George Michael’s Cover of Don McLean’s Song ‘The Grave’

George Michael was no shrinking violet when it comes to his politics. In fact, he was not afraid to express strong personal views, including his political beliefs.

To protest against a possible attack against Iraq, George recorded a cover of Don McLean’s song “The Grave” in 2003. He was one of the most high profile celebrities to have spoken out about the Iraq crisis at that time.

‘The Grave’ was recorded for McLean’s 1971 album, American Pie, a highly successful album that stayed in the UK charts for over a year. The album produced two of McLean’s biggest hits: American Pie and Vincent (Starry, Starry Night).

McLean wrote ‘The Grave’ as a protest against the Vietnam War. In the Graham Norton show, George Michael explained how ‘The Grave’ had impacted him even as a child and how he sees the song :
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Lyrics of Don McLean’s The Grave

George kept his cover close to the original version of the song. He may have felt that the song’s hard-hitting lyrics perfectly captured his sentiments about the Iraq crisis.

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors
And the brown earth bleached white
At the edge of his gravestone
He’s gone

When the wars of our nation did beckon
The man, barely twenty, did answer the calling
Proud of the trust
That he placed in our nation
He’s gone

But eternity knows him
And it knows what we’ve done

And the rain fell like pearls
On the leaves of the flowers
Leaving brown, muddy clay
Where the earth had been dry

And deep in the trench
He waited for hours
As he held to his rifle
And prayed not to die

But the silence of night
Was shattered by fire
As the guns and grenades
Blasted sharp through the air

One after another
His comrades were slaughtered
In the morgue of marines
Alone, standing there

He crouched ever lower
Ever lower, with fear
“They can’t let me die
They can’t let me die here!

I’ll cover myself
With the mud and the earth
I’ll cover myself
I know I’m not brave!

The earth, the earth
The earth is my grave.”

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors
And the brown earth bleached white
At the edge of his gravestone
He’s gone

Praise from Don McLean

Singer/Songwriter Don McLean praised George Michael’s decision to record a cover version of ‘The Grave’. McLean issued this statement on his website:

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When George died in December 2016, Don McLean’s official Twitter account posted the Youtube video of George’s cover of his song “The Grave”

George Michael The Grave Top Of The Pops 2003 https://t.co/5D97EHVnRQ

— Don McLean (@donmcleanonline) December 26, 2016

McLean also posted on Facebook this touching tribute to George after he died, describing George as “fearless and had a great artist’s need to speak the truth even in cowardly times”:

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Performance of ‘The Grave’

George Michael first performed “The Grave” on the Graham Norton show on February 28, 2003:

George also did a performance for MTV, which aired on MTV across Europe starting March 3.

He performed ‘The Grave’ on Top of the Pops on BBC1 on March 7, 2003 at 7.30 p.m. This performance marked the first time George performed again on the show after 17 years: