Songs from the Last Century

Songs from the Last Century is the fourth studio album by the English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 6 December 1999 by Aegean Records and Virgin Records. Produced by Phil Ramone and George Michael, it was his only album of cover versions. It consists mainly of old jazz standards plus new interpretations of more recent popular songs, such as "Roxanne" by The Police and "Miss Sarajevo" by U2 and Brian Eno with Luciano Pavarotti. "Roxanne" was released as a single in other countries except the United Kingdom.

Songs from the Last Century
Studio album by George Michael
Released	6 December 1999
Recorded	1999
Genre	Jazz[1]
Length	43:11
Label	Aegean, Virgin
Producer	Phil Ramone, George Michael
George Michael chronology
Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998) Songs from the Last Century (1999) Patience (2004)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
BBC	(mixed)[2]
NME	(3/10)[3]

History

This album is the only album in Michael's entire solo catalogue to not reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number two instead. It was kept off of the top spot by Shania Twain's Come on Over.[4]

A music video for "Roxanne" was shot in Amsterdam, in the so-called Red District, using ordinary people, not actors, who really live their lives on the street.

Another version exists of the album's opening track, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", sung by Michael with Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti at one of his famous "Pavarotti and Friends" live shows. This version is included on the limited edition of Michael's 2006 greatest hits album, Twenty Five.

Track listing

1. "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" (E.Y. Harburg, Jay Gorney) – 4:22
2. "Roxanne" (Sting) – 4:11
3. "You've Changed" (Bill Carey, Carl Fischer) – 4:25
4. "My Baby Just Cares for Me" (Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson) – 1:45
5. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (Ewan MacColl) – 5:19
6. "Miss Sarajevo" (Adam Clayton, Brian Eno, Dave Evans, Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson) – 5:11
7. "I Remember You" (Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger) – 4:12
8. "Secret Love" (Paul Francis Webster, Sammy Fain) – 2:39
9. "Wild Is the Wind" (Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington) – 4:02
10. "Where or When" / "It's All Right with Me" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart / Cole Porter) (Instrumental) (Hidden track) – 7:00

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic.[5]

• Abe Appleman – violin
• Diane Barere – cello
• Elena Barere – concert master, violin
• Herb Besson – trombone
• Yuri Vodovoz – violin
• Virgil Blackwell – clarinet
• Arvil Brown – violin
• Jacqui Danilow – bass guitar
• Marji Danilow – bass guitar
• Lawrence Feldman – woodwind
• Frank Filipetti – engineer, mixing
• David Finck – bass guitar
• Barry Finclair – concert master, violin
• Crystal Garner – viola
• Maura Giannini – violin
• Karen Griffen – flute
• Juliet Haffner – viola
• Corky Hale – harp
• Laura Hamilton – violin
• Joyce Hammann – violin
• Sheryl Henze – flute
• Kenneth Hitchcock – woodwind
• Jim Hynes – trumpet
• Regis Iandiorio – violin
• Jean Ingraham – violin
• Greg Jakobek – design
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Tony Kadleck – trumpet
• Jeff Kievit – trumpet
• Chris Komer – French horn
• Carol Landon – viola
• Jeff Lang – French horn
• Kim Laskowski – bassoon
• Ann Leathers – violin
• Jeanne LeBlanc – cello
• Nancy McAlhany – violin
• Diane Lesser – oboe
• Richard Locker – cello
• Dave Mann – woodwind
• Rob Mathes – arranger, conductor, piano
• Andrew McPherson – photography
• George Michael – design, liner notes, primary artist, producer
• Jeff Mironov – guitar
• John Moses – clarinet
• Rob Mounsey – arranger, conductor, piano
• Nick Murdoch – piano
• Jan Mullen – violin
• Lewis Nash – drums
• Danny Cummings – percussion
• Phil Palmer – guitar
• Laura Oatts – violin
• Caryl Paisner – cello
• Scott Parker – assistant engineer
• Shawn Pelton – drums
• Steve Walters – bass guitar
• Charles Pillow – woodwind
• Sue Pray – viola
• Phil Ramone – liner notes, producer
• Tim Ries – woodwind
• Marcus Rojas – tuba
• Roger Rosenberg – woodwind
• Stacey Shames – harp
• Mark Orrin Shuman – cello
• Pamela Sklar – flute
• Andy Snitzer – woodwind
• Jason Stasium – mixing
• Byron Stripling – trumpet
• Marti Sweet – violin
• Donna Tecco – violin
• David Tofani – woodwind
• Carol Webb – violin
• Ellen Westermann – cello
• Torrie Zito – arranger

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1999–2000) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] 12 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] 12 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[8] 11 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[9] 4 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[10] 33 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[11] 5 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[12] 6 European Albums (Top 100)[13] 2 French Albums (SNEP)[14] 7 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] 4 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[16] 5 Irish Albums (IRMA)[17] 7 Italian Albums (Hit Parade Italia)[18] 2 Japanese Albums (Oricon)[19] 59 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[20] 8 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[21] 13 Scottish Albums (OCC)[22] 8 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[23] 11 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 16 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 6 UK Albums (OCC)[26] 2 US Billboard 200[27] 157

Year-end charts Chart (1999) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[28] 74 UK Albums (OCC)[29] 18 Chart (2000) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[30] 93 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[31] 39 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[32] 86 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[33] 87 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[34] 64 Italian Albums (Hit Parade)[18] 23 UK Albums (OCC)[35] 98

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[36]	Gold	35,000^^
Belgium (BEA)[37]	Platinum	50,000^*
Canada (Music Canada)[38]	Gold	50,000^^
France (SNEP)[39]	2× Gold	200,000^*
Germany (BVMI)[40]	Gold	150,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[41]	Platinum	15,000^^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[23]	Platinum	100,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[42]	Gold	25,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[43]	2× Platinum	600,000[44]
United States (RIAA)[45]		152,000[46]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[47]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^*
Worldwide	—	3,600,000[48]
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Songs from the Last Century". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
2. "BBC News | NEW MUSIC RELEASES | CD Review: George Michael". news.bbc.co.uk. 5 December 1999. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
3. NME review
4. 1999 Top 40 Official Albums Chart UK Archive, 18 December 1999. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
5. "George Michael – Songs from the Last Century Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
6. "Australiancharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
7. "Austriancharts.at – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
8. "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
9. "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 10010". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
11. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
12. "Dutchcharts.nl – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
13. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
14. "Lescharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
15. "Offiziellecharts.de – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
16. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2000. 1. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
17. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
18. "Gli album più venduti del 2000". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
19. ジョージ・マイケルのアルバム売り上げランキング (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
20. "Charts.nz – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
21. "Norwegiancharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
22. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
23. Fernando Salaverri (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
24. "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
25. "Swisscharts.com – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
26. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
27. "George Michael Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
28. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
29. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1999". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
30. "Jaaroverzichten 2000" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
31. "Rapports annueles 2000" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
32. "Chart of the Year 2000". Mogens Nielsen. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
33. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2000" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
34. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
35. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2000". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
36. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
37. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2000". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
38. "Canadian album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Music Canada. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
39. "French album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
40. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (George Michael; 'Songs from the Last Century')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
41. "New Zealand album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
42. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (George Michael; 'Songs from the Last Century')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
43. "British album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 October 2017. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Songs from the Last Century in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
44. "George Michael on the charts". Music Week. Intent Media. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
45. "American album certifications – George Michael – Songs from the Last Century". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 27 October 2017. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
46. Keith Caulfield. "Ask Billboard: George in the USA". Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
47. "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1999". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
48. "George Michael Eyeing Universal U.K." Billboard. Retrieved 26 May 2016.