- Taylor Swift interpolated George Michael’s 1987 hit “Father Figure” on her new album The Life of a Showgirl.
- Michael’s estate issued a statement showing support for Swift’s song, also called “Father Figure.”
- “We had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists,” the estate’s statement said.
Taylor Swift puts her own spin on a George Michael hit on her new album — and now, the late singer’s estate has weighed in on the tune.
The George Michael estate issued a statement on the “Freedom ’90” singer’s official social media accounts on Thursday expressing approval for Swift’s version of “Father Figure,” which credits Michael as a songwriter due to its interpolation of his 1987 single of the same name.
“We were delighted when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael’s classic song ‘Father Figure’ into a brand new song of the same title to be featured on her forthcoming album,” Michael’s estate said. “When we heard the track we had no hesitation in agreeing to this association between two great artists and we know George would have felt the same.”
Marc Broussely/Redferns
Michael’s estate also wished Swift “every success” with her album The Life of a Showgirl, which releases on Friday.
“Father Figure” was Michael’s fourth single from his debut solo album Faith. The song draws parallels between a romance and a father-child (or mentor-student) relationship, with a chorus that asserts: “I will be your father figure/Put your tiny hand in mine/I will be your preacher, teacher/Anything you have in mind.”
The song hit the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 1988, and remains one of Michael’s most popular tracks.
Swift is far from the first artist to utilize elements from “Father Figure” in their own song. LL Cool J previously sampled the song in his 1997 song “Father,” and Destiny’s Child repurposed elements of Michael’s track in their 2001 Christmas tune “Winter Paradise.”
P.M. Dawn also sampled the song’s hook on their 1993 single “Looking Through Patient Eyes,” and the Jungle Brothers looped a short riff from the end of Michael’s song for their 1989 track “J. Beez Comin’ Through (Bonus Beats).”
This also isn’t the first time that Swift has sung one of Michael’s tunes. The “Fortnight” singer included a cover of Wham’s “Last Christmas” on her 2007 Christmas EP The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection.
Mert Alas & Marcus Piggot
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Swift seldom utilizes other artists’ music in her recordings, though there have been a few prominent exceptions. “Look What You Made Me Do,” the lead single from 2017’s Reputation, interpolates “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred. “London Boy,” an album track from 2019’s Lover, samples Cautious Clay’s “Cold War.” And “It’s Nice to Have a Friend, another song from that same album, sampled “Summer in the South” by the Regent Park School of Music.
The Life of a Showgirl releases on Friday.
