Jesus to a Child

"Jesus to a Child"
Single by George Michael
from the album Older
B-side "One More Try" (live gospel version)
Released 8 January 1996[1]
Format Cassette, CD single
Recorded 1993–1995
Genre Bossa nova
Length 6:51
Label Virgin Records
Writer(s) George Michael
Producer(s) George Michael
George Michael singles chronology
"Killer"/"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
(1993)		 "Jesus to a Child"
(1996)		 "Fastlove"
(1996)

"Jesus to a Child" is a song by British musician George Michael. The song peaked at number 1 in the United Kingdom[2] and Australia, and at number 2 in the mainland European charts. The song has also become George Michael's highest direct entry in the American charts. The song is one of George Michael's best-known songs and was included on the 1996 album Older. It was a melancholy tribute to his lover Anselmo Feleppa.

"Jesus to a Child" was the first of six singles from the album Older. It was Michael's sixth UK #1, although only the third as an entirely solo performer.

Background

Although it was not officially released until 1996, Michael unveiled the song in 1994 during the inaugural MTV Europe Music Awards, where he performed it live in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

The song was Michael's first self-penned hit in his homeland for almost four years and entered the UK Singles Chart straight at No. 1 in January 1996. It became his first solo single to enter the UK Singles Chart at the top,[2] his first solo No. 1 from a studio album (all his previous solo No. 1s had been one-off projects, either during the Wham! years or as a guest or co-vocalist) and, on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, it became the highest new entry (No. 7) by a British artist for more than 25 years. It was also Michael's longest UK Top 40 single at almost seven minutes long.

Content

The song was a melancholy tribute to Michael's Brazilian lover Anselmo Feleppa, whom he met when performing in Rio de Janeiro in 1991. Feleppa died two years later from an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage. Michael had been unable to write for the next 18 months as a consequence of his grief, but then penned the words to "Jesus to a Child" in little more than an hour, indicating that the time was right to move on with his life. The song is written with a rhythm and harmony that is influenced by the Brazilian bossa nova style.

The exact identity of the song's subject—and the nature of their relationship—was cause for a certain amount of innuendo at the time, as Michael had not confirmed his homosexuality and did not do so until 1998. Nowadays, Michael consistently dedicates the song to Feleppa before performing it live.

Legacy

Popular Macedonian singer Toše Proeski (1981–2007) covered this song during his concerts, and one of his recordings of it features on his album So Ljubav od Toše (Eng. With Love From Toše), posthumously released 2011.

Track listings

UK CD 1 (VSCDT 1571)
  1. "Jesus to a Child" – 6:50
  2. "One More Try" (live gospel version) – 5:21
  3. "Older" (instrumental version) – 5:18
UK CD 2 (VSCDX 1571)
  1. "Jesus to a Child" – 6:50
  2. "Freedom '94" (live version) – 6:04
  3. "One More Try" (live gospel version) – 5:21
  4. "Older" (instrumental version) – 5:18
Cassette single
  1. "Jesus to a Child" – 6:50
  2. "One More Try" (live gospel version) – 5:21
  3. "Older" (instrumental version) – 5:18

Charts and certifications

Charts

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4] 11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[6] 2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[7] 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 10
Denmark (IFPI)[9] 4
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 1
France (SNEP)[11] 7
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 12
Ireland (IRMA)[13] 1
Italy (FIMI)[14] 3
Japan (Oricon)[15] 62
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 5
Norway (VG-lista)[18] 1
Spain (AFYVE)[19] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 2
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 4
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[22] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 7
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[23] 5
US Billboard Adult Pop Songs[23] 20
US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[23] 22
US Billboard Pop Songs[23] 20

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
France (SNEP)[24] Gold 250,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[25] Gold 5,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[26] Gold 5,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[27] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[1] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[28] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
"Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V.		 Australia number-one single
20 January 1996 – 27 January 1996 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Boombastic" by Shaggy
Preceded by
"Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V.		 Finland number-one single
2/1996 - 4/1996 (3 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"Father and Son" by Boyzone		 Ireland number-one single
11 January 1996 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio featuring L.V.		 Norway number-one single
15 January 1996 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo
Preceded by
"Ex-p-cial" by EX-3		 Spain number-one single
15 January 1996 – 12 February 1996 (5 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Children" by Robert Miles
Preceded by
"Earth Song" by Michael Jackson		 UK Singles Chart number-one single
14 January 1996 (1 week) 		Succeeded by
"Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo

References

  1. 1 2 "BPI > Certified Awards > Search results for 'Jesus to a Child' (from bpi.co.uk)". Imgur.com (original source published by British Phonographic Industry). Retrieved 2016-10-04.
  2. 1 2 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 589. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – George Michael – Jesus to a Child". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  4. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – George Michael – Jesus to a Child" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  5. ↑ "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Jesus to a Child" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  6. ↑ "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Jesus to a Child" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  7. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  8. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  9. 1 2 "Hits of the World". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 108 (7): 69. February 17, 1996. ISSN 0006-2510.
  10. ↑ "George Michael: Jesus to a Child" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  11. ↑ "Lescharts.com – George Michael – Jesus to a Child" (in French). Les classement single.
  12. ↑ "Musicline.de – George Michael Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  13. ↑ Jaclyn Ward - Fireball Media Group. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  14. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia – Indice per Interprete: M". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  15. ↑ "ジョージ・マイケルのCDシングルランキング │オリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – George Michael search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  17. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – George Michael – Jesus to a Child". Top 40 Singles.
  18. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – George Michael – Jesus to a Child". VG-lista.
  19. ↑ "LISTAS DE AFYVE: 1996 Singles (1ª parte)". Afyvecharts.blogspot.com. 2004-02-27. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  20. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael – Jesus to a Child". Singles Top 100.
  21. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – George Michael – Jesus to a Child". Swiss Singles Chart.
  22. ↑ "George Michael | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 "George Michael - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  24. ↑ "French single certifications – George Michael" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  25. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – George Michael". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  26. ↑ "IFPI Norsk platebransje". ifpi.no. Archived from the original on 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  27. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  28. ↑ "American single certifications – George Michael". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-07-25. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
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