The late George Michael successfully transitioned from a boy band to a successful soul artist with his debut solo album Faith in 1987. Michael had already scored four successful singles when the fourth single, “One More Try,” hit the airwaves.
The duration of this ballad lasts nearly six minutes. It narrates the story of a young man who is reluctant to initiate or resume a new relationship due to his past emotional wounds. However, towards the end of the song, he succumbs to temptation and sings the title for the only time.
“One More Try” is a song that captures the struggle of letting go of a failing romantic relationship. George, the singer, expresses his feelings of being trapped in a situation that no longer brings him happiness. The lyrics convey his diminishing ability to control the situation. The chorus emphasizes the significance of prioritizing self-preservation over the desire to salvage the relationship. Ultimately, George discloses that he is prepared to move on and possesses the strength of self-love to do so.
Final Grade: A
“One More Try” from Faith is available on all streaming platforms
Music producers transitioning to a solo album is common in the music industry. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit Sean Garrett’s solo debut, “Turbo 919,” released in 2008.
If you were to ask most music fans about the R&B song “Fortunate”, they would say the name Maxwell. However, in 2001, another singer named Lathun released a Neo-Soul version of the same title, which serves as this week’s pick for Slow Jam Saturday.
Musician Kem and his sophomore project “Album II” is this week’s pick for Second Listen Sunday. Arriving in stores on May 17th, 2005, the album came when R&B was still shifting. For the most part, younger singers dominated the market, while older crooners like Anthony Hamilton and Brian McKnight were forced to the Urban A/C demographic.