What to expect from Taylor Swift’s version of an iconic George Michael song

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Taylor Swift isn’t opposed to performing covers, but she usually does so during live shows rather than releasing them on albums. This will be slightly different with her upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl. However, the track won’t be a traditional cover song; instead, she’s taking inspiration from the style of another famous musician.

The song “Father Figure,” which is the fourth track on Taylor Swift’s new album, will feature a melody (literally) inspired by George Michael’s 1987 hit of the same name. While Swift won’t be using the original lyrics, she will incorporate elements of Michael’s song into her own. This is known as interpolation.

Essentially, the song will be similar to “Father Figure (Taylor’s Version).” You’ll recognize the tune from the original, but it won’t be a direct sample. This approach should smoothly and cleanly incorporate Michael’s concept into Swift’s song.

How Taylor Swift’s “Father Figure” might compare to George Michael’s version

George Michael, who passed away on Christmas Day in 2016, intentionally kept the meaning of his lyrics open to interpretation. He preferred that fans connect with his songs personally and find their own understanding. This allowed listeners to create their own meaning, rather than being told what the song was supposed to be about.

It seems pretty obvious that the song “Father Figure” explores a relationship where the singer wants to nurture and protect the other person, much like a father would a child. It’s open to interpretation who Michael was thinking about when he wrote it – it could have been anyone, or no one specific. Ultimately, the main idea of the song was the most important thing. The theme really resonated with listeners.

We haven’t gotten the complete lyrics for Taylor Swift’s version yet (we’ll have them once The Life of a Showgirl comes out on October 3), but we expect (though we could be wrong) that they won’t be strange or significantly change what Michael originally intended. Swift is using the same tune, and the song title remains the same as well.

Regarding the musical influences on George Michael, he explained in the booklet for the Faith: Legacy Edition album that he drew some inspiration from Prince. He recalled, “It began with a drum beat featuring a snare, and when played that way, it reminded me of Prince. I think I was listening to it without the snare and realized, ‘Wow, that completely alters the song!’ Suddenly, it sounded like a gospel track.”

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2025-10-02 18:00