There Are Things I Don’t Want To Learn

George Michael “One More Try”

So much of the tension in this song comes from George Michael’s use of the word “teacher.” Taken literally or metaphorically, it makes it clear to the listener that the context for this heartbroken ballad is an imbalanced power dynamic. To take it as a metaphor — and this is reasonable since he extends it with phrases like “teacher, there are things I don’t want to learn” — they could very well be the same age, but the implication is the singer came into this now bitter romantic entanglement naive and new to the complexities of love and lust. This in turn makes Michael’s passionate, nearly melodramatic vocal performance seem all the more poignant, as it is basically the sound of a young man’s sweet earnestness turning to sour cynicism. It is absolutely gutting when he sings “so if you love me / say you love me / but if you don’t / just let me go.” He sounds used and confused, and just about to reach the point of emotional exhaustion. It’s notable that the musical arrangement is fairly static, a simple organ dirge paired with a spare drum machine rhythm and a bass line adding subtle dynamic changes — his mind is running in circles, but the prevailing mood is sad, flat and seemingly endless.

Buy it from Amazon.