"Father Figure" is a song by English singer

George Michael George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the most significant cultural icons of the MTV generation and is one of the best-selling musici ...

from his debut studio album, ''

Faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people often ...

'' (1987). It was released on 28 December 1987 as the album's fourth single by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

. The song reached number one on the

Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

and number 11 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

. Additionally it was a top 5 hit in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain.

Background

George Michael had this to say on the genesis of "Father Figure":

Composition

This song was an R&B ballad, and also features elements of Middle Eastern music and gospel. On the tracks origins George Michael said:

It started off with a rhythm track with a snare, and when you play it like that it sounds a bit like Prince. But I must have been listening to it without the snare and gone, “Oh my God, that totally changes the record!” It suddenly becomes a gospel record.

Music video

The music video depicts a relationship between a cab driver (Michael) and a high-fashion model (

Tania Coleridge The Honourable Tania Rosamund Harcourt-Cooze (née Coleridge, born 22 January 1966) is an English model and actress. Early life and education The daughter of Major William Duke Coleridge, 5th Baron Coleridge of Ottery St Mary, a Major in t ...

). Various intercut flashbacks tell a backstory. Michael and

Andy Morahan Andrew Douglas Morahan (born 11 August 1958) is a British commercial, film and music video director. He is the son of director Christopher Morahan and the half-brother of actress Hattie Morahan. Married to Joanna Lewis, he has two children. ...

won "Best Direction of a Video" at the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards for the video.

Chart performance

Released in the United Kingdom in December 1987, "Father Figure" reached number eleven on the

– the first time Michael had failed to reach the top ten in his home country. In the United States, "Father Figure" debuted on 16 January 1988 at number 49, while "

" was still prominent (at number nine) in the top ten of the chart. "Father Figure" reached number one on 27 February 1988, staying at the top for two weeks. Altogether, the single spent 17 weeks in the chart.

Track listings

*UK single (7") # "Father Figure" – 5:40 # "Love's In Need Of Love Today" – 4:42 *US single (CD and

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in th ...

) # "Father Figure" – 5:40 # "Look at Your Hands" – 4:37 *International single (CD and cassette

maxi single A maxi single or maxi-single (sometimes abbreviated to MCD or CDM) is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an A-side song and a B-side song. The first maxi singles Mungo Jerry's first single, " In the Summertime" was t ...

) # "Father Figure" – 5:28 # "Love's In Need Of Love Today" – 4:42 # "Father Figure" – 5:28

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

Sampled in

P.M. Dawn P.M. Dawn was an American hip hop and R&B act that formed in 1988 by the brothers Attrell Cordes (known by his stage name Prince Be, sometimes credited as Prince Be the Nocturnal) and Jarrett Cordes (known as DJ Minutemix) in Jersey City, New J ...

Looking Through Patient Eyes "Looking Through Patient Eyes" is a song by American hip hop and R&B group P.M. Dawn. It was released on March 1, 1993, as the second single from their second studio album, '' The Bliss Album...? (Vibrations of Love and Anger and the Ponderance ...

(1993) *

L.L. Cool J James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...

Father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...

(1997) *

Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...

- Winter Paradise (2001)

References

External links

* {{authority control 1987 songs 1987 singles Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles Columbia Records singles George Michael songs Music videos directed by George Michael Music videos directed by Andy Morahan Song recordings produced by George Michael Songs written by George Michael MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction Songs about fathers