Freedom '90 and Too Funky
by George Michael (1990 and 1992)
Songs category pick for the week of 8/25/08
Sure, George Michael's been sleeping in his car and he’s gotten caught in public bathrooms enough times that even when buoyed by the best self mockery and sense of humor, it’s beginning to get sad. But never say never! The world has considered the man on the outs before and he hit back, settomg his former image (literally) ablaze, supermodels by his side.
Of course, I'm talking about the double whammy punch of Freedom '90 and Too Funky that featured anyone who was anyone at that time in the supermodeling world. Linda, Naomi, Christy, Claudia, even Ty-Ty. And as side note, has anyone else noticed how these ladies are still dominating (minus Nadja Auermann, who I might just miss the most) – it seemed like at least half of the new September campaigns feature these throwbacks.
It’s good to see them in the pages of Vogue, but when they got dressed in their big sweaters and chewed gum on the runway for G.M., that’s when they really mesmerized my twelve year old mind.
Freedom '90 (but friends can just call it “Freedom”) came first and that iconic video was shot by David Fincher. G.M. was sick of his old image, man! No longer desiring to be a whore for the cameras (later he’d make an acception for the Beverly Hills public toilets) he decided not to appear in front of the camera. Supermodels were flown in and the rest is early '90s pop culture history.
The campier, day-glo Too Funky was next, featuring the outrageous work of Theirry Mugler (see this week’s style icon) and yet another bevy of models, including some more interesting choices like former Cat Woman lovely Julie Newmar and Pedro Almodovar's muse, Rossy De Palma Maybe I was just at the right impressionable age but in my book fashion and music have never made such good friends.
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