George Michael - Older (Expanded Edition)

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Nice to have, what appears the full singles packages included. Including my favourite the Forthright Mix of Spinning the Wheel :disco:

 
The physical edition had the usual suspects in a TIZZ but I think most people just wanted it back on vinyl. Which it is.
 
SPINNING THE WHEEL is everything. I know everyone goes on about FASTLOVE and JESUS but Spinning is the gay relationship drama song we all wanted and didn't know about in '96.
 
As much as I love every song on this record and Spinning the Wheel is LUXURIOUS as CHOCOLATE FONDANT, the lyrics do not really resonate with me. I much prefer the George that embraces gay identity, but I guess he was also sort of coming out with this record still.
 
I used to listen to this CASSETTE on repeat every night for two weeks when I was on a language exchange in Southern France. It wasn't necessarily happy times, but FORMATIVE alright.
 
It's such a sad record, incredibly brave of him to put it out. The yearning and grieving is OFF THE SCALE.
 
I haven't listened to You Have Been Loved in years but I know that if I do right now I will have a nervous breakdown. The AIDS ghost in this record HAUNTS any gay man growing up in the 90s I guess.
 
You Have Been Loved came full circle as a gay man AIDS anthem with its posthumous association with Ar Di when she joined the ANGLES. :(
 
Is this a good time to mention that b-side “Safe” is one of the best things he’s ever done and should have been on the original album


 
There's a liar in my head
There's a thief upon my bed
And the strangest thing
Is I cannot seem to get
My eyes open

Utter homosexual misery set to a pulsating club beat (on the single mix)... I know Neil and Chris were quaking
 
Also this remains one of the greatest album of all time. I don’t think it’s ever left my top ten

10 Jesus To A Child
10 Fast Love Pt 1
10 Older
10 Spinning The Wheel
08 It Doesn’t Really Matter
09 The Strangest Thing
08 To Be Forgiven
08 Move On
09 Star People
09 You Have Been Loved
08 Free
 
This album really was huge and it wasn't a given that it would be successful. Some of the singles from Listen Without Prejudice hadn't done so well and it had been a long time. But Jesus To A Child, IIRC, went straight to number one and the album did too. I also seem to think the album stayed on the charts for an absolute age. It was the mid-period masterpiece that a lot of artists wish they could make.
 
The gay video of 'Jesus to A Child' was everything.
The AIDS symbolism of the two men in the boxes holding hands while a fire rages on. Powerful and heartbreaking.
 
Jesus to a Child was a Christmas #1 in Spain. Maybe the week after, can't really remember but essentially it got played A LOT during that Christmas.
 
JESUS was always on MTV Europe although if I recall correctly it was the MTV Awards 'live' perf rather than the video that got more airplay.
 
Also, his first new music after 'Older' was Outside with that classic video, one of the greatest Fuck Yous in the history of music. I had such respect for him around that time. Imagine, the tabloids try to destroy you and THAT'S your answer.
 
I really was PIG IGNORANT when it came to George at the time. I loved the bops, but I hated the mature stuff. I was way too young to fully appreciate it.

Just listening to The Strangest Thing now and it's fucking gorgeous.
 
"You will always be...my love" and the strings that accompany it still break my heart every time I hear them. I know it's coming, but I'm never quite ready for it. Absolutely devastating.
 
It's very much a GAY album, but also very much an AIDS album. Spinning That Wheel, on the surface about infidelity, is a prime example.
 
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Fastlove and Spinning The Wheel are best gay songs ever.

The lyrics are just beyond belief (dance company)

I do believe that
We are practising the same
Religion

Gotta get up
To get down
 
Wonderful album, I'm quite obsessed with The Strangest Thing at the mo. It almost sounds like a Saint Etienne song (specifically, Pale Movie).
 
VoR said:
Wonderful album, I'm quite obsessed with The Strangest Thing at the mo. It almost sounds like a Saint Etienne song (specifically, Pale Movie).
Click to expand...
Don't all the GREATS?

Hoping Sarah and the boys live in a castle with all the GM and Steps royalties.
 
10 Jesus To A Child
11 Fast Love
09 Older
10 Spinning The Wheel
09 It Doesn’t Really Matter
10 The Strangest Thing
07 To Be Forgiven
08 Move On
09 Star People
10 You Have Been Loved
07 Free
 
Strangely I’ve never really bothered with his albums but love a lot of the singles. Would this be generally considered his best?
 
10 Jesus To A Child
10 Fast Love
10 Older
10 Spinning The Wheel
08 It Doesn’t Really Matter
10 The Strangest Thing
08 To Be Forgiven
07 Move On
09 Star People
11 You Have Been Loved
10 Free
 
BoysForSeles said:
Strangely I’ve never really bothered with his albums but love a lot of the singles. Would this be generally considered his best?
Click to expand...

I think critically people lean towards LWP1 but IMO Older is his best album.

It’s also one of those gems that’s best listened to in full. Nearly all the songs are improved within the context of the album. It flows wonderfully. A man in his prime, for sure.
 
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