Make It Big

by Wham!

Overview

The title was a promise to themselves, Wham!'s assurance that they would make it big after struggling out of the gates the first time out. They succeeded on a grander scale than they ever could have imagined, conquering the world and elsewhere with this effervescent set of giddy new wave pop-soul, thereby making George Michael a superstar and consigning Andrew Ridgeley to the confines of Trivial Pursuit. It was so big and the singles were so strong that it's easy to overlook its patchwork qualities. It's no longer than eight tracks, short even for the pre-CD era, and while the four singles are strong, the rest is filler, including an Isley Brothers cover. Thankfully, it's the kind of filler that's so tied to its time that it's fascinating in its stilted post-disco dance-pop rhythms and Thatcher/Reagan materialism -- an era that encouraged songs called "Credit Card Baby." If this dichotomy between the A-sides and B-sides is far too great to make this essential, the way Faith later would be, those A-sides range from good to terrific. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" is absolute silliness whose very stupidity is its strength, and if "Everything She Wants" is merely agreeable bubblegum, "Freedom" is astounding, a sparkling Motown rip-off rippling with spirit and a timeless melody later ripped off by Noel Gallagher. Then, there's the concluding "Careless Whisper," a soulful slow one where Michael regrets a one-night stand over a richly seductive background and a yearning saxophone. It was an instant classic, and it was the first indication of George Michael's strengths as a pop craftsman -- which means it points the way to Faith, not the halfhearted Edge of Heaven. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	03/29/2024
Label:	Sony Uk
UPC:	0196588150012
Rank:	1616

Tracks

1. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
2. Everything She Wants
3. Heartbeat
4. Like a Baby
5. Freedom
6. If You Were There
7. Credit Card Baby
8. Careless Whisper (Extended Mix)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Wham!   Primary Artist
George Michael   Primary Artist,Keyboards,Vocals (Background),Vocals
Anne Dudley   Keyboards
Danny Cummings   Percussion
Andrew Ridgeley   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Electric)
Steve Gregory   Saxophone
Andy Richards   Keyboards
Chris Parren   Keyboards
Deon Estus   Bass
Hugh Burns   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Tommy Eyre   Keyboards
Paul Spong   Trumpet
Colin Graham   Trumpet
Dean Estes   Bass
David Baptiste   Saxophone
Trevor Murrell   Drums

Technical Credits

George Michael   Producer,Group Member,Composer,Arranger
Andrew Ridgeley   Composer,Group Member
The Isley Brothers   Composer
Paul Gomersall   Assistant Engineer
Tony McGee   Photography
Chris Porter   Engineer