One of my favorite duets of all time. I read somewhere that George Michael was incredibly honored, yet terrified to be asked to sing a duet with the G.O.A.T., Aretha Franklin. But he shouldn’t have worried - he did a great job and this song was a hit.
When George started his solo career, he wanted to dissociate of the sound of ''WHAM'' and wanted to attires a more mature public. This song was a test for radios attract in a solo artist (it's was on a Aretha Franklin album) and for mature image before he gets back with ''I Want Your Sex'' (the first single of the ''Faith'' album). This test was total success, reaching n.1 in US and UK attires so much the confidence to write and recording the ''Faith'' album who this album was acclaimed critically and comercially. This duet was help to transition in a serious artist who he wanted after ''Wham''. A suggestion of me: The song ''Father Figure'' by George Michael, one of my favorites song of him and one of his most beautiful ballads of his career.
Whenever I see George Michael, I think to myself how beautiful he is... then I remember that he was never happy with what he saw in the mirror. It's heartbreaking. Cher is almost unrecognizable from her original face. Did you even realize that was her with Sonny?
🙌The sheer joy George Michael must’ve felt singing with one of his all time favourite artists. He’d been approached to write a song for Aretha while he was still with WHAM, but he was ultra busy and also felt so intimidated he couldn’t imagine her singing something he wrote. He didn’t write this but by 1987 his confidence had definitely escalated. Crazy that it begins with George arriving with the 2 bodyguards, all superstar clout, and it’s Aretha who begins the song while we build to George joining her. Normally in these types of songs the legend (especially with a VOICE like Aretha’s) is the one that gets the build up. In this case I think they’re playing a game of who the hell this guy think he is… until GEORGE brings his own soulful vocal prowess. That makes sense considering this song was strategic to make George a star across the Atlantic act by having Aretha’s US status help launch him deeper into the American consciousness. WHAM’s Make It Big album had some big US hits, but by early 1987 the goal was to pump up George’s fame as a solo artist… This song DID THAT. It was number 1 in both the US and UK and Australia along with multiple number 1s across Europe. It also helped Aretha reach a whole new younger audience (as had her song with Annie Lennox a couple of years earlier). This song is still Aretha’s biggest hit across her career. That’s what you get when you have a great song and 2 mega talents to sing it 🏆🏆
@@karenp4667 great song for both of them. Aretha had many hits throughout the 80s, including #1 R&B song (Get It Right, produced by Luther Vandross). Her Freeway of Love, Jumpin Jack Flash, Who’s Zoomin Who, Jimmy Lee songs all hits across pop charts too, and earlier Freedom on #1 soundtrack from now iconic Blues Brothers movie role in 1980. Was amazing she had so many decades of hits.
You want another great 80's collab? How about Tina Turner and Bryan Adams with It's Only Love. The official video is an actual live concert performance of them together. You can either check out the studio version or the video, both are really good.
So good! I was 6 when this came out and my mom LOVED this song and played it all the time. I forgot how great and catchy it is. I was a very opinionated toddler and Patti LaBelle was my diva of choice, loved her then, still love her now (but as a kid I was like "nobody has hair higher than Patti or notes higher than Patti"....I was SO fucking gay!) - but Aretha absolutely kills this song and it doesn't sound forced to have George on there in a calculated way. The song could be about a relationship or be about God or anyone's version of God, it just works. It's spiritual, it's pop, it's inspiring.
Impress, check out a Wham! video called I’m Your Man. George looks so adorable and it’s such a fun song. You won’t stop moving. Quintessential early Wham! that was so much joy.
Haven't listen to Areatha Franklin lately cause I know what she can do to me she is addictive she is that tangibly she is one of the greatest God bless her soul.
What a great duet and what a brilliant song 👍. When you have these two voices on one song, you can't go wrong. For George, it was the best way to get rid of the Wham! bubblegum pop image. You know you're an excellent singer when Aretha Franklin wants to do a duet with you. No wonder he was a bit intimidated at 23 😊.
LOVE this ICONIC Diva Duo...I'm sure George was over the moon to get to colab with an actual LIVING LEGEND! They both def brought it tho... #tensacrosstheboard 🔥🔥
Still one of my all time favorite songs!!! Was about 15 or 16 when it came out and I was already a huge fan of GM but it really made me want to explore Aretha...immediately went out and bought an Aretha greatest hits cassette and of course was blown away! Have you heard her collab with Annie Lennox from around the same time as this? 🔥 "Sisters are Doin It for Themselves"🔥
Your background with Grease is fab, you look like you're part of it!!! I love the fact you make reconnect with my childood so much and all the things I've listened to, you have this 80s vibe about you!!!! I and very good friend of mine love this song soooo much. It has a christmas vibe to it and Aretha & George compliment each other on this sweet & perfectly.
I did not appreciate poor George until after he was gone. I was too young (and too cis-f) to understand just what kind of boundaries he was breaking and how important it was. I was too busy being a genX tomboy and being angry at the world XD
Loved this song so much I requested it, but couldn't keep it cause someone else already had. 😭 I did another iconic duet instead. Also, Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye, another iconic duet.
Except for Being Together in the same room at some point, they wouldn't have been "together" partially because George, by his own admission was Very Gay! You're a lot of fun.. that's why I subscribed!!
The 80s was over the top. You had a monster hit on the radio every 4 minutes. There is so much good music. That you heard ALL THE TIME whether you liked it or not. It was the 80s. You had Mtv, and narional live tv, and radio and the fact that at the time one had no other choice, you were bombarded by these artists and songs. This is kinda one of them. I appreciate the collab but I'm not over lusting over it. You can still hear this song on at the supermarket playing. These songs are SOOOFAMOUS. Ugh, I hate music nowadays....
