"Jesus to a Child" is a song by British singer and songwriter
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 ...
. It was released in January 1996 the first of six singles from his third studio album, ''
Older
Older is the comparative form of "old".
It may also refer to:
Music:
* ''Older'' (album), the third studio album from George Michael (released in 1996)
** "Older" (George Michael song)
* "Older", a song on the 1999 album '' Long Tall Weekend'' ...
'' (1996). The song peaked at number one in Australia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom; it was Michael's sixth UK number one, and his third as a solo performer. It also reached the top three on several other European charts, and became Michael's highest debut on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100. It is a melancholy tribute to his late lover Anselmo Feleppa. The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
was directed by
Howard Greenhalgh
Howard Douglas Greenhalgh (born 19 February 1963) is a British director of music videos and advertising.
Biography
Greenhalgh was born in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire and studied at the Royal College of Art, setting up the firm Why No ...
.
After Michael's death in 2016, Dame
Esther Rantzen
Dame Esther Louise Rantzen (born 22 June 1940) is an English journalist and television presenter, who presented the BBC television series ''That's Life!'' for 21 years, from 1973 until 1994. She works with various charitable causes, and foun ...
, founder of the charity
ChildLine, revealed that Michael had secretly donated all of the single's royalties to the charity. She said "George helped us to reach out to hundreds of thousands of children through his generosity. I met him a couple of times, he approached us, rather than us going cap in hand to him, but it was an intensely personal gift. He didn’t want it to be known or to be part of his image." She told
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
that "he really wanted to keep his help secret, it was an intensely personal gift. It meant we could answer more children."
Background
Although "Jesus to a Child" was not officially released until 8 January 1996, Michael unveiled the song in November 1994 during the inaugural
MTV Europe Music Awards
The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an al ...
, where he performed it live in front of
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
's
Brandenburg Gate
The Brandenburg Gate (german: Brandenburger Tor ) is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after restoring the Orangist power by suppressing the Dutch popular unrest. One ...
.
The song was Michael's first self-penned hit in his homeland for almost four years, becoming his first solo single to enter 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 ...
at number one.
On the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, it became the highest new entry by a British artist for more than 25 years, entering at number seven. In Spain, the single held the top spot for seven non-consecutive weeks.
Content
The song was a melancholy tribute to Michael's Brazilian lover Anselmo Feleppa, whom he met when performing in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
in 1991. Feleppa died two years later from an
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
-related
brain haemorrhage
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), also known as cerebral bleed, intraparenchymal bleed, and hemorrhagic stroke, or haemorrhagic stroke, is a sudden bleeding into the tissues of the brain, into its ventricles, or into both. It is one kind of bleed ...
. Michael 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 song is written with a rhythm and harmony that is influenced by the Brazilian
bossa nova
Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...
style.
The exact identity of the song's subject—and the nature of their relationship—was cause for a certain amount of
innuendo
An innuendo is a hint, insinuation or intimation about a person or thing, especially of a denigrating or derogatory nature. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging (also called insinuation), that works obliquely by allusion ...
at the time, as Michael had not confirmed his
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
and did not do so until 1998. Until his death on Christmas Day 2016, Michael would consistently dedicate the song to Feleppa before performing it live.
Critical reception
Barry Walters from ''
The Advocate'' wrote that on the song, "Michael compares the emotion of a now-deceased lover to that of the Lord, who was, after all, a man. The tone is intensely elegiac, and it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to consider this a love song to a boyfriend who has died of
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
."
[Walters, Barry (20 February 1996). "He's back". '' The Advocate''.] Larry Flick
Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...
from ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' described it as a "gorgeous, quietly insinuating
pop ballad
A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. Cur ...
." He noted that the words "are, by turns, melancholic and romantic and are delivered with delicate ease", adding that "musically, Michael layers light, shuffling percussion with mild acoustic guitar lines and sweetly understated strings." Steve Baltin from ''
Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' declared it as a "lush ballad", adding that "he's never sounded more
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
than he does here. "Jesus To A Child" is a hit as surely as some sport will s.rike this year." A reviewer from ''
Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' complimented it as "George's 'best-ever' song". Sarah Davis from ''
Dotmusic
''Dotmusic'' was a music webzine that existed as a standalone website from 1 June 1995 to December 2003. Initially intended as the web complement to the UK music industry trade magazine ''Music Week'', the site was relaunched in December 1998 as a ...
'' remarked that in the context of the
album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, "Jesus to a Child" "sets the scene for Michael's current direction - brooding, mature, reflective but not so downbeat as to disallow the good times." ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' gave it an C-, calling it an "dispirited, tortoise-paced ballad, which drags on for nearly seven minutes". The writer added that "there's only one retort--bring back
Andrew Ridgeley
Andrew John Ridgeley (born 26 January 1963) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer, best known for his work in the 1980s in the musical duo Wham!.
Early life
Ridgeley was born in Windlesham, Surrey, England, to parents ...
!"
Caroline Sullivan for ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' felt it's "the best thing on the album". She said, "The tune itself is a Michael ballad in excelsis. The likes of "
Careless Whisper
"Careless Whisper" is a song written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. Released on the 1984 Wham! album ''Make It Big'', the single release was credited either to ''Wham! featuring George Michael'' (in North America and several other count ...
" (1984) and "
A Different Corner
"A Different Corner" is a song written and performed by George Michael that was released on Epic Records (Columbia Records in the US) in 1986 .
Background & Writing
"A Different Corner" was written by Michael while Wham! were at their peak as a ...
" (1986) can now be seen as trial runs for this one, which incorporates every GM hallmark from anguished upward vocal inflections to tasteful acoustic guitar." Swedish ''
Göteborgsposten'' concluded with that here, Michael "showed that he still mastered the craft." Jan DeKnock from ''
Knight Ridder
Knight Ridder was an American media company, specializing in newspaper and Internet publishing. Until it was bought by McClatchy on June 27, 2006, it was the second largest newspaper publisher in the United States, with 32 daily newspaper brand ...
'' viewed it a "mesmerizing ballad" and a "stunning effort". ''
Music Week
''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future.
History
Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
'' rated it four out of five and named it Single of the Week, wroting, "A typically slushy ballad – with echoes of "Careless Whisper" – it will, no doubt, do the business, whatever the critics think." ''
People Magazine
''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...
'' described it as "a long-winded
bossa nova
Bossa nova () is a style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mainly characterized by a "different beat" that altered the harmonies with the introduction of unconventional chords and an innovativ ...
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
concoction". Michael E. Ross from ''
Salon Magazine
''Salon'' is an American politically progressive/liberal news and opinion website created in 1995. It publishes articles on U.S. politics, culture, and current events.
Content and coverage
''Salon'' covers a variety of topics, including rev ...
'' complimented the song as one of the best on the ''Older'' album, adding it as "almost painfully thoughtful. In lush, silken musical settings, Michael speaks the world-weary language of scorned love." David Sinclair from ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' opined that "the bittersweet lyric has a certain romantic appeal, but the message of hope comes swathed in layers of introspection and self-pity". Ed Morales for ''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down productio ...
'' felt that "the
Sade
Sade may refer to:
People
* Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine
* Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band
* Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
-style synth chords that rule "Jesus to a Child" bolster Michael's typically breathy but precise musings. "There's a sadness in my eyes", he croons, and you can feel it."
Retrospective response
The Daily Vault's Melanie Love described the song as an "ode to his lost lover", adding that it is "haunting in its bareness and sentiment, while the restrained drums and winding synths are a perfect match for Michael's deep, pained voice as he promises, "So the words that you could not say, I'll sing them for you"." Tom Ewing of
Freaky Trigger
''Freaky Trigger'' is an Internet publication and e-zine that focuses on popular culture with topics varying from music to cinema. It was founded by the music critic Tom Ewing in 1999 and features Pete Baran and Mark Sinker as editors. From 2000 ...
stated that "this is his monument, a work Michael needs his public to hear. Even though few at the time knew the story behind it, the sincerity, and the will to somehow pass on something extraordinary and vanished, is palpable. It's a heartfelt celebration of the effect love can have on a life, and it's a songwriter consciously setting himself his hardest possible task, and achieving it." Victoria Segal from ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' viewed it as "irresistibly maudlin." Dave Fawbert from ''
ShortList
A short list or shortlist is a list of candidates for a job, prize, award, political position, etc., that has been reduced from a longer list of candidates (sometimes via intermediate lists known as "long lists"). The length of short lists varie ...
'' said that it is "one of the most beautiful songs ever written". Eric Henderson from ''
Slant Magazine
''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
'' wrote, "Jesus to a Child" is among the most haunting of Michael's ballads, and one whose meaning could only fully emerge after his coming out. A slow-motion flamenco cry, written following the death of his lover, Anselmo Feleppa, "Jesus to a Child" still remains supernaturally clear-eyed about what it means to love and to lose. "I've been loved so I know just what love is/And the lover that I kissed is always by my side/The lover I still miss was Jesus to a child".
Music video
The accompanying
music video
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...
for "Jesus to a Child" was directed by British director
Howard Greenhalgh
Howard Douglas Greenhalgh (born 19 February 1963) is a British director of music videos and advertising.
Biography
Greenhalgh was born in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire and studied at the Royal College of Art, setting up the firm Why No ...
. The atmospheric and delicately surreal video features the lithe bodies of male and female ballet dancers, for whom collapsing piles of dust and a swooping pendulum ball signify the passing of time and the loss of love, as well as their own mortality.
[Steele, Robert (4 September 2017). "Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael: Revised & Updated". Omnibus Press.] It also feature images of flames, waves, and shadow in languid slow motion.
The scenes of Michael shows him standing alone in a dark room, with a small light on his face as he performs. In the beginning of the video, two shirtless boys appears holding hands through the frames of separate wooden boxes. This image reappears near the end. While Michael sings, "You will always be my love", the boys vanish from their boxes as if they were ghosts.
The
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
restricted it to late-night play.
* UK CD1 and cassette single (VSCDG 1571; VSC 1571)
* US CD single (SKGDS-58000)
* Australian CD and cassette single (8932702; 8932724)
# "Jesus to a Child" – 6:50
# "
" (instrumental version) – 5:18
* UK CD2 (VSCDX 1571)
# "Jesus to a Child" – 6:50
# "Freedom '94" (live version at
) – 6:04
# "One More Try" (live gospel version at Concert of Hope '93) – 5:21
# "Older" (instrumental version) – 5:18
* European CD single (VSCDE 1571)
* US 7-inch and cassette single (SKGS7-59000; SKGCS-59000)
# "Jesus to a Child" – 6:50
# "One More Try" (live gospel version at Concert of Hope '93) – 5:21