One More Try (George Michael song)
"One More Try" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by George Michael | ||||
from the album Faith | ||||
Released | 11 April 1988 | |||
Format | CD, cassette | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 5:52 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Writer(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | George Michael | |||
George Michael singles chronology | ||||
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"One More Try" is a million-selling, Gold-certified hit single written and performed by George Michael. It was released by Columbia Records in 1988 as the fourth single from George's 12x Platinum album, Faith. The song hit #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Soul charts.
History
The song was the fourth of six singles to be released from George's debut solo album Faith. A ballad at six minutes in length, the song lyrically explores a young man's hesitancy to enter/revisit a new relationship because he had been emotionally hurt so many times previously. The song concludes with temptation taking over, and Michael ends by singing the title for the only time.
"One More Try" remained a live favourite at Michael's concerts in the years which followed, although its radio airplay tends to be restricted to specific "Love Songs"-esque features because of both the tempo and the length.
Track listing
"One More Try" Maxi CD
- "One More Try" (album version) – 5:50
- "Look at Your Hands" – 4:36
Official remixes and versions
- Album version – 5:50
- Live gospel version – 5:21
Chart performance
It reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart but became his sixth No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA. Four of the six singles issued from Faith went to number one in America, while by comparison, none managed to do so in the UK.
"One More Try" was the third consecutive No. 1 single from the Faith album. "One More Try" debuted at an impressive No. 40 the week of 16 April 1988, and matching the speed of "Father Figure", reached No. 1 by its seventh week, 28 May 1988, this time staying there for three consecutive weeks. "One More Try" was the second-longest running No. 1 of 1988, tied with "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison, and behind the four-week run of Steve Winwood's "Roll with It". In total, "One More Try" spent 7 weeks in the Top 10 and 14 weeks in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. It was a triple-chart No. 1, also topping the R&B and Adult Contemporary charts and becoming the last number-one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart by a white male artist until Robin Thicke's "Lost Without U" (2007).
Charts and certifications
Charts |
Certifications
|
Preceded by "Heart" by Pet Shop Boys |
Irish IRMA number-one single 30 April 1988 – 6 May 1988 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Perfect" by Fairground Attraction |
Preceded by "Anything for You" by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine |
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single 28 May 1988 – 11 June 1988 (3 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Together Forever" by Rick Astley |
Preceded by "Shattered Dreams" by Johnny Hates Jazz |
Billboard Adult Contemporary (chart) number-one single 28 May 1988 – 11 June 1988 (3 weeks) |
Succeeded by "The Valley Road" by Bruce Hornsby and the Range |
Preceded by "Beds Are Burning" by Midnight Oil |
Canadian Singles Chart 11 June 1988 – 18 June 1988 (2 weeks) |
Succeeded by "Together Forever" by Rick Astley |
Preceded by "Little Walter" by Tony! Toni! Toné! |
Billboard Hot Black Singles number-one single June 18, 1988 |
Succeeded by "Joy" by Teddy Pendergrass |
Divine version
"One More Try" | ||||
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Single by Divine | ||||
from the album Fairy Tales | ||||
Released | 9 January 1999 | |||
Format | CD | |||
Recorded | 1998 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 6:00 | |||
Label | Pendulum Records | |||
Writer(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | John Howcott, Donald Parks | |||
Divine singles chronology | ||||
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In 1999, American teen trio Divine recorded the song as their second single off their debut album Fairy Tales.
Track listing
- "One More Try" – 6:00
- "One More Try" (extended version) – 9:00
- "One More Try" (a cappella version) – 4:50
Charts
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 29 |
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 13 |
Beverley Knight version
"One More Try" | ||||
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Single by Beverley Knight | ||||
from the album Soul UK | ||||
Released | 23 October 2011 | |||
Format | Digital download | |||
Recorded | 2011 | |||
Genre | R&B, Soul | |||
Length | 5:43 | |||
Label | Hurricane Records | |||
Writer(s) | George Michael | |||
Producer(s) | Martin Terefe | |||
Beverley Knight singles chronology | ||||
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British singer-songwriter Beverley Knight covered "One More Try" and released it as the third single release from her seventh studio album, Soul UK, a tribute to UK soul artists. It was released in the UK on 23 October 2011. The b-sides are remixes of Freeez's single "Southern Freeez", the original of which also appears on Soul UK.
Background
In regards to her version of "One More Try", Knight said "Everyone knew who George Michael was, but this song is when he became the real thing in my mind. He channelled a gospel sound, black America, ate it up, Britain followed and then the whole world. I took that sound, and going back to my own church roots, I ran with it."[10] George Michael endorsed Knight's version of "One More Try" stating, "I'm always flattered by cover versions of my songs – especially when they are sung as beautifully as this. Thank You Beverley".[11]
Track listing
- Digital download[12]
- "One More Try" (Album Version) - 5:43
- "Southern Freeez" (Soulseekers Club Mix) - 7:17
- "Southern Freeez" (Soulseekers Radio Edit) - 3:28
- "Southern Freeez" (MCM Funky Freeez Radio Edit) - 3:18
- iTunes Digital download[13]
- "One More Try" (Album Version) - 5:43
- "Southern Freeez" (Soulseekers Club Mix) - 7:17
- "Southern Freeez" (Soulseekers Dub) - 7:17
- "Southern Freeez" (MCM Funky Freeez Radio Edit) - 3:18
- Other versions
- "One More Try" (Radio Edit)
Release history
Region | Date | Format |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 23 October 2011 | Digital download |
Other cover versions
- 1997: Joan Baez
- 2000: Divine
- 2011: Iron & Wine (for The A.V. Club's "A.V. Undercover" series)
- 2011:Stacy Francis on first season of The X Factor USA
- 2011: Beverley Knight
- 2014: Mariah Carey recorded the song for her album Me. I Am Mariah... The Elusive Chanteuse (2014).
- 2014: Josh Kaufman
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 George Michael - One More Try (song). Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ↑ Top Singles - Volume 48, No. 8, 11 June 1988. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ↑ Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ↑ Single-Chartverfolgung. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ↑ The Irish Charts. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- ↑ Top 75 Releases. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
- 1 2 One More Try - George Michael. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
- ↑ Les Certifications de l'Artiste Choisi George Michael Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ↑ "American single certifications – George Michael – One More Try". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 15 August 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ↑ BeverleyKnight.com (24 May 2011). "Biog – Beverley Knight". Hurricane Records. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
- ↑ Absolute Marketing (28 September 2011). "Beverley Knight - One More Try". Absolute.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ↑ Amazon.co.uk (23 October 2011). "One More Try: Beverley Knight: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
- ↑ iTunes UK (23 August 2011). "One More Try - EP by Beverley Knight - EP on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 23 August 2011.