The heartbreaking ballad George Michael wrote for the one true love he lost

20 May 2025, 15:23

He was much more than merely a pop star.

Of course, George Michael had the incredible voice, on-stage charisma, and good looks to match.

But he went beyond the expectations of what pop stars would generally achieve during the 80s, especially when it came to his songwriting.

George left Wham! in 1986 because of his ambition as an artist, feeling like his musicianship could grow and evolve as he himself became a man.

He realised that writing pop music that could truly impact people and their lives was an art form.

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As his career continued, however, his songwriting reflected his personal life: the turmoil, heartbreak, and grief he had to contend with.

There's no greater example of this than his 1996 third solo album Older, which saw George mature as a singer and songwriter.

It featured one of the most heartbreaking and personal songs George ever penned, 'You Have Been Loved', which was written after the tragic death of his one true love.

As we all now know, George was a homosexual man that feared coming out in the public eye due to the pressures of being a gay man amid the AIDS crisis during the eighties.

His career could've been totally derailed, as was the prejudice towards the gay community throughout that era.

"It's very hard to be proud of your sexuality when it hasn’t given you any joy," George later explained.

So, George was immensely private in order to protect himself. Then his life changed after meeting Brazilian fashion designer Anselmo Feleppa.

George met Anselmo in 1991 after performing in Rio De Janeiro, and the pair fell in love almost instantly.

Tragically, less than two years later Anselmo died due to complications with an AIDS-related illness.

Devastated by the loss, George Michael was unable to write music for the next 18 months as a consequence of his grief.

It took time for George to move forward, but writing Older helped him deal with losing the love of his life.

Listen to George Michael's heartbreaking ballad 'You Have Been Loved' below:

George Michael - You Have Been Loved (Live)

Though the album is largely written in tribute to Anselmo, 'You Have Been Loved' is specifically written about George dealing with his loss, as well as Anselmo's mother losing her son.

At the beginning of the song, George describes Anselmo's mother visiting his grave, passing by the school he attended on the way.

The first chorus has Anselmo's mother saying goodbye, telling him "you have been loved", with Anselmo saying the same thing to George at the end of the song as he dies.

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"If I was weak, forgive me; but I was terrified," George gently sings in regret, referring to the trauma he was experiencing throughout Anselmo's decline in health.

The sombre, poignant song details his grief and the spiritual struggle he went through, challenging his faith in God while Anselmo and his mother kept believing.

"What's the use in pressing palms, if you [God] won't keep such love from harm? It's a cruel world. You've so much to prove," he sings.

'You Have Been Loved' was the sixth single George released from 1996's Older, which eventually charted at number two in the UK charts.

It was only held off the top spot by Elton John's 'Candle In The Wind' which stayed as the UK's number-one single for 14 weeks as it commemorated the loss of Princess Diana.

But many critics and fans alike considered 'You Have Been Loved' to be the pinnacle of the album, an indicator of George's songwriting prowess.

That was despite suffering with writer's block in the aftermath of Anselmo's death.

Due to the meaningful lyrics that deal with the human experience of bereavement, 'You Have Been Loved' is often played in memoriam to the friends, family, lovers and life partners we've lost.

It's a beautiful gift that Yog gave the world, one that poured every ounce of emotion he possessed.

At the time of Anselmo's diagnosis, anyone receiving the news that they had AIDS was virtually given a death sentence, as the medicine to prevent or help the condition didn't exist.

"Try to imagine that you've finally found a real love and, six months in, it's devastated. In 1991, it was really terrifying news."

George sadly died himself on Christmas Day in 2016. His family signed a letter to loyal fans from "Yog, Lesley and Anselmo… smiling down and all together".