George Michael – “I Want Your Sex”
A scandalous, genre-blending statement that shattered pop taboos
Released on 18 May 1987 in the U.S. and 1 June 1987 in the UK, “I Want Your Sex” arrived as the lead single from both George Michael’s solo debut Faith and the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack. It wasn’t just a song — it was a rupture. In an era of conservatism, tabloid panic, and looming AIDS paranoia, this slinky, explicit funk track blew through the safety glass of mainstream pop. With it, Michael shed the soft-focus image of Wham! and reintroduced himself as a provocateur, a grown man unafraid to make desire — complicated, conflicted, unapologetic — sound like liberation.
A New Sound, A New Identity
“I Want Your Sex” plays like a manifesto set to Minneapolis-style synth-funk. Built on a foundation of squelching synths, stuttering LinnDrum beats, and thick bass lines, it was composed and produced entirely by Michael himself, who played all the instruments. The now-infamous rhythmic hiccup that kicks off the track? A happy accident during programming that he decided to keep.
More than just a single, the track was conceived as a three-part suite called Monogamy Mix:
– Rhythm One: Lust — the punchy, radio-friendly single version
– Rhythm Two: Brass in Love — more laid-back and emotional, featured on Faith
– Rhythm Three: A Last Request — a slinky after-hours coda included on select releases
Each part moves from raw physical desire to romantic affection and emotional closure — a bold structure that mirrored Michael’s vision of sex within the context of love.
Lyrical Heat and Public Backlash
The lyrics are as unfiltered as pop had heard at the time: “Sex is natural, sex is good / Not everybody does it, but everybody should.” Michael wasn’t just trying to be provocative — he was reclaiming intimacy, pushing back on a culture that had begun to treat sex as shameful or dangerous in the midst of the AIDS epidemic.
Still, the backlash was swift. The BBC banned it from daytime radio. MTV restricted the video to after-hours. Some U.S. stations even aired an unauthorized edited version called “I Want Your Love.” Michael, who had stressed the song was about monogamy, was frustrated by how the message was flattened to scandal.
And yet, despite all this — or perhaps because of it — the song soared to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in the UK, proving there was an audience hungry for pop that didn’t flinch.
The Video and the Message
Directed by Andy Morahan, the video features Michael scrawling the phrase “explore monogamy” in lipstick on his then-girlfriend Kathy Jeung’s bare back. Draped in glamour, shadow, and perfume-ad aesthetics, it was as confrontational as it was sensual. For all its surface provocation, the message was layered: this wasn’t sex for sex’s sake — it was about devotion, trust, and longing wrapped in a bold aesthetic.
Legacy and Reassessment
In later years, Michael grew conflicted about the song. He called Rhythm One “a bit of bad Prince” and often left it off greatest hits sets — yet many now recognize it as one of the most important pop provocations of the decade. Critics have praised its sonic daring and cultural audacity, especially in an era when few artists were addressing sex as something joyous and human rather than dangerous or taboo.
The 13-minute Monogamy Mix remains a fascinating listen — part funk workout, part emotional arc, and a rare attempt by a mainstream artist to tell a complete story of desire and connection across a single suite.
Because “I Want Your Sex” wasn’t about shock — it was about freedom. The freedom to desire without shame. To challenge fear with honesty. And to create pop that didn’t apologize for wanting or feeling too much. For George Michael, it marked the beginning of a journey toward truth — musical, emotional, and personal.