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

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	Good
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Great value for money
Disadvantages:	Some better material has been missed out

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I bought this album on double cassette the week it was released in 1998 on the Sony label; George needed to finish his contract off somehow.

It cost me £9.99. However the CD is now £9.99 in HMV. The cover mainly consists of album sleeves but there is a beautiful shot of George and his dog. She's looking suitably bored!

I love the album title as it also hints at his past bi-sexuality. It's very cheeky, which is typical of George. One cassette is sub-titled "For The Heart" and the other is called "For The Feet". Sides One and Two are a collection of love songs and ballads and Sides Three and Four have the more uptempo tracks. I'll go through each track. The thing that strikes you on the first listen is that many of George's songs don't make sense next to each other. The structures are so different and there are few standard songs which follow the typical "verse, chorus, verse, chorus" pattern. It's hard to believe that some of his songs were written by the same person. He also knows when to take a back seat as well and he doesn't through away good ideas just because they aren't his. He admits he finds it difficult to delegate and would rather do everything himself but sometimes, allowing others a look in, does pay off.

SIDE ONE

1) Jesus To A Child

This song was George's first release from "Older" in 1996 and it entered the charts at number one. It's a beautiful track and George is really pouring his heart out about the death of the first person he ever really loved. "Just when it began, He took your love away". A devastingly beautiful track.

2) Father Figure

This is one of my favourite songs from the "Faith" album. It had a saucy, and somewhat sexually ambiguous video as well but the song is very moody and the finger snaps just add something. I love the bridge. "So when you remember the ones who have lied, who said that they cared but then laughed as you cried".

3) Careless Whisper

What's to say about this song which was released in 1984? Andrew Ridgely wrote it and then the story is, George finished it while on the bus. They were both 17 at the time and this is very sophisticated, in that it has no standard verses and no standard chorus; the title words are only mentioned twice. It's seen as quite a cheesy track these days but it was meant to be cheesy in a way. It was partly about all of the sad love stories you see at the pictures. "Calls to mind the silver screen and all its sad goodbyes". Classic track.

4) Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

A live track, recorded with Elton John. A good version of a good song. The "ladies and gentlemen, Mr Elton John" bit was done a few times and I guess the audience became less and less enthusiastic at each recording but you can't tell from listening to it. Both singers sound brilliant live.

5) You Have Been Loved

In 1991, George was widowed. His partner died and this song is a lament to that and his partner's mother. He may have be suffering but it's nothing to losing a child, seems to be what he is saying. "She sits and counts the hours". Of course, the song has now become synonomous with the death of Diana, Princess of Wales as it reached number two in 1997, the same week "Candle In The Wind" topped the charts. George once said when he wrote the song he had no idea it would become relevant to 3 people he's lost. His partner, his mother and his friend, Diana. It's almost painful listening and George's voice breaks at times.

6) Kissing A Fool

This is a jazz-like track taken from "Faith". It did quite well in the singles charts. I love this song especially the bridge. George sounds quite husky here and I like the bit where his voice goes up an octave.

7) I Can't Make You Love Me

This was actually a B-side and has been put on this album. It's a cover of a Bonnie Rait song and George makes a good job of it.

8) Heal The Pain

This is my favourite George Michael song. It's taken from the under-rated "Listen Without Prejudice". It's a catchy little number.

SIDE TWO

1) A Moment With You

A slightly smutty ballad which is supposedly about the police officer who arrested George in 1998. I rarely listen to this track to be honest. It's funny the first time but it's nothing more than a filler to be honest. George's singing is good though on here and we hear his full range. Pity the song is so boring.

2) Desafinado

I'm ashamed to say I've listened to this once and I can't even tell what language it's meant to be. I'm guessing it's Spanish but I could be wrong. Again, nothing more than a filler track. It's restaurant background music. This was also a B-side but I honestly can't remember which single it's from.

3) Cowboys And Angels

Another track from "Listen Without Prejudice". Another slightly depressing jazz-like number. I think this song got to number 37 in the charts if I remember rightly.

4) Praying For Time

This was the first single to be taken from "Listen Without Prejudice" and I really like it. It's a song that appeals to the conscience. "Charity is a coat you wear, twice a year". It's a very angry track.

5) One More Try

My second favourite George Michael track. It's a beautiful ballad and the tone is very odd. It's about giving up and the stages we go through when we love someone. When is the best time to just call it a day? Who knows but this song is trying to answer those questions. "Maybe, just one more try".

6) A Different Corner

A very unstructured ballad which seems to reflect the jarring feeling that being used by someone you thought loved you can bring. "I should go back to being lonely and confused". This was number one in 1985 and deservedly so.

7) Waltz Away Dreaming

Toby Bourke has the most fantastic, gritty, gravelly voice. It's everything George's isn't and the contrast works really well. This is almost a cover version in that Toby wrote it and recorded it and then George added his twist on the song. The final result is a dedication to George's mother. Toby plays the part of the grieving husband and George is of course, the son. This was a Top 10 hit in 1997.

SIDE THREE

1) Outside

Things get a little more fun this side of the album. "Outside" is the most Wham! like track George has ever recorded as a solo artiste. It's celebrating sex and fun in a blatant fashion. We all know what led to the making of "Outside" and the video which followed but what the press didn't seem to focus on was the fact that George has had many flings with women and had just as much fun outside with them. Talk about double standards...

This is a great disco track as well. Brilliant.

2) As

Mary J Blige has been around for about 14 years now and I still prefer her early music. I do love this cover version of Stevie Wonder's "As" though. George and Mary's voices go well together and I loved the video where there was a night club full of George's and Mary's. I wish there were that many of him to go round. I'll have the 1984 version please!

3) Fast Love

This is a great dance track which got to number one in 1996 and it samples Patrice Rushen's "Forget Me Nots". A saucy and cheeky video (notice the "Phony" headphones!) enhanced the song. It might be celebrating the fun of a one night stand but it's tinged with a hint of sadness. "I miss my baby tonight, so why don't we make a little room in my BMW?".

4) Too Funky

This is taken from the "Red, Hot and Dance" music project which raised money to help the fight against AIDS in 1992. For the more innocent among you, "funky love" is again, sex for its own sake. This track is quite blatantly about sex and it's good for the dance floor.

5) Freedom 90

It's called Freedom 90 in attempt to avoid confusion with the Wham! song "Freedom". However the "90" part makes it look like a re-mix...

Anyway, this song is about George and how he felt at the time. It's taken from "Listen Without Prejudice" and of course, the problems with Sony were happening at the time and George didn't even appear in the video. It's a catchy tune but George sounds miserable and angry even when discussing his youth. "Didn't know what I wanted to be".

6) Star People 97

The original version of this in on the "Older" album and this version couldn't be more different. The cut is actually the demo version and a different version again was released on single. George did the single re-mix just days after his mother died and his anger is evident. "Who gives a f**k about your problems, darlin'?".

He's complaining about stars who constantly grumble about their lot. "Get yourself some Oprah cash".

7) Killer/Papa Was a Rollin' Stone

Taken from the "Five Live EP" this little medley was recorded live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute concert and it's excellent. I love the 2 songs being spliced together and George sings as good as ever. He'd be even better if he stopped smoking!

8) I Want Your Sex (Part Two)

It's strange that part two made this collection and not part one, which was the big hit single. This part is actually about the love behind the sex. It's hard to believe that this caused controversy in 1987. The press really are pathetic sometimes!

SIDE FOUR

1) The Strangest Thing 97

A slower version of this song is on the "Older" album. This re-mix feels quite "trippy" in places I have to say! I love it though. "Take my dreams, childish and weak at the seams, please don't analyse, please just be there for me". I prefer this to the album version.

2) Fantasy

This is a another B-side and it could have been a single I think. It's about being left alone while someone decides if they really want to be with you or not. It's a decent pop track.

3) Spinning The Wheel

This is quite a boring song in my opinion. I rarely listen to it. I think there were better songs from "Older" which could have been released.

4) Waiting For That Day

Sampling James Brown's "Get Up Like A Sex Machine" and borrowing from the Rolling Stone's "You Can't Always Get What You Want" this mid-tempo track deserved to better in the charts. It's about not being able to let someone go, at least not from your memories. "My memory serves me far too well". The James Brown sample is barely recognisable as it is slowed right down but it's the back bone of this track and the guitars are the icing on the cake. One of my favourites.

5) I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

This duet with Aretha Franklin always felt to me as though it was a corporate decision and the 2 artistes had little say in the matter. It's a good song but it feels contrived. It was a big hit in 1987 but even after all these years, I can't quite catch some of the lyrics. It's got a good chorus but it's really quite average.

6) Hard Day

This is an album track from "Faith" and I love the synethesiser effects. It's about a couple arguing and while it's repetitive, it's very listenable.

7) Faith

I've never been a big fan of this song. It's bluesy and country in places and it won George many accolades especially in the USA. However, I'm not keen on the lyrics. It sounds like someone very much making excuses or maybe that's the point. I don't know. I like the church organ in the introduction but it wasn't until 1996 I realised it's actually "Freedom" by Wham!

8) Somebody To Love

This is a live track with Queen and George sure knows how to work an audience. Brilliant.

So, there we have it. A few tracks could have been left out, in my opinion and I would have liked "You Know That I Want To", "Older", "Look At Your Hands" and "Monkey" to have been on this album but all in all this is a great collection from one of our most talented singer/songwriters. George retiring? I'll believe it when I see it.

This collection is dedicated in its entirety to George's mother, Lesley.