Saturday 9: Careless Whisper

Saturday 9: Careless Whisper (1984)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. (I always thought this song was called "Never Gonna Dance Again." Shows what I know.)

1) You can't miss George Michael's gold hoops in the "Careless Whisper" video. Are you wearing any jewelry right now?

A. I have on my watch and wedding ring at the moment. Earlier I had on my college signet ring, a string of pearls, and silver earrings. I took those off and put them away when I came home.

2) Though the label says this hit is performed by "Wham! featuring George Michael," George Michael is the only member of the pop duo who appears in the video. Do you remember the name of the other guy who was in Wham!?

A. Nope. And I do not care enough to search it.

3) Much of the video was filmed on Watson Island, a man-made island near South Beach. Have you ever been to Miami?

 

A. When I was very young, I might have been through Miami when my parents went to visit an older relative. All I remember about that trip is that someone's cat gave birth to her kittens under a porch.

4) Born Georgios Panayiotou, George Michael is of Greek descent, the son of the Greek restauranteur in East London. When you think of Greek cuisine, what comes to mind?

A. Greek Yogurt? Olives? I don't know, heck, I live in the southern U.S. where we eat mashed 'taters and pot roast. I know nothing about Greek cuisine.

5) Today he lives in a tony suburb called Highgate, and his neighbors are Kate Moss and Sting. Tell us about one of your neighbors.

 

A.  Lanetta Ware, former Athletic Director of Hollins College (now Hollins University), taught students for 40 years. She was instrumental in the implementation of Title IX programming - a Title IX trailblazer. You can watch a video about her work with Title IX and Hollins here. In 2001, she was named to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. She owns a farm next to ours where she raises beef cattle.

 

Lanetta and her tractor

6) George Michael fans can purchase officially licensed merchandise from his website, including an iPhone cover with his photo and signature. Tell us about your cell phone. Is it Apple or Android? Is it a smartphone?

A. It's a flip phone. It's blue, or has a blue cover on it so that I don't break it if I drop it. I've had it for years. I talk on it and that's it. There's very little that's "smart" about it.

7) George Michael sang Stevie Wonder's "You and I" for Prince William's wedding to Kate Middleton. What's your favorite love song?

A. My brother sang Longer by Dan Folgerberg at our wedding. I am also partial to Anne Murray's version of You Needed Me.

8) In 2014, George had a health scare. He was rushed to the hospital for tests and released the next day. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?

A. I'm afraid so. I had chest pains one day and my doctor decided I might be having a heart attack. She gave me an aspirin and nitrates, attached electrodes to me, and called for an ambulance. It was not a heart attack, it was a bad asthma attack. Incidentally, ambulances are not comfortable to ride in; they are like rolling buses and you feel every darned bump in the road. My husband rode in an ambulance last summer after he caught his arm in the hay baler. Neither of us care to repeat either episode.

9) Known for hard partying in his youth, George is now in his 50s and says he's quite happy to spend his evenings eating takeout and watching DVDs. Are you doing any socializing this weekend?

 

A. I have no plans at the moment but you never know. I might get wild and crazy and stay up beyond 10 p.m.

 

 

Join in the fun of Saturday 9 at the link at the top. Read other bloggers' answers and play along if you want.