"Jesus to a Child" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by George Michael | ||||
from the album Older | ||||
B-side | "One More Try" (live gospel version) | |||
Released | 8 January 1996 | |||
Recorded | October–November 1994 [1] | |||
Genre | Bossa nova | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | George Michael | |||
George Michael singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Jesus to a Child" on YouTube |
"Jesus to a Child" is a song by English singer and songwriter George Michael. Written as a melancholic tribute to his late lover Anselmo Feleppa, it was released in January 1996 as the first single from his third studio album, Older (1996). The song peaked at number one in Australia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom; it was Michael's sixth UK number one and his third as a solo performer. It also reached the top three on several other European charts and peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100. The accompanying music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh.
After Michael's death in 2016, Dame Esther Rantzen, founder of the charity ChildLine, revealed that Michael had secretly donated all of the single's royalties to the charity. She said "George helped us to reach out to hundreds of thousands of children through his generosity. I met him a couple of times, he approached us, rather than us going cap in hand to him, but it was an intensely personal gift. He didn’t want it to be known or to be part of his image." [2] She told BBC News that "he really wanted to keep his help secret, it was an intensely personal gift. It meant we could answer more children." [3]
Although "Jesus to a Child" was not officially released until 8 January 1996, [4] Michael unveiled the song in November 1994 during the inaugural MTV Europe Music Awards, where he performed it live in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. According to Michael, the song was recorded "over five days", but written "in just a couple of hours". [5]
The song was Michael's first self-penned hit in his homeland for almost four years, becoming his first solo single to enter the UK Singles Chart at number one. [6] On the US Billboard Hot 100, it became the highest new entry by a British artist for more than 25 years, entering at number seven. In Spain, the single held the top spot for seven non-consecutive weeks.
The song was a melancholy tribute to Michael's Brazilian lover Anselmo Feleppa, whom he met when performing in Rio de Janeiro in 1991. Feleppa died two years later from an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage. Michael had been unable to write for the next 18 months as a consequence of his grief, but then penned the words to "Jesus to a Child" in little more than an hour, indicating that the time was right to move on with his life. The song is written with a rhythm and harmony that is influenced by the Brazilian bossa nova style.
The exact identity of the song's subject—and the nature of their relationship—was cause for a certain amount of innuendo at the time, as Michael had not confirmed his homosexuality and did not do so until 1998. Until his death on Christmas Day 2016, [7] Michael would consistently dedicate the song to Feleppa before performing it live.
Barry Walters from The Advocate wrote that on the song, "Michael compares the emotion of a now-deceased lover to that of the Lord, who was, after all, a man. The tone is intensely elegiac, and it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to consider this a love song to a boyfriend who has died of AIDS." [8] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as a "gorgeous, quietly insinuating pop ballad." He noted that the words "are, by turns, melancholic and romantic and are delivered with delicate ease", adding that "musically, Michael layers light, shuffling percussion with mild acoustic guitar lines and sweetly understated strings." [9] Steve Baltin from Cash Box declared it as a "lush ballad", adding that "he's never sounded more Adult Contemporary than he does here. 'Jesus to a Child' is a hit as surely as some sport will strike this year." [10] A reviewer from Daily Mirror complimented it as "George's 'best-ever' song". [11] Sarah Davis from Dotmusic remarked that in the context of the album, "Jesus to a Child" "sets the scene for Michael's current direction—brooding, mature, reflective but not so downbeat as to disallow the good times." [12] Entertainment Weekly gave it a C−, calling it a "dispirited, tortoise-paced ballad, which drags on for nearly seven minutes". The writer added that "there's only one retort—bring back Andrew Ridgeley!" [13]
Caroline Sullivan for The Guardian felt it is "the best thing on the album". She said, "The tune itself is a Michael ballad in excelsis. The likes of 'Careless Whisper' (1984) and 'A Different Corner' (1986) can now be seen as trial runs for this one, which incorporates every GM hallmark from anguished upward vocal inflections to tasteful acoustic guitar." [14] Swedish Göteborgsposten concluded with that here, Michael "showed that he still mastered the craft." [15] Jan DeKnock from Knight Ridder viewed it a "mesmerizing ballad" and a "stunning effort". [16] Music Week rated it four out of five and named it Single of the Week, wroting, "A typically slushy ballad—with echoes of 'Careless Whisper'—it will, no doubt, do the business, whatever the critics think." [17] People Magazine described it as "a long-winded bossa nova synth-pop concoction". [18] Michael E. Ross from Salon Magazine complimented the song as one of the best on the Older album, adding it as "almost painfully thoughtful. In lush, silken musical settings, Michael speaks the world-weary language of scorned love." [19] David Sinclair from The Times opined that "the bittersweet lyric has a certain romantic appeal, but the message of hope comes swathed in layers of introspection and self-pity". [20] Ed Morales for Vibe felt that "the Sade-style synth chords that rule 'Jesus to a Child' bolster Michael's typically breathy but precise musings. 'There's a sadness in my eyes', he croons, and you can feel it." [21]
The Daily Vault's Melanie Love described the song as an "ode to his lost lover", adding that it is "haunting in its bareness and sentiment, while the restrained drums and winding synths are a perfect match for Michael's deep, pained voice as he promises, "So the words that you could not say, I'll sing them for you"." [22] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger stated that "this is his monument, a work Michael needs his public to hear. Even though few at the time knew the story behind it, the sincerity, and the will to somehow pass on something extraordinary and vanished, is palpable. It's a heartfelt celebration of the effect love can have on a life, and it's a songwriter consciously setting himself his hardest possible task, and achieving it." [23] Victoria Segal from NME viewed it as "irresistibly maudlin." [24] Dave Fawbert from ShortList said that it is "one of the most beautiful songs ever written". [25] Eric Henderson from Slant Magazine wrote, "Jesus to a Child" is among the most haunting of Michael's ballads, and one whose meaning could only fully emerge after his coming out. A slow-motion flamenco cry, written following the death of his lover, Anselmo Feleppa, "Jesus to a Child" still remains supernaturally clear-eyed about what it means to love and to lose. "I've been loved so I know just what love is/And the lover that I kissed is always by my side/The lover I still miss was Jesus to a child". [26]
The accompanying music video for "Jesus to a Child" was directed by British director Howard Greenhalgh. [27] The atmospheric and delicately surreal video features the lithe bodies of male and female ballet dancers, for whom collapsing piles of dust and a swooping pendulum ball signify the passing of time and the loss of love, as well as their own mortality. [28] It also feature images of flames, waves, and shadow in languid slow motion. [8] The scenes of Michael shows him standing alone in a dark room, with a small light on his face as he performs. In the beginning of the video, two shirtless boys appears holding hands through the frames of separate wooden boxes. This image reappears near the end. While Michael sings, "You will always be my love", the boys vanish from their boxes as if they were ghosts. [8]
The BBC insisted on pixillating the nipples of the dancers for broadcast, while MTV restricted it to late-night play. [28]
Weekly charts | Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Belgium (BEA) [85] | Gold | 25,000* |
France (SNEP) [86] | Gold | 250,000* |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [87] | Gold | 5,000* |
Norway (IFPI Norway) [88] | Gold | |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [60] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [89] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [90] | Gold | 500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
"The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a duet between American singers Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, recorded for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced soundtrack to the 1992 American film Mo' Money, starring Damon Wayans. The song was composed by Jam, Lewis, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch. The song was released as the soundtrack's lead single on May 12, 1992, by Perspective Records and A&M Records. Additionally, the song was remixed by David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, and CJ Mackintosh. The duet became a major hit in several countries, peaking at number two in Australia and the United Kingdom, number six in Ireland and New Zealand, number eight in Canada and Germany, and number 10 in the United States. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
"Freedom! '90" is a song written, produced, and performed by English singer-songwriter George Michael, and released on Columbia Records in October 1990. The "'90" added to the end of the title is to prevent confusion with a hit by Michael's former band Wham!, also entitled "Freedom". The song's backing beat is a sample from James Brown's song "Funky Drummer".
"Fastlove" is a song by English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 22 April 1996 by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and by DreamWorks Records in the United States as the second single from his third album, Older (1996). Written by Michael, Patrice Rushen, Freddie Washington and Terri McFaddin and produced by Michael and Jon Douglas, the song interpolates Rushen's 1982 single "Forget Me Nots".
"Too Funky" is a song written and performed by English singer and songwriter George Michael and released by Columbia Records in the United States and Epic Records elsewhere in 1992. The song was Michael's final single for his recording contract with Sony Music before he started legal action to extricate himself from it.
"Bills, Bills, Bills" is a song by American girl group Destiny's Child from their second studio album, The Writing's on the Wall (1999). It was written by Beyoncé Knowles, LeToya Luckett, Kelly Rowland, Kandi Burruss, and Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and produced by the latter. The song was released as the lead single from The Writing's on the Wall on May 31, 1999, by Columbia Records.
"Everyday Is a Winding Road" is the second single from American singer and songwriter Sheryl Crow's 1996 eponymous album. Neil Finn, lead singer of Crowded House, provides backing vocals. Paul Hester, another member of Crowded House, was the inspiration for the song. The single was issued in the United Kingdom in November 1996 and was released in the United States the following year.
"Ordinary World" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in December 1992 as the first single from their self-titled album (1993), commonly known as the Wedding Album. The ballad reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart, the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and the Italian Singles Chart. It also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 in Iceland and Sweden, and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.
"How Can We Be Lovers" is a song written by Michael Bolton, Diane Warren, and Desmond Child and performed by Bolton. Released as the third single from Bolton's sixth studio album, Soul Provider (1989), it peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1990. The song also reached number two in Canada, number three in Australia, number 10 in Sweden, and number 18 in Ireland.
"You're Makin' Me High" is the lead single from American singer Toni Braxton's second studio album, Secrets (1996). The mid-tempo song represents a joint collaboration between the Grammy Award-winning producer Babyface and Bryce Wilson. The beat of the song was originally for singer-songwriter Brandy, with Dallas Austin pegged to write a lyric to override; however, Braxton had Babyface write lyrics for the song. It was ultimately issued in the United States as a double A-side with "Let It Flow", the airplay hit from the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale.
"I Want You" is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden. It was originally released in Australia on 27 May 1996 as the lead single from their eponymous debut album, Savage Garden (1997). The single reached number one in Canada and peaked at number four in Australia and on the US Billboard Hot 100. Much of the song's chart success in the US was the result of Rosie O'Donnell playing the song on several episodes of The Rosie O'Donnell Show. In the United Kingdom, the single was issued twice, achieving its highest peak of number 11 during its initial release in 1997.
"This Ain't a Love Song" is the lead single from American rock band Bon Jovi's sixth studio album, These Days (1995). The rock ballad is an example of the strong rhythm and blues influence that Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wanted the album to have. Released in May 1995 by Mercury, it reached number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number two on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, number six on the UK Singles Chart, and number one on the Finnish Singles Chart.
"My Love Is for Real" is a song by American singer and songwriter Paula Abdul with backing vocals from Israeli singer Ofra Haza. It was released on May 30, 1995 by Virgin and Captive, as the first single from Abdul's third studio album, Head over Heels (1995). Intended as Abdul's comeback single, "My Love Is for Real" reached number one in Hungary and the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but it stalled outside the top 20 in the United States, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and failed to make a major impact in Europe. The song's music video was directed by Michael Haussman.
"Weird" is a song written and performed by American pop rock band Hanson. The rock ballad was the fourth single released from the band's major label debut album, Middle of Nowhere (1997), and became a moderate hit worldwide, charting within the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Finland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
"Looking Through Patient Eyes" is a song by American hip hop and R&B group P.M. Dawn. It was released on March 1, 1993, as the second single from their second studio album, The Bliss Album...? (1993). The song, written by P.M. Dawn's Attrell Cordes, features backing vocals by Cathy Dennis and samples "Father Figure" by George Michael. The line "Joni help me, I think I'm falling" is a reference to Canadian singer Joni Mitchell's song "Help Me"; she is also referenced in the group's previous single "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss".
"Star People '97" is a song by British singer George Michael, released as the fifth single from his third studio album, Older (1996). It was written and performed by George Michael and was released by Virgin Records in the United Kingdom and DreamWorks Records in the United States. The lyrics make reference to the materialism and frivolity of certain (unspecified) people in show business, suggesting that those behaviours are derived from some insecurity or a bad childhood. The single version is titled "Star People '97", on most issues, because the track was re-recorded for the single release.
"Wonder" is a song by Natalie Merchant, released in 1995 as the second single from her solo album Tigerlily. The single reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, outperforming her previous single "Carnival" in Canada. The covers for the U.S. and European singles were different. The single also includes live cuts from Merchant's tour.
"Give Me One Reason" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman. It was included on her fourth studio album, New Beginning (1995), and was released as a single in various territories between November 1995 and March 1997, her first since 1992's "Dreaming on a World". The song is Chapman's biggest US hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It is also her biggest hit in Australia, where it reached number three as well, and it topped the charts of Canada and Iceland. Elsewhere, the song reached number 16 in New Zealand, but it underperformed in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 95 in March 1997.
"Free to Decide" is a song by Irish rock band the Cranberries, released as the second single from their third studio album, To the Faithful Departed (1996), on 1 July 1996. The song achieved minor chart success in Europe but became a top-10 hit in Canada, peaking at number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart. In the United States, it peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number eight on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic version on the band's Something Else album.
"In the Meantime" is the debut single of English alternative rock band Spacehog, from their debut album, Resident Alien (1995). It samples the Penguin Cafe Orchestra song "Telephone and Rubber Band". Released in 1996, the single peaked atop the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and the UK Rock Chart. It additionally reached number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 29 on the UK Singles Chart while reaching the top 50 in Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand and Sweden.
"That Girl" is a song by English reggae singer Maxi Priest featuring Jamaican reggae musician Shaggy. It was released on 10 June 1996 as the first single from Priest's sixth album, Man with the Fun (1996). The song samples the 1962 instrumental "Green Onions" by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. "That Girl" reached the top 20 in at least eight countries, including the United Kingdom, where it peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart. It also peaked at No. 3 on the Finnish Singles Chart, No. 4 on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, No. 7 on the Australian Singles Chart and No. 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)