Twenty Five | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 13 November 2006 | |||
Recorded | 1984–2006 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length |
| |||
Label | Sony BMG | |||
Producer | George Michael | |||
George Michael chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Twenty Five | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
PopMatters | (8/10) [2] |
The Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Twenty Five is the second compilation album by English singer-songwriter George Michael released in the UK on 13 November 2006, [4] celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career. [5] It was released on 13 November 2006 by Sony BMG. [6] It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart [7] and number 23 on the Billboard 200, [8] and it reached the top 20 on most other album charts. After Michael's death in December 2016, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at a new peak position of number 12. [9]
The album mostly contains songs from Michael's solo career but also from his earlier days with Wham!. The album is sold in two formats: a 2-CD set and a limited edition 3-CD set. The 2-CD set contains 29 tracks, including four recorded with Wham! and three new songs: "An Easier Affair", "This Is Not Real Love" (a duet with the English singer Mutya Buena) and a new version of "Heal the Pain", recorded with Paul McCartney. The limited edition 3-CD version contains an additional 14 lesser-known tracks, including one with Wham! and another new song called "Understand".
The 2-CD version was released in the United States on 1 April 2008, [10] with two changes: "Feeling Good" replaced the Wham! track "Freedom", and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (from Songs from the Last Century ) replaced "Round Here", a track from Patience that was not released as a single in the US.
A 3-CD limited deluxe version was released in the United States exclusively by Best Buy. The track listing for the third CD is the same as the international version, but unlike the 2-CD US version, it includes "Freedom" instead of "Feeling Good". The 3-CD version is packaged in a digipak. It includes a 36-page colour booklet with lyrics for every track, along with screen shots from the videos for most of the tracks on the first two CDs.
In 2010, a special tour edition of the album was released in Australia to coincide with Michael's short three date George Michael Live in Australia tour. The track listing itself contained the same tracks as the international version alongside a bonus third disc. A Twenty Five DVD was also released.
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Everything She Wants" (12" remix) | Make It Big (original version) | 6:33 |
2. | "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" | Make It Big | 3:52 |
3. | "Freedom" | Make It Big | 5:20 |
4. | "Faith" | Faith | 3:13 |
5. | "Too Funky" (single version) | Non-album single | 3:45 |
6. | "Fastlove" | Older | 5:27 |
7. | "Freedom! '90" | Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 | 6:30 |
8. | "Spinning the Wheel" | Older | 6:09 |
9. | "Outside" | Ladies & Gentlemen | 4:44 |
10. | "As" (with Mary J. Blige) | Ladies & Gentlemen | 4:42 |
11. | "Freeek!" (single version) | Patience ("Freeek! '04") | 4:33 |
12. | "Shoot the Dog" | Patience | 5:08 |
13. | "Amazing" | Patience | 4:24 |
14. | "Flawless (Go to the City)" (vs. The Ones – radio edit) | Patience (original version) | 4:50 |
15. | "An Easier Affair" | New recording | 4:36 |
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
3. | "Feeling Good" | New recording | 2:54 |
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
16. | "Kissing a Fool" | Faith | 4:35 |
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Careless Whisper" (single edit) | Make It Big (extended version) | 5:00 |
2. | "Last Christmas" (single edit) | The Final (Pudding Mix) | 4:27 |
3. | "A Different Corner" (single edit) | The Final | 4:03 |
4. | "Father Figure" | Faith | 5:37 |
5. | "One More Try" | Faith | 5:53 |
6. | "Praying for Time" | Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 | 4:41 |
7. | "Heal the Pain" (with Paul McCartney) | New recording | 4:43 |
8. | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (with Elton John – live) | Duets | 5:47 |
9. | "Jesus to a Child" | Older | 6:49 |
10. | "Older" | Older | 5:32 |
11. | "Round Here" | Patience | 5:55 |
12. | "You Have Been Loved" | Older | 5:28 |
13. | "John and Elvis Are Dead" | Patience | 4:24 |
14. | "This Is Not Real Love" (with Mutya) | New recording | 4:54 |
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
11. | "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" | Songs from the Last Century | 5:19 |
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
15. | "Club Tropicana" | Fantastic | 4:28 |
No. | Title | Source | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Understand" | New recording | 5:55 |
2. | "Precious Box" | Patience | 7:38 |
3. | "Roxanne" | Songs from the Last Century | 4:10 |
4. | "Fantasy" | "Waiting for That Day" B-side | 5:02 |
5. | "Cars and Trains" | Patience | 5:51 |
6. | "Patience" | Patience | 2:53 |
7. | "You Know That I Want To" | "Spinning the Wheel" B-side | 4:32 |
8. | "My Mother Had a Brother" | Patience | 6:19 |
9. | "If You Were There" | Make It Big | 3:43 |
10. | "Safe" | "Spinning the Wheel" B-side | 4:25 |
11. | "American Angel" | Patience | 4:08 |
12. | "My Baby Just Cares for Me" | Songs from the Last Century | 1:43 |
13. | "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (live) | Pavarotti & Friends for Cambodia and Tibet | 4:27 |
14. | "Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)" | Patience | 5:25 |
15. | "Through" | Patience | 4:54 |
No. | Title | Original album | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Kissing a Fool" | Faith | 4:34 |
2. | "Feeling Good" | New recording | 2:54 |
3. | "My Baby Just Cares for Me" | Songs from the Last Century | 1:46 |
4. | "Roxanne" | Songs from the Last Century | 4:11 |
5. | "Club Tropicana" | Fantastic | 4:29 |
6. | "I'm Your Man" (Extended Stimulation) | The Final | 6:52 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [58] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Belgium (BEA) [59] | Gold | 25,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [60] | 5× Platinum | 100,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [61] | Gold | 75,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [62] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Greece (IFPI Greece) [23] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Hungary (MAHASZ) [63] | 2× Platinum | 12,000^ |
Ireland (IRMA) [64] | 3× Platinum | 45,000^ |
Italy (FIMI) [65] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [66] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Poland (ZPAV) [67] | 2× Platinum | 40,000* |
Portugal (AFP) [68] | Gold | 10,000^ |
Russia (NFPF) [69] | Gold | 10,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [70] | Gold | 15,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [71] | 5× Platinum | 1,500,000‡ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI) [72] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |