Songs from the Last Century

Songs from the Last Century
Studio album by George Michael
Released 13 December 1999
Recorded 1999
Genre Jazz
Length 43:11
Label Virgin
Producer George Michael, Phil Ramone
George Michael chronology
Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael
(1998)		 Songs from the Last Century
(1999)		 Patience
(2004)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BBC(mixed)[2]
NME(3/10)[3]

Songs from the Last Century is the fourth studio album by the English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 13 December 1999. Co-produced by Phil Ramone, it was his first album of cover versions. It consists mainly of old jazz standards, plus new interpretations of more recent popular songs, such as "Roxanne" (originally by The Police) and "Miss Sarajevo" (originally by U2 with Luciano Pavarotti). "Roxanne" was released as a single in other countries except the United Kingdom.

History

This album is the only in George Michael's entire solo catalogue to have not yet reached number one in the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number two instead. It was kept off of the top spot by Shania Twain's Come on Over.[4]

A music video for "Roxanne" was shot in Amsterdam, in the so-called Red District, using ordinary people, not actors, who really live their lives on the street.

Another version exists of the album's opening track, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", sung by Michael with Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti at one of his famous "Pavarotti and Friends" live shows. This version is included on the limited edition of Michael's 2006 greatest hits album, Twenty Five.

Track listing

  1. "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" – 4:22
  2. "Roxanne" – 4:11
  3. "You've Changed" – 4:25
  4. "My Baby Just Cares for Me" – 1:45
  5. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – 5:19
  6. "Miss Sarajevo" – 5:11
  7. "I Remember You" – 4:12
  8. "Secret Love" – 2:39
  9. "Wild Is the Wind" – 4:02
  10. "Where or When" / "It's All Right with Me" (Instrumental) (Hidden track) – 7:00

Personnel

  • Abe Appleman - Violin
  • Diane Barere - Celli
  • Elena Barere - Concert Master, Violin
  • Herb Besson - Trombone
  • Virgil Blackwell - Clarinet
  • Bono - Composer
  • Arvil Brown - Violin
  • Bill Carey - Composer
  • Adam Clayton - Composer
  • Jacqui Danilow - Bass
  • Marji Danilow - Bass
  • Walter Donaldson - Composer
  • The Edge - Composer
  • Brian Eno - Composer
  • Sammy Fain - Composer
  • Lawrence Feldman - Woodwind
  • Frank Filipetti - Engineer, Mixing
  • David Finck - Bass
  • Barry Finclair - Concert Master, Violin
  • Carl Fischer - Composer
  • Crystal Garner - Viola
  • Maura Giannini - Violin
  • Jay Gorney - Composer
  • Karen Griffen - Flute
  • Juliet Haffner - Viola
  • Corky Hale - Harp
  • Laura Hamilton - Violin
  • Joyce Hammann - Violin
  • E.Y. "Yip" Harburg - Composer
  • Lorenz Hart - Composer
  • Sheryl Henze - Flute
  • Kenneth Hitchcock - Woodwind
  • Jim Hynes - Trumpet
  • Regis Iandiorio - Violin
  • Jean Ingraham - Violin
  • Greg Jakobek - Design
  • Ted Jensen - Mastering
  • Tony Kadleck - Trumpet
  • Gus Kahn - Composer
  • Jeff Kievit - Trumpet
  • Chris Komer - French Horn
  • Carol Landon - Viola
  • Jeff Lang - French Horn
  • Kim Laskowski - Bassoon
  • Ann Leathers - Violin
  • Jeanne LeBlanc - Celli
  • Diane Lesser - Oboe
  • Richard Locker - Celli
  • Ewan MacColl - Composer
  • Dave Mann - Woodwind
  • Rob Mathes - Arranger, Conductor, Piano
  • Andrew McPherson - Photography
  • Johnny Mercer - Composer
  • George Michael - Design, Liner Notes, Primary Artist, Producer
  • Jeff Mironov - Guitar
  • John Moses - Clarinet
  • Rob Mounsey - Arranger, Conductor, Piano
  • Jan Mullen - Violin
  • Larry Mullen, Jr. - Composer
  • Lewis Nash - Drums
  • Laura Oatts - Violin
  • Caryl Paisner - Celli
  • Scott Parker - Assistant Engineer
  • Shawn Pelton - Drums
  • Charles Pillow - Woodwind
  • Cole Porter - Composer
  • Sue Pray - Viola
  • Phil Ramone - Liner Notes, Producer
  • Tim Ries - Woodwind
  • Richard Rodgers - Composer
  • Marcus Rojas - Tuba
  • Roger Rosenberg - Woodwind
  • Victor Schertzinger - Composer
  • Stacey Shames - Harp
  • Mark Orrin Shuman - Celli
  • Pamela Sklar - Flute
  • Andy Snitzer - Woodwind
  • Jason Stasium - Mixing
  • Sting - Composer
  • Byron Stripling - Trumpet
  • Marti Sweet - Violin
  • Donna Tecco - Violin
  • Dimitri Tiomkin - Composer
  • David Tofani - Woodwind
  • Ned Washington - Composer
  • Carol Webb - Violin
  • Paul Francis Webster - Composer
  • Ellen Westerman - Celli
  • Torrie Zito - Arranger

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[5]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] 12
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] 12
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[8] 11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[9] 4
Canadian Albums (RPM)[10] 33
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[11] 5
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[12] 6
European Albums (Top 100)[13] 2
French Albums (SNEP)[14] 7
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] 4
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[16] 5
Irish Albums (IRMA)[17] 7
Italian Albums (Hit Parade Italia)[18] 2
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[19] 59
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[20] 8
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[21] 13
Scottish Albums (OCC)[22] 8
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[23] 11
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 6
UK Albums (OCC)[26] 2
US Billboard 200[27] 157

Year-end charts

Chart (1999) Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[28] 74
UK Albums (OCC)[29] 18
Chart (2000) Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[30] 93
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[31] 39
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[32] 86
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[33] 87
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[34] 64
Italian Albums (Hit Parade)[18] 23
UK Albums (OCC)[35] 98

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[36] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[37] Platinum 50,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[38] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[39] 2× Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[40] Gold 150,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[41] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[23] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[42] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] 2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[44] 152,000[45]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[46] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*
Worldwide 3,600,000[47]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ AllMusic review
  2. ↑ BBC review
  3. ↑ NME review
  4. ↑ 1999 Top 40 Official Albums Chart UK Archive, 18th December 1999. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  5. ↑ "George Michael - Songs from the Last Century Credits". AllMusic. All Media Network, LLC. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  10. ↑ "Top Albums/CDs – Volume 70, No. 9, 20 December 1999". RPM. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  11. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Lescharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "George Michael - Offizielle Deutsche Charts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  16. ↑ "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2000. 1. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  17. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Gli album più venduti del 2000". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  19. ↑ ジョージ・マイケルのアルバム売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  20. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  21. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  23. 1 2 Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "George Michael | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "George Michael – Chart history" Billboard 200 for George Michael. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  28. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  29. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 - 1999". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  30. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2000" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  31. ↑ "Rapports annueles 2000" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  32. ↑ "Chart of the Year 2000". Mogens Nielsen. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  33. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten - Album 2000" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  34. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  35. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 - 2000". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  36. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  37. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2000". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  38. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Music Canada.
  39. ↑ "French album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  40. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (George Michael; 'Songs from the Last Century')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  41. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Recorded Music NZ.
  42. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (George Michael; 'Songs from the Last Century')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  43. ↑ "British album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Songs from the Last Century in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  44. ↑ "American album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
  45. ↑ Keith Caulfield. "Ask Billboard: George in the USA". Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  46. ↑ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
  47. ↑ "George Michael Eyeing Universal U.K.". Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
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