(1987, #2)
We now know better. George Michael -- that stubbly dandy with those short shorts, white gloves, shiny earrings, moussed-up hair etc. -- is gay. And that's OK -- we understand why he hid it. Why shatter your standing with your predominantly female audience?
The affront here isn't the front Michael put on -- it's that he used this song to do it (hypocrisy is fine with me as long as the music's good.) "I Want Your Sex" -- with it's racy-yet-SFW video -- was his homage to monogamous sex during the heart of the AIDS crisis. You can be with one person, the song wants to say, and still be sexy. An honorable goal, and you would think that Michael could put the goods on tape. Instead of something sexy and sensuous, we get a farting synth bass, a clutter of percussion, a cliche keyboard patch Prince had discarded around Controversy and Michael trying to sound rough and tumble...
There's things that you guess
And things that you know
There's boys you can trust
And girls that you don't
Not sure what means -- maybe Michael will explain...
There's little things you hide
And little things that you show
Sometimes you think you're gonna get it
But you don't and that's just the way it goes
Hmmm. Guess not. Michael keeps it nice and vague until he launches his platitude salvo in a sing-songy voice right out of a playground game of "Red Rover."
Sex is natural
Sex is good
Not everybody does it
But everybody should
Sex is natural
Sex is fun
Sex is best when it's...
(And here Michael finally goes through puberty)
One...on...One!
Oh, I see. Michael gives the nice, vague soft sale, then gets down to business, only to pull the rug out at the end -- yes, it's sensual and habitual (?) and natural -- but only with a single partner. Like a wife, or husband, or boyfriend or, I don't know, the guy in the next stall. Isn't it romantic?
Fun Fact: On American Top 40, radio host Casey Kasem refused to say the title on the air. He would announce the artist -- and then play the song.
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