Wham! Rap 

"Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)"' is a 1983 song by British pop duo Wham! on Innervision Records. It was written by Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.

The song, which had been tentatively released in 1982 when Wham! were unknowns and failed to make any impact, was re-issued in January 1983 after the duo had achieved their breakthrough with "Young Guns (Go For It!)".

Although rap was still an underground and almost exclusively American phenomenon in the early 1980s, the title of the song didn't lie - George rapped a number of verses about the joys of living every day to the fullest, which meant that being gainfully employed was not an option, and 'having fun with the boys down the (welfare) line'. The chorus asked the question "Do you enjoy what you do?", which brought about the bracketed section of the title. The video depicted George and Andrew Ridgeley in their leather jackets, combining their moody image with a bright, effervescent choreography.

Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) - the full version of which was almost seven minutes long - reached #8 in the UK singles chart, the second of four hits from Wham!'s debut album Fantastic. The duo would go on to enjoy four UK #1 hits before splitting at their height in 1986. On the flip side of their farewell single The Edge of Heaven was an updated version of the song, entitled Wham! Rap '86.

The song was explicitly political and indeed revolutionary. It flew in the face of the conventional British Left-wing who were talking about the 'Right to work' at the time. But, in a capitalist economy, the 'Right to work' is only the right to be exploited by the bosses.

1982 release

7": Innervision / IVL A2442 (UK)

1. "Wham Rap! [7" version]" (3:30)
2. "Wham Rap! [Club Mix]" (4:02)

12": Innervision / IVLA 13 2442 (UK)

1. "Wham Rap! [Social Mix]" (6:46) > due to a typo-error on the label, this actually is the unsocial mix)
2. "Wham Rap! [Unsocial Mix]" (6:36) > due to a typo-error on the label, this actually is the social mix)

1983 reissue

7": Innervision / IVL A 2442 (UK)

1. "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) [Special U.S. Remix Part 1]" (3:30)
2. "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) [Special U.S. Re-Mix Part 2]" (3:03)

• Part 1 aka "Special US Re-mix"
• Part 2 aka "Special Club Re-Mix"

12": Innervision / IVL A 13 2442 (UK)

1. "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) [Special US Re-mix]" (6:43)
2. "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) [Special Club Re-mix]" (3:34)

The commonly found version, as is the one on the album fantastic, is the 1983 re-issue, the special us-remix. The social mix can be found on the UK twelve inch mixes cd (although it's there also mislabelled as un-social mix). The actual un-social mix is as yet un-available on cd.

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Young Guns (Go for it!) 

Young Guns (Go for It) (sometimes written with an exclamation mark as Young Guns (Go for It!)) was a song by British pop duo Wham! which was released in 1982 on Innervision Records. It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.

The song was Wham!'s first hit, although it came with some help from the BBC music programme Top Of The Pops, which invited Wham! on to the show as a last-minute replacement for another act which had pulled out. Wham! were just outside the Top 40 threshold of the UK singles chart at the time, which meant they had not climbed high enough in normal circumstances to get on the show, but they were recruited nonetheless as the highest-placed artists still climbing the charts from outside the 40.

Wham!, who opened the show, were complete unknowns when they were introduced, and became a national phenomenon immediately after, as much for George's appearance and the choreography as for the song itself. Young Guns (Go for It) entered the chart at #24 the following week, and eventually peaked at #3 in November 1982.

George wrote the song about a teenage lad's worry that his best friend was getting too committed to a girl when he should have been enjoying his youth and the single life. It featured a middle eight aside in which the girl conversely tried to get her boyfriend to ditch the best friend, prompting a vocal battle, akin to a tug of war, between the girlfriend and the best friend which prompted the "go for it!" aspect of the song, as featured in the title.

On Top Of The Pops, Wham!'s highly-choreographed and energetic performance - made possible because artists mimed to their recordings - became one of the most memorable in the show's long history. George mimed the vocals to his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgely, who "acted" the part of the teenage bridegroom-in-waiting. They were flanked by backing singers Dee C. Lee and Shirlie Holliman.

The song was the first of four socially and politically motivated hits from Wham!'s debut album Fantastic!. They went on to dominate the UK charts and have four #1 hits, before splitting at their height in 1986.

One of the most talked about lines in the song is the spoken line "Caution pays". Since the line is played at a lower speed than originally recorded, it has been mistakenly thought that the line is "Abortion pays".

7": Innervision / IVL A 2776 (UK)

1. "Young Guns (Go for It)" (3:40)
2. "Going for It" (3:40)

12": Innervision / IVL A 13 2776 (UK)

1. "Young Guns (Go for It) [12" Version]" (5:10)
2. "Going for It" (3:40)

• "Going for It" is an instrumental version of "Young Guns (Go for It)"

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Bad Boys 

Bad Boys was a song by British pop duo Wham! which was a hit in 1983. It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo, and released on Innervision Records.

The song was an energetic but endearing tale of a rebellious teenage lad's struggle against his parents who are concerned about his late-night activities. Although George wrote and sang it from the teenager's perspective (he was himself only 19 when he composed it and the character refers to being that age in the song), he also penned a middle eight in which the "parents" (George putting on more "adult" voices) aired their concerns, which included late nights and cigarettes and ultimately asking"Why do you have to be so cruel?"

It was the third single to be taken from Wham!'s debut album, Fantastic, and reached #2 in the UK singles chart, going on to become the 26th best selling single of 1983. At the time, Wham! was projecting a hard, politically-motivated image, with Bad Boys one of a number of songs projecting a stance of mood and youthful independence. The single was also released in the United States, peaking at #60. It was the duo's first time on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, although they were listed as Wham!-UK.

Bad Boys became the biggest hit from the debut album, although it would be usurped by Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go from the album Make It Big in 1984, which became the first of four UK #1 singles the duo would enjoy. George quickly denounced Bad Boys as a song he hated, stating it was "like an albatross round my neck". The song was famously omitted from the 1997 compilation album If You Were There (The Best of Wham), despite the album including tracks that weren't even released as singles.

7": Innervision / A 3143 (UK)

1. "Bad Boys" (3:20)
2. "Bad Boys [Instrumental" (3:25)

12": Innervision / TA 3143 (UK)

1. "Bad Boys [12" Mix]" (4:58)
2. "Bad Boys [Instrumental" (3:25)

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Club Tropicana 

"Club Tropicana" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1983 on Innervision Records. It was written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.

The song was a mild departure from Wham!'s previous singles, which had all been motivated by social or political issues. "Club Tropicana", however, was a satire of the boom for cheap package holidays for younger, single people of a hedonistic nature. It was specifically seen in the UK as a swipe at the very popular Club 18-30 scheme and fruit drink Tropicana.

A memorable video was made at Pikes Hotel in Ibiza, with scenes of George and Andrew on the beach, making eyes at bikini-clad girls played by their backing singers Dee C. Lee and Shirlie Holliman. They were also seen relaxing by a pool and sipping cocktails to promote the new Tropicana Tropicals range, along with the famous scene of trumpet-playing taking place in the pool itself. A twist in the sexual tension between the two men and two women was revealed at the end, when it turned out that George and Andrew were airline pilots and Dee and Shirlie were stewardesses.

The song was released in July 1983 and peaked at #4 in the UK, going on to become the 39th best selling single of 1983. It was the fourth and final single to be taken from the album Fantastic. Wham! went on to dominate the UK charts, achieving four #1 singles before splitting at their height in 1986.

B-side

The B-side, "Blue (Armed)", is a semi-instrumental dub track of higher quality than is generally expected for B-side material, and would not have been out of place on Fantastic. During their "Club Fantastic" tour in late 1983 and in 1985 in China, they performed this song live, complete with sung verses, and the result was released as "Blue (Armed with Love)" on their 1986 LP Music from the Edge of Heaven as well as the B-side of 1986's single release of "Last Christmas."

7": Innervision / A 3613 (UK)

1. "Club Tropicana" – 4:14
2. "Blue (Armed)" – 3:50

12": Innervision / TA 3613 (UK)

1. "Club Tropicana" – 4:14
2. "Blue" – 3:50
3. "Club Tropicana [Instrumental]" – 3:32

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Wham! - Club Fantastic Megamix

"Club Fantastic Megamix" was a single released by Wham! in 1983, and was the last single release for the duo on Innervision Records. The single was released three months after Wham! had begun proceedings to leave the label, and was disapproved of by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. The single, which consisted of a mix of the tracks "A Ray of Sunshine", "Love Machine", and "Come On" off the album Fantastic, reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.

7": Innervision / A 3586 (UK)

1. "Club Fantastic Megamix" – 3:54
2. "A Ray of Sunshine (Instrumental mix)" – 4:03

12": Innervision / TA 3586 (UK)

1. "Club Fantastic Megamix (12" version)" – 8:35
2. "A Ray of Sunshine (Instrumental remix)" – 5:39

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Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go

"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" was released in 1984 and became their first UK number one hit. It was written and produced by George Michael, one half of the duo.

Michael's inspiration for the song was a scribbled note left by his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley for Andrew's parents,originally intended to read "wake me up before you go" but with "up" accidentally written twice, so Ridgeley wrote "go" twice on purpose. Released in May 1984, it heralded the beginning of a softer, sunnier image for Wham!, who had spent the previous year as a moodier, more politically themed duo, with songs about unemployment, young marriage, and battles of will between parents and their children. With the release of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", they re-emerged with wider smiles, more colourful clothing, and a more positive disposition in interviews.

The song entered the UK singles chart at number four — after much hype from the duo claiming they would go straight in at number one, which was a rare occurrence then — and climbed to the top seven days later, staying there for two weeks.

The song also went to the top of the Billboard hot 100 in the USA and Michael followed it up with a solo single, "Careless Whisper" and another Wham! hit, "Freedom", both of which were also UK number-one hits. The album, Make It Big, was an unqualified success. Wham! had three more UK number one singles and split at their height in 1986.

The music video, essentially the duo performing to a teenage audience, was memorable for the clothes, which became a lasting sartorial image for the 1980s as a decade. Michael and Ridgeley, plus backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie, along with motor trade Guru Peter (Froudy) Froud, were wearing Katharine Hamnett T-shirt designs which said "CHOOSE LIFE" (originally a slogan targeted at drug abuse and suicide) and "GO GO", which became much sought-after fashion items of the year. Michael was also seen in luminous gloves, which he later bemoaned as the clip of him always picked out by advertisers whenever "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" went on to a compilation album. The video was filmed at the Carling Academy Brixton in London.

7": Epic / A 4440 (UK)

1. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (3:51)
2. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go [Instrumental]" (4:03)

The US 7" single (Columbia 04552) had the same track listing.

12": Epic / TA 4440 (UK)

1. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (3:51)
2. "A Ray of Sunshine [Specially recorded for 'The Tube']" (4:03)
3. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go [Instrumental]" (4:58)

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Wham! - George Michael - Careless Whisper

"Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael (credited to Wham! featuring George Michael in the USA), released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time . The song features a prominent saxophone riff, and has been covered by a number of artists since its first release. It was released as a single and became a huge commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached number one in nearly 25 countries, selling about six million copies worldwide.

Unlike all the Wham! singles (except "Wham Rap!"), it was co-written by Andrew Ridgeley, the other member of the duo. The two had written it together as unknowns three years earlier, when Michael was working as a cinema usher in Watford, England. In a June 2006 interview on London radio station Magic 105.4, Michael said that he wrote it "in his head" during work and that he recalls coming up with the saxophone riff whilst boarding a number 32 bus on the way home. Originally the riff had words, but Michael declined to state them, saying that they were very poor lyrics.

The song went through at least two rounds of production. The first was during a trip Michael made to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he went to work with the legendary producer Jerry Wexler at the venerable Muscle Shoals Studio. Michael was unhappy with the version that was originally produced and decided to re-record and produce the song himself, this time coming up with the version that was finally released. The version Wexler produced did, however, see the light of day, but only later on, as a (4:41) B-side "Special Version" on 12", released in England.

The officially released single, a mid-tempo ballad with soulful production and a remarkable saxophone solo by Steve Gregory, was issued in August 1984, entering the UK singles chart at number twelve. Within two weeks, it was at number one, ending a nine-week run at the top for "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It stayed at number one for three weeks, going on to become the fifth best-selling single of 1984 in the United Kingdom; it was outsold only by the two Frankie Goes to Hollywood tracks "Two Tribes" and "Relax," Stevie Wonder with "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and Band Aid with "Do They Know It's Christmas." The song also topped the charts in 17 other countries, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in February 1985 under the credit "Wham! featuring George Michael"; spending three weeks at the top in America, the song was later named Billboard's number-one song of 1985.

7" single

1. "Careless Whisper" — 5:04
2. "Careless Whisper" (instrumental) — 5:02

12" maxi

1. "Careless Whisper" (album version) — 6:30
2. "Careless Whisper" (special version) — 5:34
3. "Careless Whisper" (instrumental) — 4:52

Statistics

Certifications and sales

Wham! - Freedom

"Freedom" became the group's second UK #1 hit. It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.

Wham! had already enjoyed a successful 1984 by the time Freedom was released in August of the year. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" had given them their first UK #1 and had then reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA. George had then gone to #1 with a solo single, "Careless Whisper".

"Freedom" was #1 in the UK for three weeks and featured on the album Make It Big, which was issued at the same time. "Freedom" was the 10th biggest selling single of 1984. This song also reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. The lyrics are full of the turmoil one experiences of staying in a destructive relationship where one partner loves another more than the other "part-time love just brings me down" and the inevitable hurt this causes. A situation that Michael finally appears to resolve in the song 'Faith' where he is building the confidence to meet someone new and get the 'freedom' he has been dreaming of.

The music video features the band touring around Beijing, China. They were the first British group ever to tour in Asia.

The single was also released as a square picture disc, with a the record being white and having a picture of Michael on the right side.

The song was used in a Japanese commercial for Maxell audio cassettes, with altered lyrics. ("I can't wait to see you, why don't you come here no more?")

See the ad on you tube 

7": Epic / A 4743 (UK)

1. "Freedom" (5:08)
2. "Freedom [Instrumental]" (5:10)

12": Epic / TA 4743 (UK)

1. "Freedom [Long Mix]" (7:14)
2. "Freedom [Instrumental]" (5:10)

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Wham! - Everything She Wants

"Everything She Wants" was released in 1984 on Epic Records on a double A-side with "Last Christmas". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.

Upon release, "Last Christmas" took the majority of the attention and airplay as it was appropriate in early December as Christmas approached. However, the presence of an equally-billed flip side meant that radio stations had something else to play once "Last Christmas" had lost its topicality.

A five-minute song (there also exists a six-and-a-half-minutes-long version with an added bridge), "Everything She Wants" is written from the angle of a man rapidly approaching desperation at the material demands of his partner which seem to be coming to a head, despite the amount of work he does to keep them happy. In a twist, the second verse takes the story a step further by revealing that the woman is pregnant but the man cannot find any happiness in the announcement because of the extra pressure a baby will put upon him.

The presence of the Band Aid project meant that the double A-side peaked at number two in the UK singles chart, although in the process it became the biggest selling record not to get to number one. However, in the USA, the song did reach the summit of the Billboard Hot 100, and became the third number-one song in a row from 1984's Make It Big album.

Wham! would go on to have two more number-one hits in the UK before splitting at their height in 1986.

Although Michael bemoaned much of Wham!'s material as he began his solo career, "Everything She Wants" remained a song of which he was proud, and he continued to perform it in his shows. Furthermore, Michael remarked in an interview (to promote 25 Live tour) that "Everything She Wants" is his favourite Wham! song.

The song was remixed and re-released as "Everything She Wants '97" for the greatest hits album If You Were There in 1997.

The song was also mentioned in a landmark 1998 sampling copyright decision in the case of Santrayll v. Burrell Federal Court Judge Peter K. Leisure concluded that MC Hammer had sampled music by another rap group (The Legend). The Legend admitted to sampling Wham!'s "Everything She Wants" (among other songs) and not disclosing the sampled works when filing for copyright registration. In essence, Hammer argued that because The Legend admitted to sampling (i.e. "Everything She Wants"), this constituted a knowing failure to advise the Copyright Office of facts that might have led to the rejection of the copyright application. Meaning: no copyright protection, no lawsuit for infringement against Hammer. The court disagreed and found that: (1) it was possible that a jury might find that the failure to disclose the samples was not deliberate and (2) the samples played such a minor role in The Legend's song that the unauthorized use of samples "could not possibly have led the Copyright Office to reject the copyright applications."

7": Epic / QA 4949 (UK)

1. "Everything She Wants (7" Remix)" – 5:31
2. "Last Christmas" – 4:24

12": Epic / QTA 4949 (UK)

1. "Everything She Wants (12" Remix)" – 6:34
2. "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)" – 6:44

• also released in a limited edition with a 1985 calendar (WQTA 4949)

7": Epic / 07-5p-336 (Japan)

1. "Everything She Wants (Remix)"
2. "Like a Baby"
3. "Message From Wham!"

• Track 1 plays 7" remix but is labeled only as "Remix"

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Wham! - Last Christmas

"Last Christmas" was released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with "Everything She Wants". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo. The song has been covered by many artists throughout the years.

Wham! had been a dominant force in the UK Singles Chart in 1984 and news that they were planning a Christmas single meant that a battle for the coveted Christmas #1 spot in the UK seemed set to be between Wham! and the year's other big act, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who had achieved a third #1 in early December with "The Power of Love". However, the Band Aid project, helmed by Bob Geldof, produced the #1 single. Wham!'s offering peaked at #2 for much of the period, although George's involvement in Band Aid meant that Wham! still had an input. Wham! subsequently topped the monies raised by Band Aid by donating all of their "Last Christmas/Everything She Wants" royalties to the Ethiopian famine appeal.

"Last Christmas" did make #1 in various other countries.

The single sold well over a million copies and became the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach #1. A year later, it was re-issued for Christmas again (this time without a billed flip-side) and got to #6. A second re-issue at Christmas 1986 - by which time Wham! had split - stalled outside the top 40.

The song gradually sold in Japan, and finally became the best-selling single that did not reach that country's top-10 chart, selling more than 600,000 copies and peaking on the chart at #12 in 1992.

Since 1997, the song enters the German Singlecharts every year and peaked at #4 in 2007. In the airplay charts the songs enters every year the Top 5.

In 2007, the track re-entered the UK Top 20 and hit the UK iTunes Top 10.

In 2008, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart again, this time at #36 and peaked at #26.

In 2009, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number #39.

In 2009, the song re-entered the Spanish Lista de Canciones (Singles Chart( at number #9.

Due to perceived similarities between "Last Christmas" and the song "Can't Smile Without You" as popularised by Barry Manilow, an out of court settlement was reached in which the first year's royalties were donated to the one-year-old "Band Aid" charity.

The video to "Last Christmas" saw George and partner Andrew Ridgeley accompanying girlfriends to see friends at their home in an unspecified ski resort, although the cable-car that can be seen in two shots is from Saas-Fee, Switzerland. It became clear early on, however, that Andrew's girlfriend had previously been in a relationship with George, and it was to her character the song was aimed. The video also featured the duo's erstwhile backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie and Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp, the boyfriend and future husband of Shirlie Holliman.

Statistics

Certifications

Wham! - I'm Your Man

"I'm Your Man" was released on Epic Records in 1985. It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.

The song was long-awaited, as Wham! had spent much of 1985 touring and then resting. A groundbreaking appearance in China had been followed by a stint at Live Aid, but there had been no new Wham! material until November and the release of "I'm Your Man", a straightforward song of seduction through personality.

The video was similar to that of previous hit "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (which had been a huge success the previous year), in that it was essentially an "as live" performance of the song in front of a crowd of fans, although the occasional appearance of a counter clock revealed George's lyrical thinking with the word SEX appearing instead of SIX. It was also shot in black and white rather than colour.

"I'm Your Man" became Wham!'s third #1 but did not feature on a studio album, and was essentially an isolated single which was only followed up by a re-issue of the previous year's Christmas hit, "Last Christmas". Already the signs were there that George, now bearded, was ready to move his career into an adult market. The song also reached #3 in the US singles chart.

Within six months of "I'm Your Man", Wham! had announced their split. They had a fourth and final number one and released a farewell album, prior to a concert at Wembley Stadium, at which "I'm Your Man" was the last song George performed with partner Andrew Ridgeley, who has since drifted into relative obsecurity while George has achieved further high profile success as a solo artist.

An extended mix of the song was released on Wham!'s 1986 album Music from the Edge of Heaven . Added to the song are tape effects (including several repeating words and phrases), a bass solo at the halfway mark, and a segment based on Andrew Ridgeley's race car driving hobby: an announcer saying, "He's brave! He's tough! Mr. Ridgeley, do your stuff!", racing cars zooming past, the sounds of a car crashing, maniacal laughing from Ridgeley, and Ridgeley saying "Now where's the bar?" in a high-pitched voice. Furthermore, the 12-inch version (see below) features even more new material added, with dialogue between a man and a woman (really Michael and Ridgeley with their voices altered), with the man trying to persuade the woman in a "magic car", replacing an entire verse in the song.

"I'm Your Man" was subsequently covered by Lisa Moorish in 1995. In addition, George Michael re-recorded the song in a funkier style in 1996; "I'm Your Man '96" appeared on the "Fastlove" CD single.

7": Epic / A 6716 (UK)

1. "I'm Your Man" (4:05)
2. "Do It Right" (4:05)

12": Epic / TA 6716 (UK)

1. "I'm Your Man [Extended Stimulation]" (6:53)
2. "Do It Right" (4:05)
3. "I'm Your Man [Acapella]" (4:17)

• also released as a picture disc (WTA 6716) and cassette (TA40 6716)

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Wham! - George Michael - A Different Corner

"A Different Corner" is a song written and performed by George Michael which was released on Epic Records (Columbia Records in the U.S.) in 1986.

At the time of its release in April 1986, Michael was still a member of pop duo Wham!, though he and partner Andrew Ridgeley had announced that they would split in the summer after a farewell single, album and concert. Michael had already enjoyed a solo #1 in the UK singles chart in 1984 with "Careless Whisper," and when he went back to the top with "A Different Corner," he became the first solo act in the history of the UK chart to reach #1 with his first two releases, although he was hardly an unknown or new act on either occasion. The song was also credited with being the second #1 (after "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder) which was written, sung, played, arranged and produced by the same person. The song reached #7 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first single credited solely to Michael to become an American top-ten hit.

After Simon Bates first aired A Different Corner on Radio 1, he rated the song so highly that he immediately played it again from the beginning.

A note on the back of the sleeve proclaims, "This record is dedicated to a memory."

7": Epic / A 7033 (UK)

1. "A Different Corner" – 3:57
2. "A Different Corner" (instrumental) – 4:13

12": Epic / GTA 7033 (UK)

1. "A Different Corner" – 3:57
2. "A Different Corner" (instrumental) – 4:13

• released in gatefold sleeve

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Wham! - The Edge Of Heaven

The Edge of Heaven was released on Epic Records in 1986. It was written by George Michael, and was promoted in advance as Wham!'s farewell single.

With the known desire of George to move into a more adult market, Wham! had announced in the spring of 1986 that they would go their separate ways after a farewell single, album and concert. The album was called The Final and the concert was held in front of 100,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London.

The single, a five minute tale of emotional and physical frustration within a relationship, was a slick and upbeat pop tune which became, unsurprisingly, the fourth and final #1 in the UK (and the final US Top Ten hit, reaching #10) for the teaming of George Michael and his partner Andrew Ridgeley.

Epic released a double record set in the UK, with an updated version of Wham!'s early signature song "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)" on the flip of disc one, and two new songs - "Battlestations" and a cover of the Was (Not Was) song "Where Did Your Heart Go?" - on the flip of the second disc. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" was later given an equal billing and reached a lowly position in the UK Top 40 as a result.

In the United States, "The Edge of Heaven" was backed with a live version of "Blue" from Wham!'s tour of China. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" was released separately as the follow-up and the fourth and last single from Music from the Edge of Heaven (the shortened American version of The Final), and charted at #50 (backed with "Wham! Rap '86").

Two months earlier, George Michael had achieved his second solo #1 with "A Different Corner" (which also made #7 in the US), and he was back in the charts as a permanent solo artist within six months of "The Edge of Heaven".

7": Epic / A FIN 1 (UK)

1. "The Edge of Heaven" (4:37)
2. "Wham Rap '86" (6:33)

7": Epic / FIN 1 (UK)

1. "The Edge of Heaven" (4:31)
2. "Wham Rap '86" (6:33)
3. "Battlestations" (5:25)
4. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" (5:43)

• limited edition double 7" pack

12": Epic / FIN T1 (UK)

1. "Battlestations" (5:25)
2. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" (5:43)
3. "The Edge of Heaven" (4:31)
4. "Wham Rap '86" (6:33)

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Wham! - Where Did Your Heart Go

The song was covered by Wham! and released as the duo's final single in 1986. It was included as a b-side to "The Edge of Heaven" in the UK, where it reached #1. It was later released separately as an A-Side but did not chart highly.

1. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" — 5:05
2. "Wham Rap '86" — 6:33

Statistics