Prince William and Kate Middleton gift no longer 'most expensive ever' thanks to Wonder clearing track for free distribution
With help from Stevie Wonder, George Michael has sent Prince William and Kate Middleton an early wedding present. This weekend, the singer released a cover of Wonder's You and I (We Can Conquer the World), recorded to celebrate the royal couple's nearing nuptials.
"The idea came to me last week," Michael explained on Piers Morgan's CNN talk show. Though the 47-year-old does not have the most spotless public record, he was a friend of Princess Diana, William's late mother, and said: "I should perhaps express my happiness at this marriage, in a way, publicly". So the singer recorded a version of Wonder's 1972 classic, releasing it for download on Friday night. "I've had a very busy week," he said.
Initially, Michael faced an enormous bill from the song's rights-holders, who are entitled to money from cover versions. "Those ****ers at EMI wanted to charge me for every download," Michael wrote on Twitter. "I'd like Will and Kate to know I was prepared to do that." But Wonder himself came to Michael's aid, waiving licence fees "until way after the wedding" ? and preventing the song from becoming "the most expensive wedding pressie I ever gave anyone".
While fans can download You and I for free, Michael has called on them to donate to Kate and William's charity fund. "I want Will and Kate to know that this is a genuine gift, not a promo exercise," he said. "It's a gift that they'll be able to turn into many, many donations." And yet despite his enthusiasm, Michael will not be attending the royal wedding on 29 April. "They should [be] surrounded by people they love," he said last week, "not dodgy ex-con pop stars."
Michael's last release was also a charity single, a cover of New Order's True Faith, for Comic Relief.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/apr/18/george-michael-stevie-wonder-royal-wedding
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