The Best of George Michael
I know as soon as the first notes of the first track - A Moment with You, on random play - begins that this is undoubtedly one of my favourite albums.
George Michael, arguably the ultimate icon for Eighties Pop Tarts. Once upon a time, he was the singer in a trivial, if deeply pleasant, pop group. And, somehow he developed into a sophisticated and talented writer and singer of songs for grown ups. I never fancied him. And, like many of my friends I was utterly shocked and confused when he came out. We all assumed he had done so years before.
This album is forever associated with my 31st birthday. It was on my 'wish list', but I set off to Geneva to spend my birthday weekend with my friend Helen. On my actual birthday, it was snowing too heavily to ski, so we drove to Annecy in France. We drank cafe au lait and cheered on Ireland in the rugby - against France. Then we browsed record shops, and she bought this album. I so wanted to, but didn't dare, because I suspected it would be sitting on my doorstep when I got home (in actual fact I received record vouchers).
Driving back from Annecy to Geneva, it again began to snow heavily. Helen slowed to approx 60 kmh and pulled into the inside lane. She commented that it was possible to tell who had chains on their tyres, because they continued to speed along over 100 kmh - she merely had snow tyres. Then the car began to make a funny noise, which worried - panicked - Helen. "Don't worry," i said soothingly, "it's not like we're in the middle of nowhere."
"Gert," she said. "We are crossing the Alps. In the dark. In February. They are the highest mountains in Europe."
But what has this got to do with George Michael? I am tempted to list the very very good tracks, one by one, as they come on, but won't. I am absolutely certain that you have it in your collection. But I do especially like Different Corner, You Have Been Loved, Father Figure, The Strangest Thing (I could dance all night to this...) and Outside.
Careless Whisper stands out. To me, it marked George's transition from teenybopper to maturity, although, ironically, but perhaps tellingly, he wrote it whilst still at school. It reminds me of my summer holiday in 1984. Following O-Levels, there were no jobs to be had anywhere I (half-heartedly) looked, so I just lay in the garden working on my tan. Most of all, it reminds me of our family summer holiday near Brixham in Devon, which despite my occasional teenage moods, I actually really enjoyed and remember fondly, espeically for the company of my family.
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