Jesus to a Child
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Jesus to a Child" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by George Michael | ||
| from the album Older | ||
| Released | 1996 | |
| Label | Virgin Records | |
| Writer(s) | George Michael | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| George Michael singles chronology | ||
| "Killer"/"Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" (1993) |
"Jesus to a Child" (1996) |
"Fastlove" (1996) |
"Jesus to a Child" was a song written and performed by George Michael and released on Virgin records in 1996.
The song was George's first self-penned hit for in his homeland for almost four years and entered the UK singles chart straight at #1 in January 1996. It became his first solo single to enter the UK charts at the top, his first solo #1 from a studio album (all his previous solo #1s had been one-off projects, either during the Wham! years or as a guest or co-vocalist) and, on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA, it became the highest new entry (#7) by a British artist for more than 25 years. It was also George's longest UK Top 40 single at almost seven minutes long.
The song was a melancholy tribute to George's Brazilian friend and lover Anselmo Feleppa. The two had met when George was performing in Rio de Janeiro in 1991, and Feleppa died two years later from an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage. George had been unable to write for the next 18 months as a consequence of his grief, but then penned the words to Jesus To A Child in little more than an hour, indicating that the time was right to move on with his life.
The exact identity of the song's subject - and the nature of their relationship - was shrouded in innuendo at the time, however, as George had not confirmed his homosexuality and did not do so until 1998. Nowadays, George consistently dedicates the song to Feleppa before performing it live.
"Jesus To A Child" was the first of six singles from the album Older. It was George's sixth UK #1 under his solo name, although only the third as an entirely solo performer.
[edit] Tracklist
[edit] CD Single
- "Jesus To A Child" (6:50)
- "One More Try" (Live Gospel Version) (5:21)
[edit] Cassette Single
- "Jesus To A Child" (6:50)
- "One More Try" (Live Gospel Version) (5:21)
- "Older" (Instrumental Version) (5:18)
