A Different Corner

"A Different Corner" is a song written and performed by George Michael which was released on Epic Records (Columbia Records in the US) in 1986.

"A Different Corner"
Single by George Michael
from the album Music from the Edge of Heaven and The Final
Released24 March 1986 (1986-03-24)
RecordedAutumn 1985[1]
Genre
Length
  • 4:32 (LP version)
  • 3:57 (single edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)George Michael
Producer(s)George Michael
George Michael singles chronology
"Careless Whisper"
(1984)		 "A Different Corner"
(1986)		 "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
(1987)
Music video
"A Different Corner" (Official) on YouTube

Background & Writing

"A Different Corner" was written by Michael while Wham! were at their peak as a duo, and during a low point in his life:

“I felt like s—. I went in and recorded exactly the way I felt, and that’s the way it sounds. It was partly Wham! and partly the end of a relationship. It was the farthest I’d ever fallen, and in a very short period of time. I had to get rid of it somehow, I had to write about it. That’s a really perverse side that I’m sure a lot of writers have -‘I feel like s—, but maybe I’ll get a good song out of it.’”[2]

Michael admitted that "A Different Corner" was the "most honest" and personal song he had ever done.[3] He elaborated further on the song's meaning:

"That was about a very quick relationship, a here today gone tomorrow one. It’s amazing how emotional you can get in a short period of time and how long it can last. Someone can really shake you up and it takes you a long time to get yourself back on your feet; that was what that was about."[4]

According to Michael, the song took roughly 14 hours to write and record from beginning to end.[5] The synthesizer textures were created with a Roland Juno-60 synthesizer.[6]

History

At the time of its release in March 1986, Michael was still a member of pop duo Wham! (the song is included on Wham!'s album Music from the Edge of Heaven only released in Japan and North America, as well as their compilation album The Final, released worldwide), though he and partner Andrew Ridgeley had announced that they would split in the summer after a farewell single, album and concert. Michael had already enjoyed a solo number one on the UK Singles Chart in 1984 with "Careless Whisper", which was credited as Wham! featuring George Michael in the US.

After radio DJ Simon Bates first aired "A Different Corner" on Radio 1, he rated the song so highly that he immediately played it again from the beginning. Michael went back to the top of the UK chart with "A Different Corner", becoming the first solo act in the history of the UK chart to reach number one with his first two releases, although he was hardly an unknown or new act on either occasion due to his previous hits with Wham!. The song reached number 7 on the US Billboard Hot 100, thus becoming the first single credited solely to Michael to become an American top-ten hit which was enough to make American executives at Epic Records confident that Michael would be viable as a solo artist and helped get the gears in motion for his solo album debut Faith. It was the first song to reach number one in the UK charts to be written, performed and produced by the same person.

The song was also remixed for his compilation Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael. This version omitted the guitar and Michael's background vocals during the instrumental break.

The song was featured in a 1986 episode of the US daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.

The song was performed by Chris Martin as part of a tribute to Michael during the 2017 BRIT Awards.

A note on the back of the sleeve proclaims, "This record is dedicated to a memory."

Music video

The music video is set in a sparse white room with a window. George Michael is also dressed in white, and is shown sitting and walking around the room whilst singing the song.

Track listing

7": Epic / A 7033 (UK)
  1. "A Different Corner" – 3:57
  2. "A Different Corner" (instrumental) – 4:13

12": Epic / GTA 7033 (UK)
  1. "A Different Corner" – 3:57
  2. "A Different Corner" (instrumental) – 4:13
  • released in gatefold sleeve

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Netherlands (NVPI)[38] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[39] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Idoling Away the Years (New Musical Express, 1985)".
  2. "George Michael: Artist or Airhead? (Musician, 1988)". gmforever.com.
  3. "George Michael: "Andrew Knew He Was There For A Purpose" (1986)".
  4. "1987 Smash Hits Magazine Interview with George Michael".
  5. "George Michael Interview on Countdown (1988)".
  6. "George Michael Wham/solo songs comments & research". 12 January 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021.
  7. David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Austriancharts.at – George Michael – A Different Corner" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  9. "Ultratop.be – George Michael – A Different Corner" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0685." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  11. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 8220." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  12. "Singlet 1986-04 huhtikuu" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  13. "Lescharts.com – George Michael – A Different Corner" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  14. "George Michael Chart History". RÚV. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – A Different Corner". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  16. "Indice per Interprete: M: Michael, George" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  17. ジョージ・マイケルのランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 20, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  19. "Dutchcharts.nl – George Michael – A Different Corner" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  20. "Charts.nz – George Michael – A Different Corner". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  21. "Norwegiancharts.com – George Michael – A Different Corner". VG-lista. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  22. Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  23. "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael – A Different Corner". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  24. "Swisscharts.com – George Michael – A Different Corner". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  26. "George Michael Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  27. "George Michael Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  28. "Offiziellecharts.de – George Michael – A Different Corner". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  29. Kimberley, Christopher. Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book: 1965–1996.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten 1986". Ultratop. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  31. "Top 100 Singles of '86". RPM. 27 December 1986. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  32. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  34. "Top Selling Singles of 1986". The Official NZ Music Charts. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  35. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  36. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (27 December 1986). "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 98 (52): Y-21.
  37. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  38. "Dutch single certifications – Wham! – A Different Corner" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter A Different Corner in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  39. "British single certifications – Wham! – A Different Corner". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type A Different Corner in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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