Information about the Album:
Twenty Five is a greatest hits album by George Michael released on 2006, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career. It was released on 13 November 2006 by Sony BMG.
It is essentially an update of 1998’s Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael capitalizing on the singer’s first stateside tour in 17 years. However, two notable songs are missing in this compilation: “Monkey” and “I Want Your Sex.” The format remains the same as Ladies & Gentlemen album: two discs of Michael’s hits and key album cuts divided by tempo. The For Living disc covers upbeat material like “Faith” and “Fastlove” while For Loving groups together ballads and love songs, such as “Careless Whisper” and “One More Try”. The main differences are that Twenty Five includes tracks from Patience (2004), the controversial “Shoot the Dog” single, a few Wham! hits, and the requisite new songs. (A “limited edition” set is also available with an extra disc of rare material)
Reviews:
George Michael’s music is as important for its universality as it is for its sexual specificity. Presumably, “Amazing” is a love song about Michael and his partner, yet its genderless pronouns translate to all kinds of relationships. Rather gracefully, George Michael has proclaimed his love for men without alienating his fans. What Twenty Five illuminates that Ladies and Gentlemen did not is how Michael has come full circle in making peace with his sexuality. If album charts are any indication— Twenty Five topped the European Albums chart—he hasn’t lost many listeners in the process.
2008’s Twenty Five celebrates George Michael’s 25 years in the recording industry by presenting a near perfect collection of highlights from both Wham! and his solo career. For fans, having “Everything She Wants,” “Careless Whisper,” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” on the same collection as “Faith,” “Father Figure,” and “Freedom! ’90” is reason enough to pick this up, but for completists the lack of “I Want Your Sex” and “Kissing a Fool” is just too glaring not to warrant a few grumblings about waiting for his 27th year anniversary to celebrate.
Charts:
Official Charts (United Kingdom):
- Number of weeks in chart: 39 weeks
- Peak Position: #1 (for 1 week)
Billboard Charts (United States):
- Number of weeks in chart: 12 weeks
- Peak Position: #23
Track List:
Disc 1: For Living
“Everything She Wants”
“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”
“Freedom”
“Faith”
“Too Funky” (Single Version)
“Fastlove”
“Freedom! ’90”
“Spinning the Wheel”
“Outside”
“As” (with Mary J. Blige)
“Freeek!” (2002 single version)
“Shoot the Dog” – 5:08 from Patience (non-USA release)
“Amazing” – 4:25 from Patience
“Flawless (Go to the City)” (vs. The Ones) (Radio Edit) – 4:50 original version from Patience
“An Easier Affair” – 4:38 Previously unreleased
“Kissing a Fool” – 4:34
Disc 2: For Loving
“Careless Whisper”
“Last Christmas” (Single Edit) – 4:27 original version from Wham!’s album The Final
“A Different Corner” (Single Edit) – 4:03 from Wham!’s The Final
“Father Figure” – 5:40 from Faith
“One More Try” – 5:53 from Faith
“Praying for Time” – 4:41 from Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
“Heal the Pain” (with Paul McCartney)
“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”
“Jesus to a Child”
“Older” – 5:34 from Older
“Round Here” – 5:55 from Patience
“You Have Been Loved”
“John and Elvis Are Dead” – 4:23 from Patience
“This Is Not Real Love” (with Mutya) – 4:56 Previously unreleased
“Club Tropicana” – 4:28 from Wham!’s album Fantastic / Japanese bonus track
Disc 3: For the Loyal (limited edition only)
“Understand”
“Precious Box”
“Roxanne”
“Fantasy”
“Cars and Trains”
“Patience”
“You Know That I Want To”
“My Mother Had a Brother”
“If You Were There”
“Safe”
“American Angel”
“My Baby Just Cares for Me”
“Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”
“Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo’s Song)”
“Through”
Digital download version (2 bonus tracks and 4 videos)
“I’m Your Man” – 6:52
“Edith & The Kingpin” – 3:41
“I’m Your Man” – 3:59 (video)
“John and Elvis Are Dead” – 4:23 (video)
“An Easier Affair” – 4:31 (video)
“Father Figure” – 5:34 (video)
Similar Posts:
- George Michael: The Reluctant Pop Star (Calendar Magazine, Sept 1990)
- ‘Souled Out: George Michael’ Published in Interview Magazine (1988)
- ‘Too Funky:’ Story of A George Michael Charity Record
- George Michael: Artist or Airhead? (Musician, 1988)
- ‘George Michael, Seriously’ from Rolling Stone Magazine (1988)
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