| "Kissing a Fool" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by George Michael | ||||
| from the album Faith | ||||
| Released | 21 November 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:35 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | George Michael | |||
| Producer(s) | George Michael | |||
| George Michael singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Kissing a Fool" on YouTube | ||||
"Kissing a Fool" is a song written and performed by English singer and songwriter George Michael, released by Columbia Records in 1988.
A ballad with minimal instrumentation and a jazz feel, the song was written about Michael's insecurities as a soulmate and partner because of the baggage and reputation with which he came. According to Michael, the vocals were recorded a cappella in one take. "Kissing a Fool" was the working title for the album, which later was renamed to Faith.
Aside from Michael's vocals, the song employs piano, guitar, bass, drums and a brass section. It was the seventh and final single to be released from the album Faith. It was also the least successful, making number 18 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming the first single in five not to make number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. However, it reached number one on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks and became a number 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100,[2] being regarded critically as one of his most vulnerable recordings and one of his best ballads.[3][4] In 2021, BBC Radio 2 listeners voted "Kissing a Fool" as number 15 in their top 40 George Michael songs.[5]
"Kissing a Fool" was Michael's last single for almost two years in the United Kingdom. It was later covered by Michael Bublé on his self-titled album and released as a single in the United States and reached No. 29 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.
- ^ Greene, Jayson (17 July 2007). "George Michael – Faith – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 September 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 169.
- ^ Dan Cairns (2 July 2023). "Ranked: George Michael's top 22 songs to make you dance and cry". The Times. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ Maura Johnston (26 October 2017). "George Michael's 'Kissing a Fool': A Pop Scholar's Final 'Faith' Thesis". Billboard. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
- ^ "BBC Radio 2 listeners crown Careless Whisper their favourite George Michael song". BBC. 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2024.