Customer Reviews

Ladies & Gentlemen...The Best of George Michael

5 star:		(191)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

A well done hits compilation, spread across two discs and including some interesting rarities and new songs. The songs are divided up in non-chronological order, with ballads on one disc and dance tracks on the other. I personally would have preferred the tracks to have been sequenced chronologically, but the current sequencing is satisfactory, and isolating the dance tracks leaves you with a great party disc. Just for the record, no songs with Wham are included ("Careless Whisper" and "A Different Corner" were released as solo songs), the UK hit "Older" is missing, and the hit version of "I Want Your Sex" has been replaced with the "Part II" reprise of the song. The remainder of the songs are all presented in their original single versions, which makes it a great buy even if you have all of Michael's proper albums.

The US and UK versions of the compilation have slightly different track listings. The newly-recorded dance single "Outside" (#2 UK) is present on both version, but the stirring cover of Stevie Wonder's "As" (#4 UK), with Mary J. Blige) is only found of the UK issue. The UK version also includes a 1997 remix of "The Strangest Thing" and the killer B-side "Fantasy," but inexplicably omits the smash hit "Monkey," which is on the US version. Both versions included two generous booklets with lyrics and many beautiful photos of Michael. Given the inclusion of the few rare tracks, I suggest listeners pick up the UK version (after all, "Monkey" is easily found on the Faith album). Either way you go, however, this is a great compilation that includes some of the best pop singles of the eighties and nineties.

This duet is with Mary j Blige. It is missing on the U.S. version as her record label refused to list it in the U.S. due to George's bathroom escapade. This is a shame as it is a fantastic song with a killer video.

Below is the U.K. cd listing copied from Amazon.co.uk

As always... if you can get your hands on a copy... you won't regret it!

1. Jesus to a child 2. Father figure 3. Careless whisper 4. Don't let the sun go down on me 5. You have been loved 6. Kissing a fool 7. I can't make you love me 8. Heal the pain 9. Moment with you 10. Desafinado 11. Cowboys and angels 12. Praying for time 13. One more try 14. Different corner 15. Outside 16. As 17. Fastlove 18. Too funky 19. Freedom 90 20. Star people 97 21. Killer/Papa was a rollin' stone 22. I want your sex 23. Strangest thing 97 24. Fantasy 25. Spinning the wheel 26. Waiting for the day 27. I knew you were waiting (for me) 28. Faith 29. Somebody to love

Even if you can't get a copy of the U.K. version this album is still worth your time....

Where in the world is George Michael nowadays? Who knows? His last album, the cover CD "Songs from the Last Century" tanked mightily and his last proper album before that, "Older", is by now 6 years old... So while we wait for George to wake up and smell the coffee, we have this 1998 sprawling (2 CDs, 140 min) "Best of" to remember what George was/is capable of.

The compilation is divided in "From the Heart" (CD1, read: the ballads) and "For the Feet" (CD2, read: the dance tunes). Nobody is going to question his genius for writing great songs, and they are all here: Careless Whisper, Freedom, Too Funky, Kissing a Fool, Faith, Heal the Pain, Cowboys and Angels, Monkey, Waiting for that Day, and go on and on. Marvelous!

Here is the problem: there are simply too many filler songs on this compliation (such as Desafinado, You Have Been Loved, A Moment with You, Spinning the Wheel, etc.) What would have worked better is a single CD, compiling all his greatest hits, no more, no less. Another beef I have is that one of his greatest hits, "I Want Your Sex", appears here as "Part 2", which is radically different from the song we all know and remember. What is up with that? So what could've, should've been a compliation of George Michael's greatest hits, isn't... Not that this compilation is bad, but it could've been greater.

If you're looking for the full version of Careless Whisper, it's not on this CD. The music companies could make it easy to know what version of a song is on CD's by listing the time of each track on the cover notes.

I really enjoyed this CD - both cds. One cd is of his slow songs and the other is his dance songs. (I really like how they put that together.) It's nice to listen to the slow cd when you just want to mellow out. All the songs in these cds you have heard with a couple of new ones added in. Great cd, especially if you already enjoy George Michael's music.

'Ladies and Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael' is an awesome 2 CD collection of hits and new songs. The 1st CD - FOR THE HEART - is dedicated to his late mother Lesley. George Michael reveals his soul with honest lyrics of love, relationships, hope and despair. Among the tracks are a new song, 'A Moment With You' and the lush 'Desafinado' with Astrud Gilberto, taken from the aids awareness charity CD 'RED HOT AND RIO.' The 2nd CD - FOR THE FEET - is a collection of up tempo and dance tracks. (Gotta Get Up to Get Down!) Unfortunately, only the international version features the fantastic cover of the Stevie Wonder song 'As' with Mary J. Blige. (I purchased the import.) Each CD has it's own lyric and photo book filled with 26 wonderful photographs spanning George Michael's career. Like his influences, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Queen, Michael truly has the gift of writing lyrics and delivering vocals that evoke incredible emotion from the listener. This compilation is a must-have for George Michael fans and lovers of music alike.

Recipe for a must-have CD: Start off with classic pop hits like "Careless Whisper," "Faith," "Father Figure," and "Freedom 90." Add a handful of great material that SHOULD have been hits, like "Hard Day," "Heal the Pain," "Waiting for That Day" and "Spinning the Wheel." Add a couple of tasty remixes for "Monkey" and "Star People." Sprinkle a dash of rarely-heard treats like "Desafinado" with Astrud Gilberto and a fine rendition of the otherwise overdone "I Can't Make You Love Me." Toss in a flawless pair of new tunes in the form of the sultry ballad "A Moment With You" and the disco-happy "Outside." Throw it all together with gorgeous pictures, give it a pricetag under $20, and Presto! The perfect Christmas gift for fans of soulful pop, not to mention the perfect impulse buy for yourself. Pop either entertaining disc into your CD player and listen to it cook for over an hour. It confirms that George Michael is one of the most talented and endearing pop performers of our times. WARNING: Discs will inspire multiple listenings.

Nearly thirty dollars for a CD, it better be worth it. I didn't bother reading the reviews but songs like "Careless Whisper", "One More Try", "I Knew You Were Waiting for Me" and Michael's terrific vocals, the only European male artist to successfully reach #1 in the U.S. R&B charts, it had to be something special. The 2 disc set as mentioned before is divided into ballads "For the Heart" and dance music "For the Feet" my favorite being "Fast love" on the dance tracks. I had an instant liking to it the first time I heard it. A remake of Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" on the ballads disc, gives that song Michael's own personal blue-eyed soul feel. Michael became popular in the U.S. with the duo Wham! then as a solo artist with 1985's pop hit album "Faith". He is a uniquely talented musician songwriter singer of which does not come around too often. This 2 disc set highlights his accomplishments as a performer with Wham! "Careless Whisper, Freedom 90" and as a solo performer "Kissing A Fool, Outside". Michael is obviously influenced by rhythym & blues and he has one of the best if not the best, blue-eyed soul vocals in pop history. Ladies & Gentlemen The Best of George Michael, to me, is worth every cent.

These days it seems as if Americans have all but dismissed George Michael. That is a darn shame. Although he has become an easy target for tastless jokes and the like this has absolutely nothing to do with his music. GM has a terrific voice and he is one of the few artists out there who can write/perform fast and slow songs with equally pleasing results. The way Americans rebuffed and ridiculed this cd and George Michael personally makes me embaressed to live here. I hope George knows that he still does have true fans in the States. The best slow song on here is "Jesus to a Child" and the best fast song is "Fastlove". I only wish George would have included the original version of "I Want Your Sex" but you've got to hand it to the guy for giving us variety. Keep up the great work George and come back to the States soon. (By the way do you have a new cd coming out in the near future?)

In a music industry in which image takes precedence over quality, there are still a few that are in it just for the sake of music. These few true pop legends have captivated audiences all over the world and left deep and indellible impressions in the hearts of many. They are rare and truly special. This compilation is a musical anthology of one of the most striking of this small group -George Michael.

With 2 CDs aptly titled "for the heart" and "for the feet", this compilation encompasses exactly what George Michael is all about - incredibly sexy dance music and heart-wrenching love songs sung with a boyish longing despite the maturity of their themes.

The collection has everything from the timeless "Careless Whisper" all the way to the fabulous "Outside". The songs are bound to evoke pleasant memories of times when the music scene was a well-inspired source of excitement.

The highlights of the collection are "Father Figure", "Careless Whisper","Fast Love", "Outside", "Killer papa was a rolling stone","Kissing a fool" and "Cowboys and Angels". Every track on this collection is an indication of the versatility of George Michael.

For those that wonder what makes George Michael the quintessential stud of the late 20th century, listen to this compilation and convince yourself of it.