David Austin was with George Michael since the start of his musical journey. Their mothers were best friends and the two would often record themselves covering some of their radio favorites like Elton John, Sweet, and more at ages 5 (Michael) and 6 (Austin) years old. Then, they started writing original songs, including their first, “The Music Maker of the World.”
“There are four or five recordings of us as kids singing these songs, and when I listen to them today, what’s remarkable is how commercial the tone of his voice is, in the very same way that Michael Jackson had that commercial tone as a child,” Austin recently told American Songwriter. “There was very definitely something special about that 5-year-old voice.”
Throughout Michael’s four-year run with Wham! and further into his solo career, Austin—who also appeared in Wham!’s 1986 music video for “The Edge of Heaven”—remained a longtime collaborator of Michael’s and also co-wrote several songs with him. When Wham! disbanded in 1986 following the duo’s final album Music from the Edge of Heaven, Austin continued working with Michael throughout his solo career.
During this period, Austin also co-wrote “Look at Your Hands” from Michael’s 1987 solo debut Faith, “You Have Been Loved” from his third album Older in 1996, an ode to John Lennon and Elvis Presley, “John and Elvis Are Dead,” off his fifth and final album Patience from 2004, and the 2009 holiday single “December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas).”
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“Interestingly, in recent years I’ve been able to step back and truly appreciate George’s music and talent in a way I hadn’t before,” says Austin, who also released the 2022 documentary George Michael: Freedom Uncut, which he co-directed with Michael. “I now understand what other people see and feel on the outside. Of course, I’ve always known that he was an immense talent—an incredibly gifted writer, producer, performer, and an outstanding singer. But when you’re in the middle of it all, working closely with someone throughout their career, you don’t necessarily take it for granted, but it becomes the norm.”
Austin adds, “When you’re in the studio with George, you expect an amazing vocal, and you know the song is going to be fantastic. It just becomes part of the day-to-day. Now, stepping back from it all, I see his work from a completely different perspective, and it’s jaw-dropping to realize just how gifted he truly was.”
Here’s a look behind the two songs Austin says Michael called his favorites.
“Praying For Time” (1990)
Written by George Michael
The lead single from Michael’s second solo album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, “Praying for Time” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Canadian chart. The lyrics penetrate injustices, poverty, and finding some hope over time.
“No event inspired the song,” said Michael of the song in 1990. “It’s my way of trying to figure out why it’s so hard for people to be good to each other. I believe the problem is conditional as opposed to being something inherent in mankind. The media has affected everybody’s consciousness much more than most people will admit. Because of the media, the way the world is perceived is as a place where resources and time are running out. We’re taught that you have to grab what you can before it’s gone. It’s almost as if there isn’t time for compassion.”
When Michael wrote “Praying for Time,’ he had “found his stride,” says Austin. “Simply listen to the album ‘Listen Without Prejudice,’” says Austin. “It’s a masterclass in lyric composition, melody, vocal performance, and production. For many, ‘Praying for Time’ stands out as one of the most significant tracks on the album. The lyrics, deeply observant and honest, were poignant then and are perhaps even more relevant today.”
He adds, “I believe that’s what George truly loved about the song and why it remained one of his favorites. He also loved the dynamic of the record and incidentally, the song had the first lyric video ever.”
This is the year of the hungry man
Whose place is in the past
Hand in hand
With ignorance and legitimate excuses
The rich declare themselves poor
And most of us are not sure
If we have too much, but we’ll take our chances
‘Cause God’s stopped keeping score
I guess somewhere along the way
He must have let us all out to play
Turned his back, and all God’s children
Crept out the back door
And it’s hard to love
There’s so much to hate
Hanging on to hope
When there is no hope to speak of
And the wounded skies above
Say it’s much, much too late
Well, maybe we should all be praying for time
When Michael died on Christmas Day, 2016, at age 56, Austin said he couldn’t listen to his friend’s music for a long time. “If it came on, I’d turn it down or change the channel,” shares Austin. “Even though I was working on various projects, immersed in his music every day—whether with the label or publishers it felt detached, and I wasn’t making a personal connection to it. Then, a few years ago, I was walking down 5th Avenue [in New York City], searching for music on my iPhone, and ‘Praying for Time’ came on. It stopped me in my tracks.”
Austin continues, “I fumbled to turn it off but couldn’t, so I just listened, and it sounds silly but, in that moment a wave of realization came over me, and I thought, “God, he really can sing, can’t he”. Of course, I’ve always known that he was a genius singer, and his voice was a gift, but having been in the middle of it all for so long, I think I took a lot of it for granted.”
A Nod to “Imagine”
Austin says he connected to different songs by Michael throughout the years, but “Praying for Time” always connected with him differently. “Over time, there have been so many songs that I’ve connected with, especially when you understand how they were conceived from just a thought or an idea,” he says. “There are too many to mention. However, I’ve always had a strong connection to ‘Praying for Time,’ and in recent years, for some reason, that connection has deepened.”
On the album, the song was Michael’s nod to John Lennon, according to Austin, though he only mentioned this in later years. In the song, Michael’s vocals are echoey, much like Lennon’s on “Imagine.”
“Today, people recognize that influence,” says Austin. “I’ve heard Elton and Liam talk about it, but back in the day, I’m not sure many did. It’s taken time for people to fully appreciate ‘Listen Without Prejudice,’ but now they see it for what it is: a masterpiece.”
The mix for “Praying for Time” was “never quite right,” adds Austin, which Michael agreed on, but the song still delivered its message. “Despite that, the tones and frequencies of the mix all contribute to the unique sound of the record,” said Austin. “I love the lyrics, what they say, the melody, the dynamics, and the overall sound of the track. I love that it’s a young George with something to say. It just works. And honestly, if you tried to “fix” the mix today, it wouldn’t have the same impact.”
“You Have Been Loved” (1996)
Written by George Michael and David Austin
Michael began working on his third album Older, a year after the death of his partner Anselmo Feleppa in March of 1993. Older is marked by songs of grief, loss, and recovery. When Austin and Michael began recording Older, ‘You Have Been Loved’ was the first track they worked on, and the last one they finished.
“The song was incredibly personal to George, dealing with the loss of his partner Anselmo,” shares Austin. “I know he found the lyrics and vocals too hard to deal with. In fact, the whole album is about loss, pain grieving, and ultimately, recovery. It reflected exactly where George was in his life at that time and what he was going through emotionally.”
Austin continued, “By the time we were nearing the completion of the album, I think things were just beginning to change for him and perhaps, some things were beginning to heal, and he was in a place where he was able to finish the song.
This is for my mother
And for her soul
She takes the back road and the lane
Past the school that has not changed in all this time
She thinks of when the boy was young
All the battles she had won
Just to give him life
That man, she loved that man
For all his life
But now we meet to take him flowers
And only God knows why
For what’s the use in pressing palms
When children fade in mother’s arms
It’s a cruel world, we’ve so much to lose
And what we have to learn we rarely choose
A year after the release of Older, Michael also lost his beloved mother Lesley.
“George often said that ‘Praying for Time’ and ‘You Have Been Loved’ were his two favorite songs,” says Austin. “Like ‘Praying for Time,’ I know ‘You Have Been Loved’ always held a special place in his heart.”
Photo: George Michael performing on stage in Australia, March 1988. (Michael Putland/Getty Images)
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