🌙 About the Song
“A Different Corner” is heartbreak caught in mid-breath. Written, performed, and produced entirely by George Michael, it was his first truly solo single — no Wham! flash, no bright pop, just quiet devastation.
He recorded it while still in his early twenties, and it sounds like someone much older, sitting alone after love has walked out the door. There’s no anger here — only regret, reflection, and the unbearable thought that the smallest choice (“a different corner”) might have changed everything.
On ukulele, the song takes on a new intimacy. The grandeur of the synths melts away, leaving a fragile confession that fits perfectly into four strings and a soft voice.
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
We’ll play it in C major — a comfortable key that captures the melancholy while keeping the voicings open and resonant.
You’ll need C, Am, F, G, Em, and Dm.
Verse progression: [C] – [Am] – [F] – [G]
Pre-Chorus: [Am] – [Em] – [F] – [G]
Chorus: [F] – [C] – [Dm] – [G]
Strumming pattern: very light down–down–up–up–down–up, or for maximum tenderness, slow fingerpicking (pluck 4–3–2–1) at around 70 bpm.
This song needs space — let each chord bloom, then fall away.
If you’re playing solo, start with quiet single downstrums for the first verse, then gently layer rhythm for the chorus.
Singing tip: George sings this with extraordinary restraint. Keep your voice steady and low; it’s about emotion under control, not drama.
On the words “turn a different corner,” let the note crack a little — that’s the humanity of it.
💡 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- George Michael once said this was the first song he wrote “as an adult.”
- He recorded it entirely by himself at Sarm West Studios — vocals, keyboards, everything.
- The single sleeve simply read “Written, arranged, produced, and performed by George Michael” — a statement of independence.
- It hit #1 in the UK, making him the first solo artist in history to debut at the top twice in a row.
- The song was later dedicated to his late partner Anselmo Feleppa during live performances, giving it an even deeper ache.
🌈 Final Word
“A Different Corner” is one of those rare pop songs that feels more like a confession than a composition.
On ukulele, it becomes even more personal — stripped of 80s polish, it’s just heart and hindsight.
Play it like you’re whispering an apology into the dark.
