"Father Figure" is the U.S. number-one song written and
performed by George Michael and released on Epic Records in
1987 as the third single from the album
Faith.
"Father Figure" is a sharp and sensual tale of seduction
which is more than five minutes long and epitomized the sexual
nature of Michael's writing which he had adopted since the
latter years of Wham!.
The song was actually supposed to be an uptempo dance track,
but whilst checking his mix of the song, Michael turned off the
snare track and realized he liked the song better without
it.
The video starred Vogue model Tania Coleridge.
Released in 1987, "Father Figure" reached number eleven in
the UK singles chart - the first time Michael had failed to
reach the top ten in his home country. The song remained a live
favourite at Michael's concerts for many years and is also one
of his most frequently aired songs on the radio in the UK.
In the U.S., "Father Figure" became George Michael's sixth
number one single (counting #1 singles garnered as half of
Wham!). "Father Figure" debuted at #49 on January 16, 1988,
while "Faith" was still prominent (at #9) in the top tier of
the chart. In the subsequent weeks, "Father Figure" was a
surefire hit, reaching #1 by its seventh week, February 27,
1988, staying at the top for two weeks. Altogether, the single
spent 6 weeks in the Top 10, 9 weeks in the Top 20, and 14
weeks in the Top 40.
The music video depicts a relationship between a cab driver
(George Michael) and a high fashion model (Tania Coleridge).
Various intercut flashbacks tell a backstory that, like the
song, can be interpreted in various ways.
One possible interpretation is that it depicts the breakdown
of a relationship. At some point in the past a cab driver and
model began an unlikely but passionate relationship. The model,
however, had an affair with her photographer, which she quickly
regretted. The cab driver suspected the affair, followed her,
and discovered the truth. At some point in the future—perhaps
the next day, perhaps months later—he appears at a runway show
in which she is performing, either to forgive her or to let her
know he is aware of the affair.
Another interpretation is similar to the first, except that
the cab driver is the one with whom she is cheating, but he is
unaware of it and his discovery of it ends the
relationship.
A completely different interpretation is that the cab driver
is a stalker. In this interpretation, there was never a
relationship between the cab driver and model in the first
place, except in the cab driver's imagination. The cab driver
was obsessed with the model (cutting out pictures of her in
magazines and putting them on his wall, following her, etc.)
and discovered that she was in a relationship with her
photographer. In his mind, the cab driver substituted himself
in place of her real lover, and convinced himself that they
were in love. The stress of this obsession took its toll on the
model. The final scene with the cab driver in the audience thus
takes on a far more disturbing connotation.
George Michael and Andy Morahan won "Best Direction of a
Video" at the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards for "Father
Figure".
"Careless
Whisper" ·
"A Different
Corner" ·
"I Want Your
Sex" ·
"Hard Day" ·
"Faith" ·
"Father
Figure" ·
"One More Try" ·
"Monkey" ·
"Kissing a
Fool" ·
"Praying for
Time" ·
"Waiting for That
Day" ·
"Mother's
Pride" ·
"Freedom! '90" ·
"Heal the
Pain" ·
"Cowboys and
Angels" ·
"Too Funky" ·
"Killer" / "Papa Was a
Rollin' Stone" ·
"Jesus to a
Child" ·
"Fastlove" ·
"Spinning the
Wheel" ·
"Older / I Can't Make You
Love Me" ·
"Star People
'97" ·
"You Have Been Loved / The
Strangest Thing '97" ·
"Outside" ·
"Freeek!" ·
"Shoot the
Dog" ·
"Amazing" ·
"Flawless (Go to the
City)" ·
"Round Here" ·
"John and Elvis Are
Dead" ·
"An Easier
Affair" ·
"December Song (I Dreamed of
Christmas)"
