I Own That CD! - George Michael

It was 1990 – a new decade where music and social issues were surging ahead, away from the pop music that dominated the 1980s. In a rather shocking turn of events, one of the biggest pop stars released an album that turned the heads of his fans and the critics who wrote him off as simply a pop singer of fluff songs.

Today’s pick for I Own That CD! is the brilliant release Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 by George Michael.

Just three years prior, Michael released the album Faith. It spawned four number one singles and sold over 25 million copies. George Michael was a true pop icon, like Michael Jackson, Madonna and others. Fans were clamoring for more from the singer. What Michael released in 1990 was stunning.

The lead single was dark and somber - “Praying for Time” explored social injustices faced by many around the world. It was met with critical praise and while it went to number one on the Billboard charts, fans weren’t sure what to make of it.

By the time, “Freedom! ‘90” came around, faith was restored for longtime fans of Michael and his band Wham! But the video soon told those fans they should think otherwise. The song refers to Michael's past success with Wham!, yet also shows a new side of himself as a new man, who is more cynical about the music business than he had been before – The video, directed by David Fincher, destroyed his past (burning of the leather jacket, blowing up the jukebox and guitar – all from the “Faith” video). Michael also refused to appear in the video and allowed a group of supermodels to appear instead.

The creativity and thought that Michael put into this album was unexpected. Whether it be the powerfully painful and soulful cover of Stevie Wonder’s “They Won’t Go When I Go” or the many acoustic numbers including “Something to Say” and “Waiting for That Day” (borrowing lyrics from The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”).

The album is about George Michael the man and the voice – Not just an image that a record label or MTV wanted you to have. Here was a pop star who had something to say, and we all should have listened back in 1990. There’s still time to appreciate it for the genius that it is, and if you’ve got a CD player, you can borrow my copy.