In 1994 zong de Engelse singer/songwriter George Michael (1963-2016) zijn prachtige lied Jesus To A Child tijdens de MTV Music Awards in Berlijn. Dat was de allereerste keer dat hij met het nummer naar buiten kwam. Pas in Januari 1996 werd het uitgebracht als eerste single van zijn fantastische album Older.

Van de opbrengsten van die single ging 50.000 pond naar het goede doel Help a London Child. En dat was niet alles bleek later, want zonder het bekend te maken doneerde Michael de rest van de opbrengst van de single aan de Engelse Kindertelefoon, de ChildLine. Iets wat me erg aanspreekt omdat ik in de jaren 80 een aantal jaren als vrijwilliger, trainer & coach heb gewerkt bij de Utrechtse Kindertelefoon.

Het lied is een eerbetoon aan zijn geliefde de Braziliaanse mode-ontwerper Anselmo Feleppa (1956-1993), die hij ontmoette in Rio de Janeiro in 1991 en twee jaar later overleed aan een hersenbloeding als gevolg van AIDS. Bij elk optreden waar Michael het lied zong droeg hij het op aan zijn gestorven vriend, ook in de tijd waarin hij nog niet naar buiten was gekomen met zijn homosexualiteit.

Jesus to a Child
Kindness, in your eyes,
I guess. You heard me cry.
You smiled at me,
like Jesus to a child.

I’m blessed, I know.
Heaven sent, and heaven stole.
You smiled at me,
like Jesus to a child.

And what have I learned,
from all this pain.
I thought I’d never
feel the same about anyone,
or anything again.

But now I know,
when you find love.
When you know that it exists.
Then the lover that you miss,
will come to you
on those cold, cold nights.

When you’ve been loved.
When you know it holds such bliss.
Then the lover that you kissed,
will comfort you
when there’s no hope in sight.

Sadness in my eyes.
No one guessed,
or no one tried.
You smiled at me
like Jesus to a child.

Loveless and cold.
With your last breath,
you saved my soul.
You smiled at me,
like Jesus to a child

And what have I learned,
from all these tears.
I’ve waited for you
all those years.
And just when it began,
he took your love away.

But I still say.
When you find love.
When you know that it exists.
Then the lover that you miss,
will come to you on those cold,
cold nights.

When you’ve been loved.
When you know it holds such bliss.
Then the lover that you kissed,
will comfort you
when there’s no hope in sight.

So the words you could not say,
I’ll sing them for you.
And the love we would have made,
I’ll make it for two.
For every single memory,
has become a part of me.
You will always be, my love.

Well I’ve been loved,
so I know just what love is.
And the lover that I kissed,
is always by my side.

Oh the lover I still miss,
was Jesus to a child.

De Engelse singer/songwriter George Michael (1963-2016) was op zijn best tijdens het MTV Unplugged concert in 1996. Hier zingt hij zijn heerlijke uptempo nummer Star People, waarin hij zich afzet tegen het materialisme van bepaalde sterren in de show business. Michael suggereert dat hun gedrag om gezien te willen worden voortkomt uit onzekerheid of een moeilijke jeugd. En raad ze aan zich uit te spreken over wat hen overkomen is en te stoppen met hun hypocriete gedrag. Dat indirecte dwepen er mee is wel genoeg geweest volgens hem en leidt tot niets, vooral omdat wanneer alle aandacht verdwijnt er niets meer overblijft.

Let vooral ook op de interactie met de fantastische groep achtergrondzangers & zangeressen. Over hen schreef ik eerder in mijn bericht over het lied Freedom 90 uit hetzelfde concert.

Star People
Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
I said, maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.

Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
It’s the same old same old.
Maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.

Star people.
Counting your money
until your soul turns green.
Star people.
Counting the cost
of your desire to be seen.

I do not count myself among you.
I may be living in a dream.
It’s just there’s seem so many of you.
Can’t help but hope
there’s a difference between
you and me.

(Ah-ah-ah, ah, you’re a star)
Ooh, I’m talkin’ to you, yeah.
(Ah-ah-ah)
And you should go far.

I said,
Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
It’s the same old same old.
Maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.
How much is enough?

Star people.
Never forget your secret’s safe with me.
Just look at all the wonderful people.
Trying to forget
they had to pay for what you see.

It’s a dream,
with a nightmare stuck in the middle.
(Middle)
But listen brother,
where would you be
without all of this attention?
You’d die, I’d die,
we’d die, wouldn’t we?
Well wouldn’t we?

(You’re a star)
Ooh, I’m talkin’ to you, yeah.
(Ah-ah-ah)
Talkin’ to you.
You’re a star.

I said,
Maybe your mama gave you up boy.
It’s the same old, same old.
Maybe your daddy
didn’t love you enough girl.
How much is enough?

You only wanted them to love you.
You may have been living in a dream.
And there’s a demon’s tower above you.
You bite your tongue,
when you really wanna scream.

(Baby, mama. Maybe.)
Look at me
(Baby, daddy. Maybe.
How much is enough?)

Hey! Talk about your mother.
Talk about your father.
Talk about the people
who have made you what you are.
Talk about your teacher.
The bully boy who beat you.
Talk about the people who have paid
for that new sports car.

(Maybe your mama gave you up boy)
You’re a big, big, big thing.
Star.
(maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough girl)
Say, how much is enough?

Did you get up on a bad foot baby?
Do you have a little tale to tell?
Did you get up on a bad foot,
bad, bad foot?
Is that why you’re a star?
(Maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough girl)
Is that what makes a star?
Hey, hey.
How much is enough?

(Did you get up on a bad foot baby?
Do you have a little tale to tell?)
Yeah
(How much is enough?)
How much is enough?
(Did you get up on a bad foot baby?)
Do you have a little tale to tell?
(How much is enough?)
Please.

So nothing comes for nothing baby.
(Do you have a little tale to tell?)
That fame and fortune’s heaven sent.
(How much is enough?)
And who gives a fuck
about your problems darling.
(Do you have a little tale to tell?)
‘Cause you can pay the rent.
(How much is enough?)
How, how, how much is enough?

(Maybe your mama gave you up boy)
Yeah, say how much is enough?
(Maybe your daddy didn’t love you enough girl)
Say, how much is enough?