‘One More Try’: The song George Michael considered a massive leap
George Michael faced many challenges during his life and career. Bombarded with consistent hurdles, professionally and personally, the singer emerged as an authentic sign of the times, creating music that would maintain its appeal decades on and embodying the spirit of someone who truly excelled in the face of adversity. For Michael, nothing was impossible, even if media scrutiny made life feel inherently abnormal.
Better than anybody, Michael grew to learn all about the highs and lows of life in the spotlight. Emerging as the quieter, more unsuspecting force in Wham!, it was his voice and perceived “sex appeal” that gave him his place among the stars, setting the stage for a life that would constantly flit between adoration and scrutiny, no matter how hard he tried to keep control of it all.
However, things would never be easy for someone like Michael, despite the sheen on the surface of his seemingly in-built privilege. With legions of fans observing his every move and a reputation that only seemed to grow bigger and more unwavering, Michael’s downfall was around the corner at every moment, even if the source of such a mishap wasn’t all that problematic, to begin with.
Still, his music and talent spoke for itself, making it endlessly challenging to pinpoint the moment when he took a significant risk. After all, Michael’s life is filled with turbulence, namely as a result of his ubiquity, but, for the most part, it seemed that significant achievements were constantly hijacked by intense perusals, not just regarding his sexuality but the commercialism of the music itself.
When asked about one of these moments directly—when he realised he had taken a huge step—Michael didn’t name any of these moments or his obvious hits, instead choosing to discuss the poignancy of another song from his debut, ‘One More Try’. In his view, this song tackles one of the themes the singer repeatedly used throughout his music, trepidation when entering a new relationship after being hurt before, marking one of the first times he had become unfiltered in his vulnerability.
Describing this process to Mark Goodier in 2010, Michael claimed it was “probably the best one,” admitting that if he had to revisit one song from Faith, it would be that one. “I wrote it in one evening, and even at that stage, that didn’t happen very often, but I was beside myself that I’d written it,” he said, adding, “I knew, in some way, it was a real leap.” It also urged him to reflect on his unique position, noting: “I’m lucky enough to have the ability, the gift.”
Michael’s life would be filled with countless moments like these, with him reflecting on achievements as though he wasn’t being guided or influenced by anything other than pure intuition and the power of music. Though some occurrences were veiled in negativity, he remained steadfast in recognising that the only real leaps were the ones taken with a brave heart. Those were the ones that mattered the most and arguably the ones that built the legacy that defined his career.
