George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley met at Bushey Meads School in Watford, England. At first, they performed in a short-lived rock and roll band called The Executive. They then changed their name and signed with Innervision Records. Soon after a legal victory over Innervision, the duo was signed to CBS, Columbia Records in the United States and Canada and Epic Records for the rest of the world.
Further information: Artist development deal
Michael took on the majority of roles and responsibilities within the band— composer, singer, producer, and occasional instrumentalist— but the contribution of Ridgeley as the group's image specialist and spokesman was crucial to the band's initial success. Ridgeley convinced a reluctant George that Wham! needed to change their image and sound frequently, from the leather-clad moody singers of "Bad Boys" and "Young Guns (Go For It!)" to the more fashionable pop superstars of "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go."
Still teenagers, they promoted themselves as hedonistic youngsters, proud to live a carefree life without work or commitment. This was reflected in their earliest singles. Such works as "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)" have been seen as sarcasm advocating the other point of view.
The first record to be released by the band was "Wham Rap!". It was a double-A side with a Social Mix and Anti-social Mix. The record was banned for general release in the UK due to the profanity in the Anti-social Mix. In October 1982, their song "Young Guns (Go For It!)" was issued. The song was an appeal from one youthful lad to his friend to not throw his life away so early on marriage. It stalled outside the UK Top 40 but then Wham! got lucky when Top Of The Pops scheduled them. An important weekly BBC chart show on television, it had to look outside the Top 40 to fill a gap created by an act which had pulled out of recording. Nearest to the 40 mark and still climbing, Wham! was summoned, and a phenomenon immediately began.
The impact of Wham! on the public, especially teenage girls, was felt from the moment they finished their debut performance of "Young Guns (Go For It!)" on Top Of The Pops. Michael's appearance may have helped. He wore espadrilles, a suede jacket slit open, and rolled-up denim jeans. Ridgeley stood behind him, flanked by backing dancers D.C. Lee and Shirlie Holliman.
The performance was as much one of acting as it was of singing, with Michael playing the part of the pleading goodtime lad, and Ridgeley the guy who had been drawn into commitment. Afterwards, the song shot into the Top 40 at #24 and peaked at #3 in December. The following year (1983), D.C. Lee began her work with Paul Weller of The Style Council, and was replaced by Pepsi DeMacque. Holliman and DeMacque would later record music as Pepsi and Shirlie.
Wham! followed up "Young Guns (Go For It!)" with the reissue "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)", a song about the joys of a leisurely life (the full version of which clocked in at almost seven minutes long); "Bad Boys", about a strained relationship between a rebellious teenage lad and his worried parents; and "Club Tropicana", a satire of the Club 18-30 scene. Each song came with a memorable music video.
By the end of 1983, Wham! was rivaling Duran Duran and Culture Club as Britain's biggest pop act. Notoriety and column inches were duly achieved with their antics of placing a shuttlecock down their shorts, and their first album Fantastic reached #1.
Around this time, Ridgeley become conscious of legal problems with their initial contract at Innervision. He mounted a legal challenge against the record company and its founder Mark Dean, who had initially signed them to the label, and George publicly stated they were financially mistreated [citation needed]. While the legal battle raged (perhaps to raise much-needed funds for the fight), Innervision released a medley of non-single album tracks from Fantastic, entitled Club Fantastic Megamix. Wham! publicly denounced the move, and urged fans not to buy it. After all the legal wrangling, Innervision admitted there were royalty discrepancies with Wham!'s contract, leading to the bankruptcy and dissolution of Innervision.
Driven by Ridgeley, the duo changed their image, and Wham! returned in May 1984 with an updated, cutting-edge pop image quickly copied by other pop bands. Andrew changed the band's look from "moody in leather jackets" to smiles and fashionable clothing, with an aim to promote themselves more as sex symbols rather than spokespeople for a disaffected generation.
Fittingly enough, these changes propelled the next single (a pop standard) to the top of the charts around the world. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, a song Michael wrote from a note left to him in his hotel room one night by Ridgeley. The note was mistakenly written by Ridgeley as "don't forget to wake me up up before you go go, George". Since he accidentally wrote the word "up" twice, Ridgeley decided to compound the error and write "go" twice. It became their first UK #1 and rose to the top in the USA), capped by a memorable video of the duo, plus the ubiquitous Pepsi and Shirlie, wearing Katharine Hamnett T-shirts with the slogans CHOOSE LIFE and GO GO.
These t-shirts became essential fashion items as Hamnett wrote herself into the pop culture lexicon, having simultaneously designed the FRANKIE SAY t-shirts for Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
Although some critics felt that Wham! represented bubblegum pop[citation needed], many were starting to appreciate Michael's proven ability as a songwriter and capable vocalist. (The following year, he would win the Ivor Novello Award for songwriting.) However, at the same time they bemoaned the status of Ridgeley, who had started to "play" a guitar during live shows (never on any recordings) but whose overall contribution was deemed to be lightweight[citation needed].
With some bizarre contradiction, the next single "Careless Whisper" was issued as a George Michael solo piece, yet unlike any Wham! single since "Wham Rap!," it was co-written by Ridgeley. The song quickly reached #1. In the autumn of 1984, Wham! came back as a duo with "Freedom", another chart-topper. In November, they released their second album, Make It Big, which coasted to #1 on the album charts. The band set off on another arena tour at the end of '84, and George told Smash Hits magazine at the time that he had written a song called "Stephen." The song had been composed for a friend who was struggling to cope with bereavment. While this song is still unreleased, those that were at the recording sessions decsribe it as a heartfelt story of the loss of a loved one[citation needed].
George contributed to the Band Aid project, with Michael providing vocals as the song usurped their own Christmas release, "Last Christmas"/"Everything She Wants", the former of which featured a video set in a ski resort.
The single became the highest-selling single ever to peak at #2 in the UK charts. As such, Wham! donated all their royalties to the Ethiopian famine appeal to coincide with the fundraising intentions of Band Aid, the song which beat them to the top spot. Band Aid's success meant that Michael had been at #1 within three different entities in 1984—as a solo artist, half of a duo, and part of a charity ensemble.
Michael desired to create music targeted to a more sophisticated audience than the duo's primarily teenage fanbase. Therefore, Michael and Ridgeley announced the breakup of Wham! in the spring of 1986, destined to take place after a farewell single and album, along with a historic grand finale concert at Wembley Stadium on June 28, 1986, called The Final. British pop group Five Star declined George's invitation to be the supporting act, saying they needed to concentrate on their own career at the time.
Heartbeat
Wham! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A September morning with the sun and the smell of the clover
Down by the gate, we sit and we watch all our friends go by
And pretend we don't hear the bell that rings through the summer sky
I was happy with the kisses she gave me
It's just that happy was all she made me
Happy that was until I saw you
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you fail me now?
Oh, you hurt me, desert me in my darkest hour
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you keep me here?
How could I help but admire her beauty?
Standing on the line between desire and duty
Heartbeat, heartbeat, it will end in tears
I need a lover when love's such a dangerous place to be
Oh, if we were meant for each other
Then why won't you answer me?
Don't keep me waiting, you know that I long to be by your side
We could even be together tonight
I was happy with the kisses she gave me
But now there's nothing on earth could save me
Why should I care? I can't have you, oh
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you fail me now?
Oh, you hurt me, desert me in my darkest hour
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you keep me here?
How could I help but admire her beauty?
Standing on the line between desire and duty
Heartbeat, heartbeat, it will end in tears
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you fail me now?Oh, you hurt me, desert me in my darkest hour
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you keep me here?
How could I help but admire her beauty?
Standing on the line between desire and duty
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you fail me now?
You hurt me, desert me in my darkest hour
Heartbeat, heartbeat, why do you keep me here?
How could I help but admire her beauty?
Standing on the line between desire and duty
(Heartbeat, heartbeat)
The song "Heartbeat" by Wham! is about unrequited love and the pain that comes with it. The singer is in love with someone, but that person does not return his affection. Instead, the person he loves is with someone else, and he cannot have her. The singer reflects on his emotions and how his heart has led him astray, leaving him feeling hurt and abandoned.
The first verse describes the end of summer and the start of a new school year. The singer and his friend sit by the gate and watch other kids go by, but they try to ignore the sound of the bell that signals the start of the school day. The singer then remembers a kiss he had received, but his happiness has since faded because of his unrequited love for someone else.
In the chorus, the singer questions his heart and why it has failed him in his time of need. He is hurting and feels deserted, and wonders why his heart is keeping him tethered to this love that is not reciprocated. He acknowledges that he cannot help but admire the beauty of the person he loves, but he knows that it will ultimately end in tears.
Overall, "Heartbeat" is a poignant and relatable song about the pain of unrequited love.
Line by Line Meaning
Another summer
Just like every summer before, new memories will be created in this summer.
Another vacation is over
Summer vacation has come to an end, and it's time to face reality once again.
A September morning,
It's the start of a new day in September, a month which signifies a change in season.
With the sun and the smell of the clover
The morning breeze carries the fragrance of clover, and the sun is shining bright.
Down by the gate
They are sitting close to the gate, probably a place that holds some personal significance.
We sit and we watch all our friends go by
They are observing the people passing by and reminiscing the memories attached to them.
And pretend we don't hear the bell,
Trying to ignore the sound of the bell that rings to break the moments of leisure and pleasure.
That rings through the summer sky.
The bell is ringing across the town to signal the end of summer vacation.
I was happy with the kiss that she gave me,
The kiss given by his beloved made him happy for the moment.
It's just that happy was all she made me
The kiss was the only thing that made him happy, nothing else in their relationship did.
Happy that was
The happiness was a fleeting emotion, that has already passed.
Until I saw you
The moment he saw the other person, his happiness vanished.
Heart beat, heart beat,
The singer is addressing his own heartbeat here, which beats uncontrollably.
Why do you fail me now?
Why does his heart fail him now, when he needs to be emotionally stable?
You hurt me, desert me,
He feels pained and deserted by his own heart, which is not reciprocating his desire.
In my darkest hour
In his moment of desperation, his heart isn't supporting him, it's only causing him distress.
Why do you keep me here?
The artist is asking why his heart continues to beat even when he feels brokenhearted.
How could I help but admire her beauty?
The other person is someone he can't help but admire, even though it complicates his emotions.
Standing on the line between desire and duty
The singer is struggling between the passionate desire he feels for the person and the sense of duty he has.
Heartbeat, heartbeat
It will end in tears
The uncontrollable heartbeats, the emotional turbulence will end in tears as he can't help but chase a love that will hurt him.
I need a lover,
He needs someone who reciprocates his desire and won't leave him feeling empty.
But love's such a dangerous place to be
Love is a dangerous place to dwell in, as it can drive an individual to the brink of emotional collapse.
Oh, if we were meant for each other,
This implies that he and the other person are meant to be together, except they both don't seem to realize it.
Then why won't you answer me?
He wants to know why the other person isn't acknowledging their shared destiny.
Don't keep me waiting,
The singer implores the other person to stop keeping him in suspense so that they can take their relationship forward.
You know that I long to be by your side
He wants to be by the other person's side and is waiting for them to let him in.
We could even be together,
He lays his heart bare and asks the person to be with him, to be in a relationship that will give them happiness and completion.
Tonight
He doesn't want to wait any longer; he wants to be together with the other person tonight itself.
But now there's nothing on Earth to save me
The kiss from his beloved offered some happiness, but now he feels he can't be saved from emotional turmoil.
Why should I care?
The singer is at a point where he starts questioning the worthiness of his feelings; why should he care if the other person doesn't?
I can't have you
He has come to terms that he won't be able to have the other person, which causes him pain and heartache.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: George Michael
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lilspookie954
Another summer
Another vacation is over
A September morning,
With the sun and the smell of the clover
Down by the gate
We sit and we watch all our friends go by
And pretend we don't hear the bell,
That rings through the summer sky.
I was happy with the kiss that she gave me,
It's just that happy was all she made me
Happy that was
Until I saw you
Heart beat, heart beat,
Why do you fail me now?
You hurt me, desert me,
In my darkest hour
Heartbeat, heartbeat,
Why do you keep me here?
How could I help but admire her beauty?
Standing on the line between desire and duty
Heartbeat, heartbeat
It will end in tears
I need a lover,
But love's such a dangerous place to be
Oh, if we were meant for each other,
Then why won't you answer me?
Don't keep me waiting,
You know that I long to be by your side
We could even be together,
Tonight
I was happy with the kiss that she gave me
But now there's nothing on Earth to save me
Why should I care?
I can't have you
Heart beat, heart beat,
Why do you fail me now?
You hurt me, desert me,
In my darkest hour
Heartbeat, heartbeat,
Why do you keep me here?
How could I help but admire her beauty?
Standing on the line between desire and duty
Heartbeat, heartbeat
It will end in tears
@EstherMusic-yx3bd
I was E L E V E N when his voice crossed my soul.
THANKS for everything my angel.
Every life ends with its death.
That's the circle of nature.
All we have saved in our heart we will take with us at the end when we start into eternity. I have your sound, voice&lyrics AND the love for music.
MUSIC LIVES FOREVER
as you do.
✨
🕯️
I know you are on a good place where your soul found FREEDOM, peace and eternal LOVE 💖♾️💞
~THANKS 🙏 GM~
@DavidWhitley
im 55 can still sing this word for word, still gives me a great feeling, great song
@jpbookim
I don’t know why I think of October 2024 when I hear this, i remember in Miami when I was visiting I woke up at 6 in the morning and listened to this
@jeffkiesling8558
Good tune to wake up to 😊
@TheCaulfield1
This whole album takes me back to my youth!! We All Still Miss You George, God Bless You ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@brandyrodgers4329
So freaking true
@shanemillanes6290
I'm 18 I am 80s enthusiast, and I love this track on their album
@EleanorQuestionMark
I'm 19 and we're on the same boat :D
@ChicoTheMutant
I don't really like the first track although it was cool when I was in 3rd grade when this was new, Otherwise the album was solid. 😊
@ralphlazio505
Teenage memories; teenage moments, teenage wonders of what’s to come , teenage cravings, teenage longings... 35 years later, I can still feel it.
@Mykilll
50 years..and everytime i hear this song.....i go back to my teens .