It’s hard to imagine now, but in 1987, George Michael was terrified. He was trying to kill off the "Wham!" guy—the one with the highlighted hair and the "Choose Life" t-shirts. He needed something grittier. He needed a leather jacket, a pair of Ray-Bans, and a sound that didn't just mimic Motown but lived inside it. When you pop a George Michael Faith CD into a player today, you aren't just hearing a pop record. You’re hearing the sound of a man betting his entire career on the idea that a white kid from North London could write, produce, and arrange a masterpiece that would rival Prince or Michael Jackson.
He did it. He actually did it.
The album didn't just sell; it dominated. It stayed in the Billboard Top 10 for 51 weeks. But looking back, the technical achievement is what really sticks. George Michael played almost every instrument on the title track. Think about that. The percussion, the arrangement, that iconic acoustic guitar strum that feels like it’s vibrating right in your chest—that was all him. It’s a level of control that most modern pop stars wouldn't even dream of attempting.
The Acoustic Soul of the Faith CD
A lot of people think Faith is just a dance record because of tracks like "I Want Your Sex." They’re wrong. At its heart, the George Michael Faith CD is an exploration of traditional rhythm and blues through a 1980s lens. Take "Father Figure." It was originally intended to be a fast-paced dance track. George told his engineer, Chris Porter, to strip away the heavy snare and slow the tempo down. What was left was this ethereal, gospel-tinged plea that feels incredibly intimate.
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The "Faith" title track itself is a masterclass in minimalism. Most people forget that the song starts with a pipe organ playing Wham!'s "Freedom." It was a literal funeral for his past. Then, that Bo Diddley beat kicks in. It’s just a dry guitar, a basic beat, and George’s voice. There’s no wall of sound. There’s no massive synth pad hiding a weak melody. It’s vulnerable. Honestly, that’s why it still sounds fresh while other 1987 productions sound like a pile of dated neon plastic.
Why the Digital Remasters Matter (And Why They Sometimes Don't)
If you’re looking to buy a George Michael Faith CD today, you’ll likely run into the 2011 Remastered Edition. There’s a lot of debate among audiophiles about this. The original 1987 CD pressing has a very specific "breath" to it. It wasn't mastered as loudly as modern discs, so you have to turn the volume up, but you get more dynamic range.
The 2011 version, handled by Sony Music, cleaned up a lot of the floor noise. It’s crisp. The bass in "Hard Day" hits significantly harder. However, some purists argue that the "loudness war" took a bit of the soul out of the quieter moments in "Hand to Mouth." If you’re a collector, you basically need both. You need the original for the nostalgia and the raw dynamics, and the remaster for the bonus tracks and the sheer punch of the dance mixes.
- The Original 1987 Pressing: Look for the Columbia or Epic labels. It’s quieter but more "open."
- The 2011 Deluxe Edition: This is the one with the DVD and the extra tracks like "Fantasy" and "Love's in Need of Love Today" (live).
- The Blu-Ray Audio: If you can find it, this is the gold standard for high-fidelity nerds.
The Controversy That Almost Sunk the Ship
You can't talk about the George Michael Faith CD without mentioning "I Want Your Sex." In 1987, the BBC banned it. American radio stations would only play it late at night, or they’d use a censored version that swapped "sex" for "love." George was frustrated. He felt people were missing the point—the song was about "monogamy," as the music video famously scrolled across a woman’s back in lipstick.
It was a bold move. He was pushing back against the "just say no" era of the 1980s by arguing for a healthy, committed sexuality. It made him a lightning rod for criticism, but it also made the album a cultural phenomenon. It proved that he wasn't just a "teenybopper" idol anymore. He was an adult artist dealing with adult themes.
Production Secrets: How Faith Was Built
Working at PUK Studios in Denmark was a deliberate choice. It was isolated. George wanted to get away from the London scene and the distractions of fame. He worked incredibly long hours with Chris Porter.
The drum sounds on the album are particularly interesting. They used the LinnDrum and the Roland TR-808, but they processed them through high-end outboard gear to make them sound "expensive." In "Monkey," the percussion is so aggressive it almost feels industrial, yet it never loses its pop sensibility. George’s vocal layering is the real secret sauce, though. He would record his own backing vocals dozens of times, slightly varying his tone to create a "choir" that was entirely composed of his own voice.
Key Tracks to Revisit
- "Hand to Mouth" - This is the most underrated song on the record. It’s a stinging critique of Thatcher-era and Reagan-era economics. It shows his growth as a lyricist.
- "Kissing a Fool" - A stunning jazz ballad. No synths. Just a piano, a bass, and a vocal performance that sounds like it belongs in 1945. It’s the moment he proved he could out-sing almost anyone in the business.
- "Hard Day" - This is pure funk. It’s George Michael doing his best Prince impression, and he actually pulls it off.
The Lasting Legacy of the Faith Era
When George Michael won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1989, it was a validation. He had beaten out heavy hitters and proved that pop could be "serious." But the success of the George Michael Faith CD also became a cage. The fame was so intense that he famously refused to appear in the music videos for his next album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1.
The Faith era was the peak of the 1980s "superstar" model. It was the last time one man could seemingly hold the entire world's attention with a single record. It remains a blueprint for artists like Justin Timberlake or Harry Styles—stars who want to transition from a boy band to a respected solo career.
Actionable Steps for Collectors and Fans
If you want to experience Faith the right way in 2026, don't just stream it on a low-bitrate setting.
- Hunt for a Japanese Pressing: If you can find the 32DP 860 Japanese import of the George Michael Faith CD, grab it. Collectors swear by the pressing quality of Japanese plants from the late 80s; the error correction and physical durability are often superior.
- Listen on Headphones: Tracks like "Father Figure" use subtle spatial effects that get lost on phone speakers. Use a decent pair of over-ear headphones to hear the intricate vocal harmonies George spent hundreds of hours perfecting.
- Check the Matrix Code: If you’re buying used, look at the inner ring of the CD. Original US pressings often have "Digital Audio Disc Corp." stamped in the plastic. This confirms you have the 1987 mastering rather than a later, uncredited secret remaster.
- Compare the "Shep Pettibone" Remixes: Seek out the 12-inch versions or the "Monkey" remixes included on the deluxe CD. They offer a completely different, more club-oriented perspective on the album's production.