25 years of Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
November 15, 2015 3:16 PM Subscribe
In early November 1990, George Michael released the VHS documentary GEORGE MICHÆL, the fourth release in support of his floundering second solo album Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1.
LWP was the follow-up to Michael's mammoth hit Faith (MetaFilter previously), and anticipation was high. The first hint of new material came with the enigmatic video for Praying For Time, the lead-off single and later to be revealed opening track from the new album, released in August of 1990. Three weeks later, the full album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released.
Disappointed with the performance of LWP, George Michael began a fight with Sony, the parent company of his record label. This led to the abandonment of the follow-up Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2, which was intended to be a more upbeat, dance-oriented album. Some tracks intended for that were released as part of the Red Hot + Dance AIDS charity album, including Too Funky [Original Director's Cut, varies a lot from the official video bonus Making Of video with terrible sound quality but pretty interesting, in French, also full-length Extended Mix] the single for which also included Crazyman Dance [Ed: I think this is one of Michael's best tracks across his entire career.], Do You Really Want To Know, and Happy.
These would be the last original compositions that George Michael would release for many years. He would go on to release some EPs including duets with Elton John and fronting Queen after Freddie Mercury's death, but it wouldn't be until 1996 before his next actual album of original material was released. By that time, he'd lost any status in the US pop scene (although he continues to have mammoth popularity around the rest of the globe), and he would never again be a major hit-maker in America.
LWP was the follow-up to Michael's mammoth hit Faith (MetaFilter previously), and anticipation was high. The first hint of new material came with the enigmatic video for Praying For Time, the lead-off single and later to be revealed opening track from the new album, released in August of 1990. Three weeks later, the full album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released.
Praying For TimeListen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 full album, for those who prefer to listen that way.The track went to Number 1 in the US but only peaked at #6 in the UK. George Michael's stated desire to not appear in any of the videos for the album only helped to make the video an MTV hit. The single included If You Were My Woman, a cover of a Gladys Knight And The Pips song performed at Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday in 1988.Freedom! 90The third single (or second single outside the UK) went to the top ten in the US and Canada, but only peaked at 28 in the UK. The David Fincher-directed video features Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz, and Cindy Crawford instead of George Michael, and has become a video classic. The US single included Fantasy (a leftover from the Faith recording sessions) and Freedom (Back To Reality Mix), which included elements of Soul II Soul's Back To Life. [In 1996 Robbie Williams used Freedom as his first, non-album single announcing his arrival as a solo artist after leaving Take That.]They Won't Go When I GoThis Stevie Wonder cover was recorded "live" with Micheal doing all the vocal harmonies himself.Something To Save
Cowboys And AngelsThe fifth single from LWP, it failed to crack the top 40 in the UK and didn't chart at all in the US. It's the only single that Michael has released that didn't enter the UK top 40.Waiting For That DayThe lead-off track for Side 2, this was the second UK single from the album. It hit #23 on the UK charts and #27 in the US. It did not have any official video released with it. It was groundbreaking at the time for its use of a sampled drum track, as sampling had previously been mostly used for hip-hop. Songwriting credit was later challenged resulting in Jagger/Richards being added to the credits for the closing use of "You Can't Always Get What You Want".Mother's PrideWhile never officially released as a single, this song did chart in the US during the Gulf War (reaching #46), used by radio stations as musical underscore for called-in testimonials about their family members and friends who were soldiers. American jingoism knows no irony.Heal The PainThe fourth single from LWP, it peaked at #31 in the UK, continuing the trend of every single being less popular than the predecessor. No official video was produced. The song was recorded later as a duet with Paul McCartney.Soul FreeThe sixth and final single from this album failed to chart anywhere outside of Australia where it only reached #95.Waiting (Reprise)
Disappointed with the performance of LWP, George Michael began a fight with Sony, the parent company of his record label. This led to the abandonment of the follow-up Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2, which was intended to be a more upbeat, dance-oriented album. Some tracks intended for that were released as part of the Red Hot + Dance AIDS charity album, including Too Funky [Original Director's Cut, varies a lot from the official video bonus Making Of video with terrible sound quality but pretty interesting, in French, also full-length Extended Mix] the single for which also included Crazyman Dance [Ed: I think this is one of Michael's best tracks across his entire career.], Do You Really Want To Know, and Happy.
These would be the last original compositions that George Michael would release for many years. He would go on to release some EPs including duets with Elton John and fronting Queen after Freddie Mercury's death, but it wouldn't be until 1996 before his next actual album of original material was released. By that time, he'd lost any status in the US pop scene (although he continues to have mammoth popularity around the rest of the globe), and he would never again be a major hit-maker in America.
It was no 'Man of Miracles', but it was OK.
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:54 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by Jessica Savitch's Coke Spoon at 3:54 PM on November 15, 2015
So help me, I love Freedom! '90 with all my heart.
posted by mochapickle at 4:31 PM on November 15, 2015 [28 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 4:31 PM on November 15, 2015 [28 favorites]
Freedom! '90 may be one of the most perfectly-crafted pop songs ever.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:34 PM on November 15, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 4:34 PM on November 15, 2015 [14 favorites]
Michael was an odd case. He started as this airy pop tune dude with Wham, swerved unexpectedly into a solo musician critics started to take seriously almost despite themselves, became a punchline for homophobes everywhere following the mensroom bust stuff... and then he just went away. In 1990 I don't think anybody expected that his time in the spotlight was nearly over.
It always seemed like his career kind of stopped right in the middle of things. I wonder how much of that was due to homophobia, the scandal following the bust. I don't think it was really a big shock to people to learn he was gay, but the bust was a rather sordid way for him to be yanked out of the closet and it was a time when straights were a lot more squeamish about LGBT stuff in general. These days a star like Michael might not be be closeted at all, and a bust like that would probably be a rather minor blip in his career. If Sam Smith (to cite a totally random example) was busted like that tomorrow, I doubt anybody would remember it a year later. But that stupid story will probably follow Michael to the grave.
Ursula Hitler's Story Corner:
Way back when I knew a dear sweet girl who got a couple of George Michael songs mixed up, something we found out when we overheard her singing to herself: "'Cause I gotta have sex... I gotta have sex.... Yeah I gotta have sexy-sexy-sex."
Aye, an angel fallen from heaven, she was.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 4:38 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
It always seemed like his career kind of stopped right in the middle of things. I wonder how much of that was due to homophobia, the scandal following the bust. I don't think it was really a big shock to people to learn he was gay, but the bust was a rather sordid way for him to be yanked out of the closet and it was a time when straights were a lot more squeamish about LGBT stuff in general. These days a star like Michael might not be be closeted at all, and a bust like that would probably be a rather minor blip in his career. If Sam Smith (to cite a totally random example) was busted like that tomorrow, I doubt anybody would remember it a year later. But that stupid story will probably follow Michael to the grave.
Ursula Hitler's Story Corner:
Way back when I knew a dear sweet girl who got a couple of George Michael songs mixed up, something we found out when we overheard her singing to herself: "'Cause I gotta have sex... I gotta have sex.... Yeah I gotta have sexy-sexy-sex."
Aye, an angel fallen from heaven, she was.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 4:38 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
Him?
posted by clockzero at 4:42 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by clockzero at 4:42 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Um... George Micheal's men's room arrest didn't happen until 1998.
And his time in the spotlight was only "over' in the US. He remains a major artist in many other countries.
posted by hippybear at 4:44 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
And his time in the spotlight was only "over' in the US. He remains a major artist in many other countries.
posted by hippybear at 4:44 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I admit that I wasn't that big a fan of his when he was actually around, but dammit if his Best Of isn't in regular rotation in my house now. There's no better album for getting housework done, the iPod on, half-dancing, half-scrubbing, and Freedom '90 is at the core of that. Repeat, repeat, repeat. And 'housework music' may seem like a bit of a slight, but it's really not -- there's a comfort level to it not much else achieves, and a rare self-abandon it invites for you to sing along to make a happy job of scrubbing toilets.
posted by Capt. Renault at 4:47 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by Capt. Renault at 4:47 PM on November 15, 2015 [7 favorites]
Music from just before the dawn of grunge was much more fun than what came for a while after.
posted by humanfont at 4:49 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by humanfont at 4:49 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
But that stupid story will probably follow Michael to the grave.
Not only is he still kicking in the rest of the world, charting and going on massive tours, that bathroom bust is his least interesting arrest.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:53 PM on November 15, 2015 [11 favorites]
Not only is he still kicking in the rest of the world, charting and going on massive tours, that bathroom bust is his least interesting arrest.
posted by Lyn Never at 4:53 PM on November 15, 2015 [11 favorites]
Faith is one of very few songs that will make me dance no matter where I am or what I'm doing when I hear it. And now I especially look forward to the next time I hear it, given Ursula Hitler's story.
posted by Ruki at 5:04 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by Ruki at 5:04 PM on November 15, 2015
Didn't he perform at they London Olympics closing ceremonies? I seem to recall his facial hair being a fairly bold statement.
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:07 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:07 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Chiming in to agree that Freedom 90 is one of the best pop songs ever.
posted by JLovebomb at 5:16 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by JLovebomb at 5:16 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I still love George Michael. I'm not ashamed to admit it.
posted by SisterHavana at 5:30 PM on November 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by SisterHavana at 5:30 PM on November 15, 2015 [4 favorites]
Missing the '90s just now. "Too Funky" was a dance mixtape staple. Thanks for posting this.
posted by the sobsister at 5:38 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by the sobsister at 5:38 PM on November 15, 2015
He's perhaps best know these days for a variety of mildly bizarre incidents involving cars, nocturnal rambles on Hampstead Heath and rock-star-related health-and-clinic rumours. Next year is the 30th anniversary of the demise of Wham!, so I expect The Bubble With The Stubble will be back in harness. Always had a soft spot for him, some cracking tunes and seems to cope with his various ups and downs with an engaging mix of unashamedness and self-deprecation.
posted by Devonian at 5:40 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by Devonian at 5:40 PM on November 15, 2015
So now I've listened to like every live version of Freedom on YouTube. It really is the prefect pop song. I had a copy of Listen Without Prejudice back in the day and I mostly just put Freedom on repeat.
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:42 PM on November 15, 2015
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:42 PM on November 15, 2015
The George Michael songs from this time (in particular "Freedom! '90" and everything on Red, Hot, + Dance) were so important to 15/16 year old me that it's hard for me to remember that this wasn't considered a successful album in the U.S.
This post is just what to fight my cold and Sunday-before-Monday-bad mood. I OFTEN imagine a jukebox musical that tells the story of George Michael's life and his career. At so many points, when he left Wham!, when this album came out, and beyond, a lot of the themes are about him running away from what he's been while constantly referring back to it. That coupled with his sexuality and drug use basically means the musical writes itself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 5:54 PM on November 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
This post is just what to fight my cold and Sunday-before-Monday-bad mood. I OFTEN imagine a jukebox musical that tells the story of George Michael's life and his career. At so many points, when he left Wham!, when this album came out, and beyond, a lot of the themes are about him running away from what he's been while constantly referring back to it. That coupled with his sexuality and drug use basically means the musical writes itself.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 5:54 PM on November 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
I feel like people are trying to say the restroom bust wasn't a big, scandalous story and it had no major impact on his career and he's still doing fine. Well, I said I WONDERED if the homophobic response damaged his career... and in the US at least it was indeed a huge, sordid story and following that he was pretty much done here. To say he's "best known" for more recent things is definitely not accurate in the US. Lazy comedians still use that story as a punchline, just like they still go for jerk-off jokes about Pee Wee Herman.
I wasn't claiming to be an authority on the guy. What I wrote reflected my experience in the US, but if it doesn't match the read by his fans in other parts of the world, fine.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 6:00 PM on November 15, 2015
I wasn't claiming to be an authority on the guy. What I wrote reflected my experience in the US, but if it doesn't match the read by his fans in other parts of the world, fine.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 6:00 PM on November 15, 2015
I OFTEN imagine a jukebox musical that tells the story of George Michael's life and his career.
This needs to happen. (I'm surprised there hasn't been one already!)
posted by SisterHavana at 6:01 PM on November 15, 2015
This needs to happen. (I'm surprised there hasn't been one already!)
posted by SisterHavana at 6:01 PM on November 15, 2015
Like any good headbanger/punk/buttrocker, I hated Wham!, but I loved "Father Figure."
I know, different album, but FWIW.
posted by jonmc at 6:04 PM on November 15, 2015
I know, different album, but FWIW.
posted by jonmc at 6:04 PM on November 15, 2015
No love for the weird, wild cover mashup GM did of Adamski/Seal's "Killer" and The Temptations' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone?"
posted by infinitewindow at 6:18 PM on November 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by infinitewindow at 6:18 PM on November 15, 2015 [5 favorites]
The bathroom bust brought us the world's greatest U MAD BRO in the form of the video for Outside.
posted by poffin boffin at 6:21 PM on November 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 6:21 PM on November 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
LWP is a friggin' great album.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 7:07 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 7:07 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
No, the other singer was Brian Dunkleman
posted by Mchelly at 7:31 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mchelly at 7:31 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
(that was a joke, btw).
Meanwhile, the video for Freedom '90 is one of the few videos I can watch over and over in a row. So beautiful.
posted by Mchelly at 7:32 PM on November 15, 2015
Meanwhile, the video for Freedom '90 is one of the few videos I can watch over and over in a row. So beautiful.
posted by Mchelly at 7:32 PM on November 15, 2015
Once I had a hopeless crush that I wanted to get over, so I made myself hear the saxy opening bars of "Careless Whisper" everytime I saw her, and then I couldn't help but laugh
posted by clockzero at 8:06 PM on November 15, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by clockzero at 8:06 PM on November 15, 2015 [6 favorites]
Clockzero, if you haven't seen the sexy sax man in action, you must.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:16 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:16 PM on November 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm not really sure if I should even comment about this, but...
LWP was released as my husband's AIDS was ramping up, and we glommed onto this record together. I tend to hear it from a different perspective, I guess, it's not only a marvelous pop album but fraught with meaning that is pretty much my own. Praying For Time, hanging onto hope when there is no hope to speak of. Waiting For That Day... when you spend a year swearing you just saw him down the block (that happened quite a lot), and you know you'll never see his face again.
OK, that's a bit gloomy and a little over the top, but you get the idea. I love this record. It will always have a special place in my heart. I can listen to it and dance, and I can listen to it and cry. It just depends. It doesn't surface often in my playlist these days, but it's another wonderful listen when it does.
posted by wallabear at 10:00 PM on November 15, 2015 [13 favorites]
LWP was released as my husband's AIDS was ramping up, and we glommed onto this record together. I tend to hear it from a different perspective, I guess, it's not only a marvelous pop album but fraught with meaning that is pretty much my own. Praying For Time, hanging onto hope when there is no hope to speak of. Waiting For That Day... when you spend a year swearing you just saw him down the block (that happened quite a lot), and you know you'll never see his face again.
OK, that's a bit gloomy and a little over the top, but you get the idea. I love this record. It will always have a special place in my heart. I can listen to it and dance, and I can listen to it and cry. It just depends. It doesn't surface often in my playlist these days, but it's another wonderful listen when it does.
posted by wallabear at 10:00 PM on November 15, 2015 [13 favorites]
It is amazing how he was involved in two knockout pop songs (Freedom '90 and Faith) that are absolutely among their respective decade's best. And then the videos are both referring and defining some of the great images of those decades as well. Faith is Avedon for the young, and Freedom '90 is all Herb Ritts turned up to 11. (Too Funky's pretty great too, and thanks to this post, I now know who directed the first pass at it.)
I went to an all-boys high school at the pivot point of the 80s into the 90s. When Freedom '90 came out, every guy in that school talked about the video: the sportos, motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads all thought it was a righteous video. At a recent alumni event, we wound up discussing great videos and Freedom '90 was at or near the top of everyone's list. It still holds up. And now, a few of us can now be a little more free discussing which parts we find hot. Ahem.
posted by aureliobuendia at 10:47 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
I went to an all-boys high school at the pivot point of the 80s into the 90s. When Freedom '90 came out, every guy in that school talked about the video: the sportos, motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads all thought it was a righteous video. At a recent alumni event, we wound up discussing great videos and Freedom '90 was at or near the top of everyone's list. It still holds up. And now, a few of us can now be a little more free discussing which parts we find hot. Ahem.
posted by aureliobuendia at 10:47 PM on November 15, 2015 [3 favorites]
Oh god. This record defined 1991 for me. I spent a month in New York that year and EVERY shop in Manhattan had this record on eternal rotation. Flashbacks to that great time whenever I hear one of these tracks. Thanks, hippybear.
posted by ouke at 1:08 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ouke at 1:08 AM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
God, I love that voice. So smooth and effortless.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:30 PM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:30 PM on November 16, 2015 [2 favorites]
How is it that I have never seen the video for Freedom! '90 until now? I loved that song and now I love the video too amazing. I do adore me George Michael. And hugs Wallabear, thank you for sharing your memories.
posted by biggreenplant at 6:21 PM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by biggreenplant at 6:21 PM on November 16, 2015 [1 favorite]
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 has been stuck in my old truck's CD player for years now. I don't mind. Freedom! 90 is my jam for trying to get psyched for work on Mondays.
posted by xedrik at 6:25 PM on November 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by xedrik at 6:25 PM on November 16, 2015 [3 favorites]
On a sort of related note. I was at the gas station this weekend. They had music playing around the pumps. Wham's Wake Me Up Before You Gogo started playing.
posted by humanfont at 6:11 AM on November 17, 2015
posted by humanfont at 6:11 AM on November 17, 2015
That should be mandatory at gas stations.
posted by mochapickle at 6:37 AM on November 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by mochapickle at 6:37 AM on November 17, 2015 [2 favorites]
I went to an all-boys high school at the pivot point of the 80s into the 90s. When Freedom '90 came out, every guy in that school talked about the video... And now, a few of us can now be a little more free discussing which parts we find hot.
"Excited for a few seconds of a nameless shirtless guy hanging upside down in a video full of the world's most famous supermodels" is such a perfect metaphor for growing up gay in the very early 90s that I'm angry I didn't think of it first.
Related: I did not go to an all-boys school but I was at a residential high school at the time of this videos premiere, and I did watch it with a room full of guys my age. And though I don't think anybody knew I was gay, I feel like my AUDIBLE GASP when the "Faith" jacket was torched should have been a big clue.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:32 AM on November 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
"Excited for a few seconds of a nameless shirtless guy hanging upside down in a video full of the world's most famous supermodels" is such a perfect metaphor for growing up gay in the very early 90s that I'm angry I didn't think of it first.
Related: I did not go to an all-boys school but I was at a residential high school at the time of this videos premiere, and I did watch it with a room full of guys my age. And though I don't think anybody knew I was gay, I feel like my AUDIBLE GASP when the "Faith" jacket was torched should have been a big clue.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:32 AM on November 17, 2015 [3 favorites]
So let's be clear about George's career trajectory.
LWP, he felt it wasn't being promoted well by the label, even though he refused to appear in any promotional videos for the album. Every single released from the album performed worse than the previous, and in the end he just let things fizzle out. He fought with Sony and was basically dormant with original material for several years.
He released Older in 1996, which had a lot of veiled messages on it about his being gay, but he had not come out yet. Older was a mammoth hit everywhere in the world except the US.
He was arrested in the men's room in 1998, and he released Outside as a response to that, along with coming out. He had already had his career tank and revive by that point.
But his career fizzle didn't have much to do with his coming out or his arrest. Those all happened MUCH later than the LWP era. His refusal to be in any of the videos for the LWP album plus whatever he felt Sony didn't do to promote the album were unrelated to any of that.
posted by hippybear at 8:04 AM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
LWP, he felt it wasn't being promoted well by the label, even though he refused to appear in any promotional videos for the album. Every single released from the album performed worse than the previous, and in the end he just let things fizzle out. He fought with Sony and was basically dormant with original material for several years.
He released Older in 1996, which had a lot of veiled messages on it about his being gay, but he had not come out yet. Older was a mammoth hit everywhere in the world except the US.
He was arrested in the men's room in 1998, and he released Outside as a response to that, along with coming out. He had already had his career tank and revive by that point.
But his career fizzle didn't have much to do with his coming out or his arrest. Those all happened MUCH later than the LWP era. His refusal to be in any of the videos for the LWP album plus whatever he felt Sony didn't do to promote the album were unrelated to any of that.
posted by hippybear at 8:04 AM on November 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
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posted by hippybear at 3:38 PM on November 15, 2015