Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is the second solo album from British pop star George Michael (on this album, it is spelled as George Michæl), released in September 1990. Following the massive worldwide commercial success of his first album, Faith, this album found Michael trying to create a new image for himself as a serious-minded artist, while still generating sales. The title is a clear indication of his desire to be taken more seriously as a songwriter. However, the effort was considered by many as a commercial disappointment but critical acclaim of the album was generally good.
The album won Best British Album at the 1991 BRIT Awards.
History
Michael refused to appear in many of the music videos that accompanied the singles released from this album. As a result, the little-seen video for "Praying for Time" simply consists of the song lyrics against a dark, ambient background, while the video for "Freedom '90" featured several famous supermodels lip-synching to the track instead of the absent Michael. It featured the literal destruction (by fire and explosions) of several icons from the artist's Faith period and was directed by David Fincher, an acclaimed promo director hot off the success of Madonna's "Vogue" video. Fincher would later go on to become a high-profile and critically acclaimed mainstream Hollywood film director.
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2
The anticipated follow-up album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2, was scrapped for reasons unknown, the most probable of these being Michael's ongoing legal battles with Sony Music. Three of the tracks intended for the album appear on the AIDS-benefit album Red Hot + Dance, while a fourth ("Crazyman Dance") turned up on the B-side of that album's lead-off single "Too Funky".
Chart success
The album sold around 7 million copies, a weak number compared to the 20 million for Faith. Reception was particularly poor in the United States, where Faith became the best-selling album of 1988 and Listen Without Prejudice "only" managed to sell 2 million copies. The album debuted on the Billboard 200 at #22, but the following week climbed to #5, then to #4, and finally reached its peak position of #2, being blocked from the top spot by MC Hammer's Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em. From there, the album spent the rest of 1990 inside the top 10, with a total of 42 weeks inside the entire chart -- not even the half the 87 weeks spent by the previous Faith.
In the UK, reaction was quite impressive. The album was a huge success, eclipsing even Faith in total units sold. Listen Without Prejudice debuted there at #1, but for just one week. For the following two weeks, the album was at #2. It spent 34 consecutive weeks inside the Top 20 -- making, in its 24th week, an impressive sales increase with a #13-#3 movement. It spent a total of 88 weeks inside the UK Albums Chart, and was certified Platinum four times by the BPI, in January 2, 1992.
The album produced five UK hit singles, all of which were released in quick succession, within an eight-month period. These were "Praying for Time" (which reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart - eventually his last #1 hit as a solo artist), "Waiting for That Day", "Cowboys and Angels", "Freedom 90", and "Heal the Pain".
Album notes
- The track "Mothers Pride" gained significant airplay on U.S. radio stations during the first Gulf War in 1991. Programmers often mixed callers' tributes to soldiers, and other patriotic comments, into the music.
- George Michael's cover of "They Won't Go When I Go" by Stevie Wonder showcases his dynamic range and soul-influenced vocal style. The main backing track was recorded live, but all crowd noise was removed and vocal overdubs were added afterwards.
- The track "Waiting for That Day" interpolates a sample of James Brown's Funky Drummer drum break, which was also used in "Freedom! '90". Heretofore regarded as a hip-hop technique, this was deemed quite unorthodox for a pop song (though the technique had been increasingly in use such as when the same Brown sample was used on "I Am Stretched On Your Grave" from Sinead O'Connor's number one album "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," released in 1990). The song also includes some lyrics from the Rolling Stones classic "You Can't Always Get What You Want".
Track listing
All songs written by George Michael, unless noted otherwise.
CD
Cassette/LP
Side One
| 1. |
"Praying for Time" |
4:41 |
| 2. |
"Freedom! '90" |
6:29 |
| 3. |
"They Won't Go When I Go" (Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright) |
5:06 |
| 4. |
"Something to Save" |
3:18 |
| 5. |
"Cowboys and Angels" |
7:15 |
| 26:50 |
Side Two
| 1. |
"Waiting for That Day" (Mick Jagger, George Michael, Keith Richards) |
4:49 |
| 2. |
"Mothers Pride" |
3:59 |
| 3. |
"Heal the Pain" |
4:41 |
| 4. |
"Soul Free" |
5:29 |
| 5. |
"Waiting (Reprise)" |
2:25 |
| 21:23 |
Singles
- "Praying for Time": (August 13, 1990) UK #6, US #1 (1 week)
- "Waiting for That Day": (October 15, 1990) UK #23, US #27
- "Mothers Pride": (B-side of "Waiting for That Day", charted in the U.S. as an airplay-only hit) US #46
- "Freedom! '90": (December 15, 1990) UK #28, US #8
- "Heal the Pain": (February 4, 1991) UK #31
- "Cowboys and Angels": (March 18, 1991) UK #45
Personnel
- Produced by George Michael
- Mixed & engineered by Chris Porter
- Drums, percussion: George Michael, Danny Cummings, Ian Thomas
- Bass: George Michael, Deon Estus
- Guitars: George Michael, Phil Palmer
- Keyboards: Chris Cameron, George Michael, Anthony Patler
- Saxophone: Andy Hamilton
- Horn arrangements by Chris Cameron & George Michael
References
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George Michael |
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| Studio albums |
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| Compilations & EP |
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| Solo singles |
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| Duet singles |
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| Tours and DVD's |
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| Related articles |
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