On December 12th of 1987 George Michael topped the US Charts with the # 1 hit, “Faith”. Sadly, the world would lose this talent on Christmas of 2016 to heart and liver disease. He died on Christmas. But as we run headlong into this Christmas, maybe we need to explore the wonder that is the Christmas song he did when he was with a little group called Wham!
“Last Christmas” is a Christmas classic. A staple on the radio every year. But it was not recorded until most in Gen X was in High School. December 3rd of 1984. For weeks it would storm the charts in the US, the UK and other countries. But it did not end there. It continued to hit the charts many times after that.
The only thing that kept the song from hitting #1 that December was another Christmas song that also had George Michael in it. “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” That number 2 place would lead to the song making music history. “Last Christmas” had, for many years, held the record as the highest selling single never to top the charts.
In 2022, a little more than 39 years after its initial release and 6 years after his death, “Last Christmas” would be the number one song on the UK charts on Christmas day giving WHAM! a belated 4th number 1 single. According to BBC News, this little Christmas song that has hit the UK charts 15 times and is rated Platinum in 16 countries is also the third biggest song of all time in the UK.
Love it or hate is, it has made a larger mark than Mariah Carey.
How the Christmas Miracle Song Started
In a December 2017 Guardian interview with Wham! Bandmate and dear friend of George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley, the story of the birth of “Last Christmas” was told. In 1983 George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were visiting Michael’s parents for the Holidays. Michael took Ridgely to his childhood bedroom and wrote the introduction and chorus. It was a heartfelt moment between friends and Andrew would see it as a moment of wonder.
In 1984 George Michael would continue privately working on the song. He composed every instrument track for the song. One Summer day in 1984 he took Andrew to a recording studio with only an engineer and 2 assistants present. George had decorated the entire studio in Christmas decor. It was time to record and create a bittersweet Christmas classic.
Armed with only a LinnDrum drum machine, a Roland Juno-60 synth and sleigh bells, they recorded this lovely song that intermixed the joyful sounds of Christmas along with the melancholy of heart break. And maybe that is what makes the song so endearing.
Beautiful Melancholy With Hope Might Be the Point
When we published the article about The Great Cabbage Patch Kid Riots of 1983, we spoke of the depression and anxiety that comes with the holidays. And for the friends and family of George Michael, Christmas day will always carry with it the loss of George Michael one Christmas morning.
Christmas is a hard time for so many people for so many reasons. As someone who was LGBTQIA+ and in a closet for many years, George knew the very real fear of rejection from not just friends and family, but millions of fans. When it did come out that he was gay, the damage to his career and his mental health due to “fan” reactions was profound.
The loss of his partner to AIDS in 1993 shortly after the passing of his mother compounded his depression. Prozac, cannabis, therapy and four suicide attempts were a part of his life for years while he gave us nothing but beautiful music and inspired many.
Sadness, hurt, and pain over things that are not your fault is the story of many of our readers. Over the last year since we started this project, we have all read in the comments stories of heartache, beauty, love given, love lost, lives lost, and in the midst of all this pain, sublime beautiful hope from beautiful people. That is what you are.
Last Christmas may have been one where you tried to give love to others as best you could and you did not get the love back that you deserved. Maybe Last Christmas you lost someone to tragedy. I hope that this Christmas you can save yourself some tears and give your heart to those who are special. Perhaps this Christmas is already a shitshow of pain and heartbreak. Maybe together we can make this the last Christmas your heart is broken by others. Everyone deserves those who will cherish you and love you back regardless your sexuality or ability to buy the perfect present. Your presence should be the greatest present to those among you.
Stay totally awesome!
Stay true to you!
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