"Father Figure" and "One More Try," George Michael

Following “Faith” and “I Want Your Sex,” Michael’s videos began to focus more the ballads of Faith, showcasing a voice unmatched by any of his peers at the time.   The ballads were much longer than today's ballads, clocking in at close to six minutes, yet they still managed to reach number 1 on the U.S. charts. 

“Father Figure” was the first Michael video to showcase the fashion world – a theme that would be used throughout his career (see “Freedom ‘90”).  The video is shown in slow motion, showing the inner turmoil of a model as she works and falls for Michael and a fashion photographer.  The video requires you to suspend belief in numerous places (Michael as a taxi driver, for example), but even today, it still looks gorgeous and matches the tone of the song shot-by-shot.  

Following “Father Figure,” Michael released “One More Try,” which stripped away all the themes and controversies of his previous videos.  The video simply showcased Michael, his song, and his voice.  As a result, it remains the most timeless of all the Faith singles.

Michael’s success as a solo artist would pave the way for ‘N Sync’s Justin Timberlake and Take That’s Robbie Williams to succeed on their own.  (Williams even did a cover of Michael’s “Freedom” at the start of his solo career.)  Michael is currently in the middle of his Symphonica tour in Europe, where he will be performing his songs as well as covers in an orchestral setting.   


Click here for the first part of our Faith throwback, featuring "I Want Your Sex" and "Faith."