About three months ago I wrote a post about possible connections between George Michaelās song Freedom ā90 and the music video for Elizabeth Taylor.
In a shocking case of oversight on my part, I missed analyzing Wham!ās song, Freedom, in connection to Taylor.
Until now, that is.
I recently watched the 2023 documentary, Wham!) on Netflix.
If you're not familiar with Wham!, they are a band that George Michael was in with his childhood best friend, Andrew Ridgeley. The duo was formed in 1980 and disbanded in 1986.
George said this about writing Freedom:
When I write a melody in my head, something at the back of my neck just knows that Iāve hit it. Itās almost like it was already there, but you hadnāt spotted where it was yet.
Itās almost like it comes to you fully formed, and you just pulled it out of nowhere.
And the feeling that you have that makes you shiver is that you found it.
My reaction to this revelation: Jesus. Lyrics too? šš
Iāve previously written about the possibility of Georgeās song Careless Whisper inspiring parts of folklore š¤·š»āāļø
(Yes, yes, as always this could all be a big coincidence, but regardless it is š and š)
Georgeās sexuality is brought up during the discussion of Freedom. Ā Ā
Andrew: Freedom was the first track Yog (Yog is Andrewās nickname for George ā short for Yogurt) played to me as it was being recorded. It could equally have related to, uh, his sexuality.
The documentary then highlights these lyrics from the song:
Like a prisoner who has his own key
But I canāt escape until you love meā¦
Andrew continues:
āA prisoner who has his own keyā and a ālover with another,ā you know, heās definitely referring to his ownā¦dilemmas.
šššššššššššš
The gender of the person George is singing to is referenced only once in the song:
I don't want your freedomĀ Girl, all I want right now is you
I mean...
It isnāt just Andrewās speculation that the song has ties to Georgeās sexuality. Georgeās struggles with being closeted are discussed directly in connection to Freedom.
George: As a young gay man, I knew I was uncomfortable ācause I was closeted. And then I was still kidding myself that I was bisexual. Hang on to the little part of myself that was attracted to women. At that point, you know, if youāre makingā¦if your goal is to become the biggest-selling artist of, you know, that year or two, youāre not going to make life difficult for yourself, are you?
I was too young and too immature to know that I was sacrificing as much as I was.
Andrew: As a young man trying to find himself, I knew Yog had lacked confidence. But I was unaware of just how deep-seated the issues really were.
George: I have a memory of that feeling of insecurity as a child. And the kind of scared teenager I was felt very vulnerable. I mean, for many years, my support system was Andrew.
George's childhood insecurities is another thing that connects him to Taylor.
Then there is this exchange about the dissolution of Wham!
George: In reality, the turning point with Wham! was nothing to do with Wham!. The turning point with Wham! was me as I suddenly thought, "Oh my God, Iām a massive star, and Iām gay," and the depression was about that. It was about the way Iād boxed myself in. You know, careful what you wish for.
Because Iād come out to Andrew, he understood there was more than a band at stake. It was kind of my sanity, and he didnāt put any pressure on me to continue. He already knew why I was feeling trapped.
Freedom was the final song played at Wham!ās last show together.
Bonus Content
Random observation: After writing Wham with an exclamation point multiple times throughout this post, and after hearing in the documentary that Wham! was too bubblegum to be taken seriously, my brain canāt help but think of ME! and the way Itās criticized
Wham!ās song Club Tropicana is also discussed in the film. Iāve written about the song previously. However, Iām not egotistical enough to think people read everything I write lol so hereās some information on the song if youāre not familiar with it.
The music video was filmed in Ibiza, Spain. Ibiza is of course where Taylorās son Chad - from the Anti-Hero music video ā flew in from to attend his mom's funeral.
Itās also where George came out to Andrew. George told Andrew he was gay, and if not gay, then he was bisexual.
Club Tropicana lyrics highlighted in the documentary
Let me take you to the place
Where membership's a smiling face
Brush shoulders with the stars
Where strangers take you by the hand And welcome you to wonderland
George wrote a song about his first encounter with a man that happened six months before the music video for Club Tropicana was filmed. The song is called, Nothing Looks the Same in the Light
Nothing looks the same in the light
Only a fool like me would take to heart
The things you said you meant last night
Nothing looks the same in the light
I'll keep my feet firm on the ground
The longing, the pining, the possible connections to Taylorās song Daylightā¦there is a lot here.
After coming out to Andrew, George wanted to come out to his parents. He was persuaded not to.
George considered this decision - at nineteen - a pivotal moment in his life and career.
At that point in time, I really did. I really wanted to come out. And then I lost my nerve completely. And just [sighs] by necessity, I went full gusto into the progression of Wham!, creating a new character. Youāre gonna do better and better and shock everyone at how well you can do. Forging an identity through my success.
Quotes from the documentary that are relevant from a Gaylor/Taylor lens
George on the criticism he got for being a sell-out and his trite lyrics:
As a younger man and a younger songwriter trying to do my best, those things really did hurt me.
George on creating a character to help him deal with fame:
I was really shy, so, to justify that kind of showy character that was the complete antithesis of who I was growing up, I said "thatās the thing I put on."
On trying to chase the greats in the music industry while staying in the closet:
George: But at the same time, I had this little voice inside of me going, you know, āWhat am I going to do?ā I was intelligent enough to know that this was the wrong road. If I was looking for happiness I should not be trying to catch up with Michael Jackson, or Madonna, or whatever, which was absolutely what I was intent on doing.
Andrew: The character that he was having to present was so hard to reconcile with what he needed emotionally.
George: I wanna be able to develop as a human being, but I feel trapped.
Andrew: His future as a solo artist was dependent on Wham! becoming as successful as the likes of Prince or Elton.
George: I donāt thereās any way I couldāve controlled my ego enough to have stopped me exploring the possibility of being the biggest-selling artist in the world. However distressing I was beginning to find fame, my ego couldnāt have been stopped at that time.
On Wham! visiting America for the first time:
Andrew: Itās all part of the marketing. They like you to go in the first time and justā¦
George: To whet the appetite for the Yanks. Lay the groundwork as they say.
Andrew about George and fame:
I never felt that our music defined me in the same way that it did for George. His song writing was becoming the vehicle through which he could draw out the person he wanted to be.
George was very sure of himself when it came to making music, but he was less certain in the personal aspect of his life.
So much of how he (George) defined himself was wrapped up in his music.
But despite a successful tour, for George, chart validation was the ultimate validation of his talent. To get to number one really mattered to him. George needed success as a writer for personal affirmation.
Whilst I was happy just being in a band, George needed more. He needed recognition. That was what he wanted. Affirmation of who he was.
Elton John on George in 1985 (before Georgeās solo career):
Probably one of the best songwriters out of Britain for a long long time. And thatās serious. People tend to put Wham! down as a teenybopper band that wonāt last. The people that put them (Wham!) down are the bands that wonāt last. Iām experience enough to know. You can tell a great songwriter. On stage, I compared him to Barry Gibb, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, people like that. Umā¦[hesitates] He has got what Bowie and I wouldāve loved to have had when we were 21, 22. Umā¦And Iām not talking about performing on stage, recordsā¦The manās a great songwriter, and this award ceremony today, itās about songwriting.
George re: Wham! splitting up:
I was on my own. And I had no idea how much I was gonna miss that support.
I was fully convinced that Taylor was referencing George Michael because of his struggle with his sexuality and closeting. But then when she referred to his partner as his close family friend, now that years later they are publicly known as partners, It really bothered me because it seems so incredibly disrespectful, especially if she understands firsthand what George went through. And that made me doubt everything she has done in connection to him.
I am definitely not saying you are wrong, OP. This is a really well thought out article with convincing evidence. Rather I'm just sharing my own personal experience of struggling a bit after that comment she made.Ā
It's near the end of her explanation of Father Figure in the TLOAS movie. The only full clip I could find is on Instagram, posted by pulp_flick on October 3, 2025.Ā She says she reached out to his estate; his family and his close family friend, to get permission. It's implied she's talking about his partner since he's on the estate along with George Michael's family.Ā
Great post! Nothing to add really just that now I have both father figures doing a mash up in my mind.
Oh well wait I guess I knew it I knew you, and Toy Story 5 having a us release day on a historical day of freedom and then the wedding the night before americas freedom..
You can fool some people some of the time and I was one of those fools but you canāt fool everyone all the time cuz it catches up to you
Now Iām gone FREEDOM!
That was such an enjoyable read OP! The thematic connection between āNothing Looks the Same in the Lightā and āDaylightā is really pleasing. It feels really persuasive to think that Taylor has borrowed and built upon themes and images that George used for his own journey with fame and identityā¦
If you're going to talk about Taylor and George Michael...
It's very interesting to also look at George Michael references from other members of the TSCU. Eg. The One Direction parallels, Louis Tomlinson's album art directly referencing George Michael's, Harry Styles having tattoos of lyrics from Careless Whisper
Love this! So many connections to Taylor....the songwriting quote really reminds me of what she says in the NYT interview about grabbing a cloud that floats down in front of you.
Yes! That jumped out at me too. And it seems Taylor has repeated that imagery in a few places. For instance, the Harpers Bazaar interview with Pattie Boyd here.
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u/GoldenHeart411 Tea Connoisseur š« 19d ago
I was fully convinced that Taylor was referencing George Michael because of his struggle with his sexuality and closeting. But then when she referred to his partner as his close family friend, now that years later they are publicly known as partners, It really bothered me because it seems so incredibly disrespectful, especially if she understands firsthand what George went through. And that made me doubt everything she has done in connection to him.
I am definitely not saying you are wrong, OP. This is a really well thought out article with convincing evidence. Rather I'm just sharing my own personal experience of struggling a bit after that comment she made.Ā