Top Ten Male Vocalists – #7 – George Michael
The song I wanted to pick to highlight George Michael’s voice — ‘Kissing a Fool’ — has been featured on the blog already. That performance alone earns Michael a spot on this list. But he brings the same whispery passion to all of his songs that he honed to perfection on that one.
In looking for a song that really showcases his vocal chops, I couldn’t do much better than this cover of Stevie Wonder’s ‘They Won’t Go When I Go,’ performed live and released on Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1.
Perhaps this song is a bit too showy even for this sort of thing, but I like the atmosphere it creates.
Michael’s third album, Older, never made an impression on me, and we all know what happened to him after that. But for the span of two albums (I’ll leave out the Wham! days), George Michael was deservedly the hottest thing in pop music. And that was at least partly due to his voice (I’ll let my sister comment on the other parts).
Wanting tragic ends
Though they do pretend
They won’t go when I go
All those bleeding hearts
With sorrows to impart
Were right here from the start
And they won’t go when I go
And I’ll go where I’ve longed
To go so long
Away from tears
Gone from painful cries
Away from saddened eyes
Along with him I’ll bide
Because they won’t go when I go
Big men feeling small
Weak ones standing tall
I will watch them fall
They won’t go when I go
And I’ll go where I’ve longed
To go so long
Away from tears
Unclean minds mislead the pure
The innocent will leave for sure
For them there is a resting place
People sinning just for fun
They will never see the sun
For they can never show their faces
There ain’t no room for the hopeless sinner
Who will take more than he will give
He ain’t hardly gonna give
The greed of man will be
Far away from me
And my soul will be free
They won’t go when I go
Since my soul conceived
All that I believe
The kingdom I will see
‘Cause they won’t go when I go
When I go
Where I’ll go
No one can keep me
From my destiny
Meet Me In Montauk 
Your sister will comment on his voice, thank you very much.
First of your choices that I agree belongs on any list of top vocalists, regardless of the criteria. Michael’s voice is technically great (in all that “able to hit all the big notes” sort of way), but he, too, infuses his songs with tremendous emotion. Even the Wham stuff was made better by his full committment to the whimsy of the whole project.
Yes, this song is a bit showy, but look what it shows. Kinda feels like going to church. Without having to deal with all the Bible stuff 🙂
Agree that Michael is a good pick for the list and agree with what both of you have said, though I can’t believe neither of you mentioned his sexy butt.:)
And Amy’s point about the Wham songs highlights my particular criteria. “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” could have been a pop train wreck, but Michael’s voice elevates it.
Michael’s more recent escapades have been largely misunderstood as he really has just been trying to seek out the finest acoustical places to showcase his voice–men’s bathrooms and prison showers. I say he should be applauded for his efforts, not mocked!:)