blue
Strange
Don't you think I'm looking older?
But something good has happened to me
Change is a stranger
You have yet to know
Well you're out of time
I'm letting go
You'll be fine
Well that much I know
You're out of time
I'm letting go
I'm not the man you want
I should have known
It seemed so easy
You were there
I thought I needed you
Strange
Don't you think I'm looking older?
But something good has happened to me
Change is a strange
Who never seems to show
Well you're out of time
I'm letting go
You'll be fine
(or maybe you won't)
You're out of time
I'm letting go
I'm not the man that you want
I never should hove looked back in your direction
I know that
Just the same old fights again, baby
These are wasted days without affection
I'm not that foolish anymore
@pal57898
With this album he showed the world that he wasn't just a pretty face and voice. He was a hell of a songwriter and artist as well.
@JusticeForTheDead
YES! So deserving of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame entry he's getting - he is the artist of my lifetime that has made the most impact. Younger folks don't realize he was as big as MJ in the 80s and 90s with more US #1s than anyone not named MJ, and his #2 I Want Your Sex would've been a #1 if not for stations refusing to play it during the day.
@grantcanada1
huge huge record.
@Hammerton32
Great album. But I would say he showed the scope of his talent as a songwriter and artist, a lot earlier. So many iconic songs released before he turned 30.
@pal57898
@@Hammerton32 he did, but he also was made fun of because of his Wham pop catchy songs, I think with this one he shut the critics mouths
@sr-xv4hi
β@Hammerton32 Agree π― from even before Wham. The best alwaysβ€
@sabinescheer7803
The whole album βolderβ is a wonderful, gorgeous and melancholic masterpiece β€ Thank you, George! β€
@paulsmith5157
My favourite album. He wss a genius. RIP mate
@frankwhelan6293
β@@paulsmith5157β€
@user-ck2ed1eg1m
totally, i like rock, blues, punk but this song is my favourite aLL TIME AND THE ALBUM IS SUBLIME