Top 10 Wham! Songs

Wham! Songs

Feature Photo: Louise Palanker, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Wham! Songs list takes a look at a popular duo from the 80s. The duo featured members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. They sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. They performed together in 1981 and lasted until 1986. They got their name from their energy and friendship. They didn’t record too many albums before they broke up. George Michael left the duo because he wanted to target a more mature audience. He went on to have a successful solo career. Andrew Ridgeley tried his hand at motor racing. When that didn’t work, he tried his hand at singing and acting. He didn’t find much success as a solo artist. Some of Wham!’s hits include “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper,” “Everything She Wants,” “Freedom,” and “Last Christmas” as well as other hits.

Fantastic was released in 1983. It peaked at number 83 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do),” “Young Guns (Go For It),” “Bad Boys” and “Club Tropicana.” The album sold over 500,000 copies. Their second album would go on to make a bigger splash in music. Make It Big was released in 1984. This is the last album they did together before George Michael went solo. It peaked at number 20 on the r&b charts and number one on Billboard 200 It features the singles “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper,” “Freedom” and “Everything She Wants.” The album sold over six million copies.

Wham! was very popular between 1982 and 1986. They didn’t record that many albums, but they made an impact in the music industry. The duo introduced the world to the late great George Michael. He may have left the world too soon, but his legacy lives on through his music with Wham! as well as his solo work. This Top 10 Wham! Songs list will feature their best songs.

# 10 – Young Guns (Go for It)

The first song on our Top 10 Wham! Songs list is “Young Guns (Go for It)” from the Fantastic album. The song has a disco and pop beat. The cautionary tale is about a teenager being serious with a girl when he should be enjoying his youth. The other part of the song is about the girl wanting the guy to give up his best friend for her. The song is like a vocal tug-of-war.

Here is some trivia about the song. George Michael was inspired to write this song after seeing his fellow students getting married straight out of high school. The lyrics are original because there aren’t too many people who write songs about couples rushing into marriage. This is the duo’s second single, but their first hit song. The music is very dance friendly. It will have you out of your seat. It has an old school vibe, but it is still catchy. The music is high energy. It features the guitar, horn, drums and synths.

George Michael got to try his hand at rapping. He isn’t a professional rapper by any means, but he does a good job. He does all the vocals in the song. He gave the best of himself with this high energetic song. He sounds a little different in some of the song. He uses his lower register in parts of the song and uses his normal voice in the rest of the song. The chorus is infectious. It will stay in your head long after the song is over.

# 9 – Bad Boys

The next song on our Top 10 Wham! Songs list is “Bad Boys” from the Fantastic album. The rebellious song is about a teenager who argues with his parents about what he does at night. The teenager stays out at night. George Michael wrote this song in parts. He wrote it from the teenager’s point of view as well as the parents’ point of view. This song is different because he is singing the song from both character’s point of view.

He wanted to show a more mature side by telling the song from the parent’s point of view. It’s also unique because people didn’t tackle this subject in songs. He was a teenager when he wrote this song. Teenagers don’t usually write songs like this. They write about partying and falling in love. They weren’t writing about how parents feel about teens staying out at night. George Michael was a gifted songwriter because he knew how to turn a song into a story.

The melody of the song is similar to “Young Guns (Go for It).” The song has a great beat. It is fun to dance to and workout to. It has a classic 80s sound. It features synth, drums, and strings. They combine to make great music. George Michael shows versatility in this song. He sings in his normal register for the verses. He reaches to heights unknown on the bridge without his voice cracking. He really shows how talented a singer he is when he sings in falsetto.

# 8 – Where Did Your Heart Go?

The underrated song is from the Music from the Edge of Heaven/The Final album. The song has a pop beat. The touching song is about losing love. This breakup song is a cover of Was (Not Was’s) song. Wham! didn’t stray too far from the original version of the song. Wham! did change the beginning of the song by taking out the chorus and replacing it with a saxophone solo. The opening was a good choice because it made the song sound sexy.

The song is off to a great start. The instrumental part of the song is breathtaking. It gives you a chance to focus on melodic music. The music is soothing and relaxing. The saxophone, bass, and drums sell the music. The lyrics are beautiful and sad at the same time. George Michael didn’t write the song, but he sang it as if he wrote it. George Michael sings this song with a lot of passion He sounds soulful on the track. He sings in time with the music. He surprises the listener by holding notes towards the end of the song. George Michael can transcribe with his voice all of his emotions, joys and sorrows. He is a vocal genius. Both versions of this song are worth checking out. If you are a fan of the original version, you should like Wham!’s version too.

# 7 – Last Christmas

This song is from the Music from the Edge of Heaven/The Final. The song has a pop beat. “Last Christmas” has a cheery beginning. It starts off like a festive jam and then George Michael turns it into a song about heartbreak. There aren’t that many Christmas songs that are about relationships and people breaking up during Christmastime. Let’s get to the music. It has a classic 80s sound. It had a catchy beat. It has a bouncy beat.

You definitely will hear the synthesizer throughout the track. The bass line was infectious and will hold your attention until the song is finished. The track does include chiming bells to remind you that it is a Christmas song. You could forget that it’s a Christmas song because of the theme. He has a gift for turning a heartbreaking song into a Christmas track. There aren’t too many artists who could combine a heartbreaking song into a Christmas song. George Michael’svocals are outstanding.

His soulful voice puts you in a festive mood. His tone is infectious, and he will have you singing along with him. He made the song so popular that there were so many covers of the track. The song is one of the most popular Christmas tracks of all time. You will want to hear this song throughout the year because it’s not just good to hear at Christmas.

# 6 – Edge of Heaven

The dramatic song is from the Music from the Edge of Heaven/The Final album. The song has a pop beat. The emotional song is about a frustrating relationship. The story is about a relationship that is lacking physically and emotionally. Most people sing about the ups and downs of relationships so it’s not new territory. George Michael has written plenty of songs on the subject. He found a way to make it sound unique. His lyrics will definitely speak to you.

He knows how to touch your soul with his lyrics. He wanted to make the song sound sexual on purpose. He was determined to create a new sound. He wanted to show that his material was becoming more mature. He thought people wouldn’t take the lyrics seriously because of Wham!’s prior hits. The music is new territory for Wham! It has an edgier sound from their other work. It still has a pop beat, but there’s an edge to it. Here is a fun fact. Legendary singer Elton John makes an appearance in the song. He plays the piano.

He proves why he’s one of the masters of the keys. His musical talents knows no limits. The piano is one of the standout instruments of the track. George Michael proved that he could sing anything with this song. His vocals are vulnerable and gutwrenching at the same time. He never disappoints when he sings in falsetto. His vocals will impress listeners. The song is bittersweet for fans of Wham! because it’s one of the last singles they recorded before they broke up. This may not be one of their signature songs, but this song will stay in your head long after it is done.

# 5 – I’m Your Man

The next song on our Top 10 Wham! Songs list is “I’m Your Man” from the Music from the Edge of Heaven/The Final. The song has a dance and pop beat. The energetic song is about sex. He talks about the things he would do if he was with the person he loved. You would have to read between the lines in order to get that he is referring to sex. He wasn’t in your face about it, but if you pay attention to the lyrics, you will see that he is talking about sex.

The bouncy song has an old-school meets new-school sound. It makes the song sound catchy. The musical production is flawless. There is a saxophone solo that is definitely worth checking out. This song is designed to get you out of your seat. George Michael’s voice sounds amazing. He sounds angelic. He sounds convincing as he is saying everything he would do for the person he loves. He sings this with a lot of passion. The music is upbeat and George Michael sounds upbeat to go along with the music. He has a voice that will make you swoon.

He holds little notes throughout the song that adds something special to the track. He also belts throughout the song. He is belting it as if it is a ballad. Anytime a singer belts in an up-tempo track, it is always worth a thumbs up.

# 4 – Freedom

The longing song is from the Make It Big album. The song has a pop beat. The loving song is about a man who forgives his lover for cheating on him. He admits he doesn’t want anyone else. His lover is the only person he wants. He doesn’t want an open relationship. He wants to be with the person he loves.

The title of the song is misleading. You would think that “freedom” would mean that he would want to let go of someone You would have to listen to the song to realize the true meaning of it. Artists usually sing songs about infidelity, but they don’t usually sing about staying with the person. George Michael knows how to create stories that have never been told before. He was truly a gifted songwriter. He has a knack for subtlety. You would have to listen to the lyrics to know the true meaning behind them. The music has an old-school sound.

It sounds as if it’s a mix of Motown meets 80s music. The music is vibrant and infectious. There is no way to sit still while listening to the music. The music will put a smile on your face. George Michael will make your soul happy while he is singing. He is able to keep up with the loud music. It has a fast pace and he was able to keep up with it. He belts throughout the song. He sounds incredible. He has one of the best voices in music. His voice is stacked because he has a double in the hook. He saved the best for last by holding a note in the fade out.

# 3 – Wake Me Up Before Go-Go

The poppy song is from the Make It Big album. The song has a dance and pop beat. The upbeat song is about a guy who is upset that his girlfriend went dancing while he was sleep. He wants her to wake him up before she goes out again because he wants to dance with her. Here is some trivia about the song. The title of the track came from a note Andrew Ridgeley wrote for his parents.

He made a mistake and wrote the word “up” twice. When he realized what he did, he added the word “go” twice. George Michael liked the idea and came up with the song. The accidental song ended up becoming one of the duo’s biggest hits. This song is very contagious. It has all the makings of an excellent pop song. We dare you to sit still while listening to this classic beat.

The music combines Motown and 80s music. The song has masterful instrumentation. It features the sax, keys, drums, horns, and strings. It is easy not to take the song seriously because of the title and the video, but it is actually a great song. It does fall under the category of a novelty song because it’s about dancing, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that it is contagious. George Michael still gives this song his all despite being a novelty song. He belts and holds impressive notes. This is the type of song that will never get old. You can have it on repeat so you can hear it over and over.

# 2 -Everything She Wants

This heartbreaking song is from the Make It Big album. The song has a pop and r&b beat. The dramatic song is about a man that doesn’t have the best marriage. As the story unfolds, we find out the couple is having a baby. The man is not happy about the news because he can’t walk away from the situation anymore. He believes he does everything for her and she doesn’t appreciate what he does.

He wonders how he could be good enough for a baby if he can’t please her. He questions whether he loves her. This song has a lot of drama like a soap opera. Here is some trivia about the song. The song is credited to Wham!, but George Michael did the song by himself. It made him realize he could do everything by himself. He didn’t need musicians because he could do it himself. The music features a synthesizer. The music is very impressive. This is a ballad with tempo. You can move your head to the music. The second you hear the first note, you will be hooked on the song. Fans of the duo will know what this song is instantly.

George Michael sounds phenomenal on this track. He sings the song in such an inviting way that you will want to sing along with him. George Michael manages to make the chorus catchy and all he’s doing is runs. The chorus will stay in your head long after the song is over. His phrasing is on point. You can feel all of the emotion as he sings each lyric. This song could have easily been number one on the list. It was a very hard decision.

# 1 – Careless Whisper

The number one song on our Top 10 Wham! Songs list is “Careless Whisper” from the Make It Big album. The song has an r&b and jazz beat. The bitter song is about the loss of a relationship. The relationship ended when he cheated on his lover. He is brokenhearted because of his affair. He is also regretful of the affair.

Anyone who has cheated on the person he or she loves will be able to relate to the song. The second you hear the saxophone in the beginning, you know you are in for a treat. Steven Gregory did his thing with his solo saxophone. It is one of the best saxophone solos in music history. It is definitely one of the most recognizable saxophone solos. The music is a mix of r&b and jazz. Fans of both genres will enjoy this song. George Michael does an amazing job with his vocals.

He sounds heartfelt and passionate while he is singing each line. He holds notes and belts throughout the song. This song showcases how talented of a singer he is. It is pure perfection. It is easy to see why this was one of the duo’s biggest hit singles. Everything about the song works from the music to the gorgeous singing.

Top 10 Wham! Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022

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