George Michael part 2

In 1991, at the Rock in Rio concert, George Michael met Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian fashion designer. They fell in love. Six months into their relationship, Feleppa discovered that he had AIDS. He died in 1993.

In 2008, speaking about the loss, George said: "It was a terribly depressing time. It took about three years to grieve, then after that I lost my mother. I felt almost like I was cursed." George dedicated his 1996 album Older and especially the song Jesus To A Child to the memory of Anselmo. It is such a beautiful song, perhaps his best. It was also a very big hit: #1 in the UK, Ireland and Australia, Gold in the US, Silver in France.

And what have I learned

From all this pain

I thought I never feel the same

About anyone

Or anything again

But now I know

When you find love

When you know that it exists

Then the lover that you miss

Will come to you on those cold, cold nights

When you've been loved

When you know it holds such bliss

Then the lover that you kissed

Will comfort you when there is no hope in sight

Sadness in my eyes

No one guessed, well no one tried

You smiled at me

Like, Jesus to a child

But people cannot live on memories alone, so in 1996, George entered into a long-term relationship with Kenny Goss, a former flight attendant, cheerleader coach and sportswear executive from Dallas, Texas. They were together for more than 10 years.

Before we get back to Older, let's discuss two notable and very successful collaborations of his: In 1991 he sang the absolute classic Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me with the song's composer and original performer, Elton John. The gay star-power that poured out of this pairing was amazing. The single was an even bigger hit than the original, a #1 in the US, The UK, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland, a #2 in Ireland, Sweden and Austria, #3 in Australia and #4 in Germany.

At the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in April 1992 he performed Somebody To Love with Queen's remaining members. In 1993 it was released in the UK and Ireland coupled with a mix of two other live performances by George, Adamski's Killer and the Temptation's Papa Was A Rollin' Stone. It went to #1 in both countries.

Here's Somebody To Love:

And here's Killer / Papa Was A Rollin' Stone:

The release of Older in 1996 was eagerly anticipated. George's first album in 5 years: in the UK, it had a huge first week and sustained its success, becoming the 23d fastest-selling album of all time. A huge hit all over Europe, (#1 in most markets, Top 3 in the rest), Australia & New Zealand (#1), Japan & Canada (#3). It fared slightly worse in the US, peaking at #6. The reviews were mixed, although many critics appreciated the fact that he was willing to explore new grounds and not repeat a winning formula.

6 singles were released and all of them reached the UK Top 3, setting a Top 3 all-time record. The 1st one was Jesus To A Child, which we have already discussed. The 2nd was Fastlove: it was critically well received and commercially successful (gold in the US, the UK and France. Platinum in Australia).

The 3d was Spinning The Wheel (#1 in Spain, #2 in the UK). The song deals with a situation that's not all that rare: the ramifications of having a sexually promiscuous partner in the AIDS era.

I would rather be alone than watch you

Spinnin' that wheel for me

You've got a thing about danger

Ain't you gettin' what you want from me?

The title track Older was released as a double A-side with Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me. It made #3 in the UK and #6 in Ireland. It had a jazzy feel and was quite appealing, but still it was the least successful single from this album.

The next one, Star People, did slightly better. It has the distinction of being the last official George Michael single to be released in the US. It bubbled under the Hot 100.

The last single, You Have Been Loved, is my 2nd favorite of the album. It was only a big hit in the UK (#2). Like my other favorite from this album, Jesus To A Child, it too was dedicated to his recently deceased lover, Anselmo Feleppa.

In 1998, George was arrested for "engaging in a lewd act" in a public restroom in Beverly Hills, in a sting operation, one of those marginally legal and definitely homophobic operations that happen all over the world. As George said: "I got followed into the restroom and then this cop - I didn't know it was a cop, obviously - he started playing this game, which I think is called, 'I'll show you mine, you show me yours, and then when you show me yours, I'm going to arrest you."

I'll just go on and say it, I totally stand by George Michael in all of this. If a sexually attractive man had proclaimed his interest in me, I may had been tempted to play along, if only momentarily, just for the fun of it. Being no hypocrite, I certainly cannot condemn George for that. I will go even further and declare my solidarity for his declaration, a few years later, that he cruises for anonymous sex and that this was not an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny Goss. Every person has a right to engage in any consensual sexual acts that he cares for and that's fine by me. I don't have to like it in order to support his right to go for it. Sure, it's dangerous, but for many people this sense of danger adds to the pleasure. When all is said and done it's every individual's choice and it's respected as such.

Till then, George was out to his friends, to the artistic and to the gay community. After that, he was out to the whole world and he received a lot of ridicule and anger. His reaction was a good one though: he released the single Outside, chronicling his adventure in the official video, which featured men dressed as policemen kissing. In the UK, it was a big #2 hit.

George also had drug problems, but it was mostly with cannabis. For a Pop Star, there are much worse drugs that he could have been involved with. Just don't smoke and drive, George!

After a very successful "best of" collection, George released Songs From The Last Century in 1999. It was a collection of covers of songs that he loves. It sold a respectable +3.6 m globally. It was less than a fourth of what the previous one had made, however. Here are two songs that I love. First the touching Depression Era Bing Crosby hit, Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Here's Wild Is The Wind, the Oscar-nominated song from the film of the same name, first made a hit by Johnny Mathis and having had spectacular covers both by Nina Simone and David Bowie.

His last studio album, so far, is Patience from 2004. It did sell +4 m worldwide, so it did a bit better than the previous one. The album opens with the title track, a spiritual song.

It's like a conversation where no one stops to breathe

Is it my imagination or did God already leave the table?

Such destruction and pure white castles in the sand

No time for introduction with all that money changing hands

Amazing is dedicated to his then partner, Kenny Goss. It was a big hit all over Europe (#1 in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Poland) and #1 US Dance Club Songs.

I was mixed up when you came to me

Too broke to fix

Said, "Daddy get you gone, I'm missing my baby

Still missing my baby"

I was stitched up by the hands of fate

Said, "How you gonna make it on your own

If luck is a lady?

Maybe luck is a lady"

I was going down for the third time

My heart was broken, I was not open to your suggestions

I had so many questions

That you just kissed away

Tell me, I guess that cupid was in disguise

The day you walked in and changed my life

I think it's amazing

The way that love can set you free

So now I walk in the midday sun

I never thought that my savior would come

I think it's amazing, I think it's amazing

I think you're amazing

You tried to save me from myself

Said, "Darling, kiss as many as you want!

My love's still available

And I know you're insatiable"

John and Elvis Are Dead is a cry to God for life's injustices.

My Mother Had A Brother is a deeply moving ode to an older generation gay man, who couldn't bear to live through the repression of his time:

My mother had a brother

They say that I was born on the day that he died

Someone to cling to, she said

When all the noises and the shame came calling

My mother had a brother

I thought I knew them all, I thought I knew but she lied

I said, "Show me his face again

Tell me again why he died"

She said, he couldn't wait for the things that I've seen

She said, he wasn't strong enough

He never dared to dream a life like mine

My mother had a brother, over-sensitive and kind

Seems it all became much too much for him, it seems he took his own life

Mum, I can't imagine the joy and pain in equal measure

Tears in the dirt, and all over your newborn treasure

I guess he had to wait until my momma had me

I guess he couldn't wait another moment to be free

In endless sky

But mama will you tell him from your boy

The times they changed

I guess the world was getting warmer

And we got stronger

Mother, will you tell him about my joy

I live each day for him

The sun came out, yeah

And I'm just breathing it in, yeah

My mother had a brother

Same desire, different time

Seems the empty spaces tortured him

Until he took his own life

I don't know why I waited so long for love

I just don't know what I was thinking of

All that wasted time

But mama, will you tell him from your boy

The times they changed

I guess the world was getting warmer

While we got stronger

Mother, will you tell him about my joy

I live each day with him

Your son came out, yeah, yeah

And I'm still breathing it in

And I swear now that freedom is here

I'm gonna taste it all for you, boy

I'm bad to the bone, I'm just a little torn

I'm making so much love

So those of us who have nothing to fear

We've got to make damn sure that it was worth it

I'm bad to the bone, I'm just a little stoned

I'm making so much love, I'm making so much love

I was a prisoner, but he saved me

Broke into my dreams and said, "Who cares?

I was a prisoner, so disgrace me

I'm glad to be home and I don't believe they care

Flawless (Go to the City) is a sexy dance song. It made #1 in Portugal and in the US Dance Club Songs chart.

American Angel was another song dedicated to his partner Kenny Goss.

Bless the day you came into my life, I still remember

Horny cowboy with your stars and stripes

Bringing the light into my day

With that Texan smile

Too afraid to love

To hope that you would stay

So broken that I never saw you

Chase the past away

My American angel, he doesn't want to fight

My U.S. of Angel, holds me in the dead of night

Takes away that fear that I carried forever

You stopped to wipe away my tears

And you stayed forever and more

To restore the balance, Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song), was dedicated to Anselmo Feleppa.

Some people said, "If I could only care for you"

Some people said, "He will never love again"

Some people said, "You can see it in his eyes

He keeps it all inside and yet"

Some people say, "In time, we all teach ourselves to live this way"

And for a thousand days, I was lost

I thought never, never, never to be found

Underground

And don't you think I'm ready now?

So please send me someone to love

Please send me someone, someone to love

As much as I loved you

(The way I loved you, darlin')

Please, please send me someone, someone to love

After celebrating his two big loves, with Freeek! he celebrates promiscuous sexuality. It was the first single off the album, a full two years before the album came out. It was #1 in Spain, Portugal and Denmark.

Through betrays his state of mind at that moment:

I guess it's tough, I guess I'm older

And everything must change

But all this cruelty and money instead of love

People, have we no shame?

They may chase me to the ends of the earth

But I've got you babe

And they may take away the things that I've worked for

But you'll pull me through, babe

It's so clear to me now

I've enough of these chains

Life is there for the taking

What kind of fool would remain in this, in this cheap gilded cage

I've no memory of truth

But suddenly the audience is so cruel

Oh God, I'm sorry

I think I'm through

I think I'm through

I think I, I know I

I'm through

Finally, An Easier Affair, a new song for his collection called Twenty Five, in 2006, was another beautiful confessional song:

Here comes one for the ladies

For the ones who love me

To think I thought, I could be

Some kind of family man

I told myself I was straight

But I shouldn't have worried

Cos my Maker had a better plans for me

And I'm dancing with the freaks now

I'm havin', I'm havin' so much fun, in here

What you sow is what you reap now

I'll do my dance with everyone

I've been getting too much sun

Yes, I'm dancin' with the freaks now

We're havin', we're havin' too much fun for them, baby

Look who's talking guilty feet now

Well, let me tell you people, it's an easier affair

Not living my life with other people on my mind

No, got nothing to hide from anyone

Yes, I'm walking on new air just living my life

Better believe, I'm gonna get what's mine

See, I don't have the time for the haters

And all the time that I wasted

How careless of me

Too young and stupid to see

I put my life in their hands

(Gonna look for Cupid, man)

Oh and I know that they want me to hate them

There's no hurry for now

I'll just have to be the bigger man, see

Dancin', dancin' with the freaks now

I'm havin', I'm havin' so much fun, in here

What you sow is what you reap now

I'll do my dance with everyone

I've been getting too much sun

If I turn the other cheek now

Would that be, would that be too much fun for them?

Look who's talking guilty feet now

Then, let me tell you people it's an easier affair

Not livin' my life with other people on my mind

No, got nothing to hide from anyone

'Cos I'm walking on new air just living my life

Better believe, I'm gonna get what's mine

See, I don't have the time for the haters

Don't let them tell you who you are is not enough

Don't let them tell you that it's wrong that you won't find love

Don't let them use my life to put your future down

Don't let them tell you that happiness can't be found

Sticks and stones won't kill the boner

That I have for my life, yeah

Take it to the streets, there are stories you can keep

They're just passing you by

Don't let them tell you who you are is not enough

Don't let them tell you that it's wrong that you won't find love

Don't let them use my life to put your future down

Don't let them tell you that happiness can't be found

And I'm loving it, everyday of it

Everyday's just the way I want to live

And my heart is full and I know for sure

Love will always win, everyday of it

Everyday's just the way I want to live

And my heart is full and I know for sure

George has been donating in charity causes throughout the years, occasionally gives private concerts for billionaires, has released an autobiography, has occasional trouble with the law (mainly for driving under the influence of cannabis) and has his share of health problems, but has recovered every time. He's not perfect and he knows it, but he tries to live as truthfully as he can. Plus, he's left the world a lot of great songs. For me, that's enough.