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)
The Long and Winding Road
George Michael Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will never disappear,
I've seen that road before It always leads me here,
Leads me to your door.
The wild and windy night the rain washed away,
Has left a pool of tears crying for the day.
Why leave me standing here, let me know the way
Many times I've been alone and many times I've cried
Anyway you'll never know the many ways I've tried, but
Still they lead me back to the long and winding road
You left me standing here a long, long time ago
Don't leave me waiting here, lead me to you door
The lyrics of "The Long and Winding Road" by George Michael speak of a longing and yearning for a connection with someone special. The first paragraph describes a journey that seems endless and repetitive, symbolized by the long and winding road that leads to the person's door. Despite the uncertainty and challenges of this path, the singer finds themselves continuously drawn back to this destination, emphasizing the inevitability of their return.
The second paragraph introduces a sense of melancholy and longing, referring to a wild and windy night where the rain has washed away past pain and sorrow, leaving only tears and a desire for better days ahead. The singer expresses frustration and confusion, questioning why they are left waiting and feeling lost, seeking guidance and direction in the face of emotional turmoil.
The third paragraph delves deeper into the singer's feelings of isolation and sadness, recounting moments of loneliness and despair. Despite their efforts and attempts to overcome obstacles, the singer feels unseen and misunderstood by the person they are yearning for. The repetition of being led back to the long and winding road highlights a sense of circularity and struggle in their emotional journey.
In the final paragraph, the desperation and longing for connection intensify as the singer pleads not to be left waiting and alone any longer. The mention of being left standing at the door a long time ago suggests a past disappointment or abandonment, emphasizing the urgency and hope for reconciliation and closeness with the person they desire. Overall, these lyrics portray a poignant and emotional exploration of love, loss, and the enduring search for connection and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
The long and winding road that leads to your door,
The complex and challenging journey that brings me to you
Will never disappear,
The path to you will always remain
I've seen that road before It always leads me here,
I've traveled this road many times, always bringing me to you
Leads me to your door.
Guiding me to your presence
The wild and windy night the rain washed away,
The stormy and tumultuous times that have passed
Has left a pool of tears crying for the day.
Leaving behind sadness yearning for a brighter future
Why leave me standing here, let me know the way
Why abandon me here? Show me the path forward
Many times I've been alone and many times I've cried
I've experienced solitude and sorrow countless times
Anyway you'll never know the many ways I've tried, but
You may never realize the extent of my efforts, yet
Still they lead me back to the long and winding road
Yet, they always guide me back to the challenging path to you
You left me standing here a long, long time ago
You deserted me here a considerable time in the past
Don't leave me waiting here, lead me to you door
Don't keep me waiting here, guide me to your presence
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Carrie Boultby
A most moving song from The Beatles. I love this. Michael sings it well, but I still prefer the original
Michaela George
for me, it's the other way round. I prefer George's version. His voice is more beautiful and has more power.
Joanne Adair
Beautiful man.
Joan Durney
Oh George I miss you so much. Love this song
meow meow meow
this song from The Beatles 🌹🎶🎹
CANAL DO MANGUE
REALLY!!
Carmen jovine
❤
JAMET betty
Elle est Très Belle Cette Musique George j'Adore "De Bons Souvenirs de ton Passage avec nous et tes Musiques" Betty de Bretagne le 31.08.2017 ;;
Grant Bennett333
Fish shop.boy .. George Michael....isn't dead gorgeous George fained his death.....