George Michael - Father Figure (1987)

“Father Figure” is a song by English singer George Michael from his debut studio album, Faith (1987). It was ...

“Father Figure” is a song by English singer George Michael from his debut studio album, Faith (1987). It was released on 28 December 1987 as the album’s fourth single by Columbia Records. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. Additionally it was a top 5 hit in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain.

Music video

The music video depicts a relationship between a cab driver (Michael) and a high-fashion model (Tania Coleridge). Various intercut flashbacks tell a backstory. Michael and Andy Morahan 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 UK Singles Chart – the first time Michael had failed to reach the top ten in his home country. The song remained a live favourite at Michael’s concerts for many years and is also one of his most frequently aired songs on the radio in the United Kingdom.

In the United States, “Father Figure” became George Michael’s sixth number one single (including three number one singles garnered as half of Wham!). “Father Figure” debuted at number 49 on 16 January 1988, while “Faith” was still prominent (at number nine) in the top ten of the chart. In the subsequent weeks, “Father Figure” was a surefire hit, reaching number one by its seventh week, 27 February 1988, staying at the top for two weeks. Altogether, the single spent six weeks in the top ten, nine weeks in the top twenty, and 14 weeks in the top forty.