As the newest comer to the unyielding greatness of Γιώργος-Κυριάκος Παναγιώτου aka Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou aka George Michael, I've found it incumbent upon myself to do enough research that I might speak as eloquently and intelligently as the other YDG contributors when I confront whichever small piece of the George Michael Universe is assigned to me. Today, that small piece is called "Father Figure"; the third single off the Faith album and GEO's sixth #1 single.
To fully appreciate the magnitude of this video's black & white shoulder-padded brilliance, I began my due diligence by typing "father figure" into Wikipedia. Surprisingly, what came up first was the definition of a father figure in the context of interpersonal relationships. A father figure, the screen flashed back at me,
How apt. This describes George Michael to a T.
To fully appreciate the magnitude of this video's black & white shoulder-padded brilliance, I began my due diligence by typing "father figure" into Wikipedia. Surprisingly, what came up first was the definition of a father figure in the context of interpersonal relationships. A father figure, the screen flashed back at me,
is usually considered to be an older man, often one in a position of power or influence, who arouses emotions usually felt for a person's father and with whom a person identifies psychologically.
How apt. This describes George Michael to a T.
- Older man? check.
- In a position of power or influence? Please. His perfectly manicured beard cast such a large 5 o'clock shadow that multiple aspects of his personal style influenced an entire generation's conception of masculinity. From the jeans to the jacket, from the beard to the aviators, from the hair to the stare; no popular figure represented what men wanted to be and women wanted to be with the way George Michael did.
- Arouses emotion? Seriously. This blog of daily reverence was conceived from the volcano of emotion that sprung to life with the announcement of GEO's 2008 20-city North American summer tour. And if that's not convincing enough, watch (and listen to the reaction to) this live performance from The Concert of Hope at Wembley in 1993. In an understated and impeccably tailored suit, alone in the middle of the stage atop a 6' wide riser he never leaves, GEO--restrained in both appearance and demeanor--delivers such a powerful and resonant performance of "Father Figure" that afterward, organizers of the AIDS charity benefit sought to retroactively re-title the show "The Concert of Hope You Can Handle This Shit Because George Michael is About to Buy and Sell Your Emotional Core in Five Minutes and Thirty-Six Seconds".
