Ladies And Gentlemen (The Best Of George Michael) - George Michael > Reviews > A man of convenience

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	the 2nd cd
Disadvantages:	a few fillers on the 1st cd

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

With 11 British No.1 singles, six No.1 albums, worldwide record sales of over 67 million and numerous accolades, a greatest hits compilation was not only long overdue but also ardently awaited. Fortunately, it is all worth it.

I wouldn’t describe myself as a George Michael fanatic but with hits like these his talent and popularity is indisputable. Who else would turn charges of lewd conduct after being arrested by Los Angeles police in a men’s toilet into buoyant reportage, releasing a single on the scandal and gaining him even more fans in the process? Only the former Wham leader, and now gay icon Georgios I suspect.

The collection is separated into 2 CDs, this is nothing new. However, this is a double disc with a difference, and a reason. The two are for different moods – CD 1 ‘for the heart’ and CD 2 ‘for the feet’. Whether or not he thinks he’s Shakespeare (although heart and feet are hardly rivals for imperative topics like tragedy, comedy and history) it’s still quite a nifty little idea.

*CD 1: For The Heart
1. Jesus to a child
2. Father Figure
3. Careless whisper
4. Don’t let the sun go down on me
5. You have been loved
6. Kissing a fool
7. I can't make you love me
8. Heal the pain
9. Moment with you
10. Desafinado
11. Cowboys and angels
12. Praying for time
13. One more try
14. Different corner

A satisfactory range of Michael’s slower songs, but I can’t help but sense a few fillers. However these are pretty much counteracted by the highpoints, one being his emotional duet with Elton John - ‘Don’t let the sun go down on me’. This can easily be filed in the corny section though, depending on how you look at it.
Father figure, my personal favourite from the first CD, is another highpoint. Touching lyrics (‘If you are the desert, I'll be the sea, if you ever hunger - hunger for me, whatever you ask for, that's what I'll be’), powerful backing vocals and an omnipresent steady beat building to a crescendo for the choruses. ‘You have been loved’, having appeared on the ‘Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute’ compilation is a woeful tale of love and loss.

*CD 2 – For The Feet
1. Outside
2. As
3. Fastlove
4. Too funky
5. Freedom 90
6. Star people 97
7. Killer/Papa was a rollin’ stone
8. I want your sex
9. Strangest thing 97
10. Fantasy
11. Spinning the wheel
12. Waiting for the day
13. I knew you were waiting (for me)
14. Faith

I personally prefer the second CD. It exudes the vivacity that Michael himself seems to bask in and includes more recognizable hits than those on ‘for the heart’. The first track, ‘Outside’, released after the scandal mentioned at the beginning of the review, is a fun disco track topped with Village People sprinkles (the video, set in a disco-cum-urinal is hilarious). Freedom, brought to youth’s attention by Robbie Williams after he parted with Take-That, is still an excellent track (helped no doubt by Michael’s supermodel-saturated video) and like most songs, the original is always better - no matter how much of a good job Mr. Williams did. Fastlove is, in my humble opinion, one of George Michael’s best songs, and its place on this compilation is well deserved. However, I have saved the best until last – ‘Faith’. Although Limp Bizkit managed to cover it with a very different rendition, it is an undeniable classic and possibly the best on the album.

All in all, I would say that this compilation is almost painfully worthy of the ‘Greatest Hits’ title. I would recommend this to any fan of George Michael’s and any fan of pop music (because as good as it is, that is what it is at the end of the day).