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.
Young Gguns Go For It
Wham! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(What the hell's got into you?)
Hey sucker
(Now there's nothing you can do)
Well I hadn't seen your face around town awhile,
So I greeted you, with a knowing smile,
When I saw that girl upon your arm,
I said "Soul Boy, let's hit the town!"
I said "Soul Boy, what's with the frown?"
But in return, all you could say was
"Hi George, meet my fiancee"
[Chorus]
Young Guns,
Having some fun
Crazy ladies keep 'em on the run.
Wise guys realize there's danger in emotional ties.
See me, single and free
No tears, no fears, what I want to be.
One, two, take a look at you
Death by matrimony!
Hey sucker,
(What the hell's got into you?)
Hey sucker!
(Now there's nothing you can do.)
A married man? you're out of your head
Sleepless nights, on an H.P. bed
A daddy by the time you're twenty-one
If your happy with a nappy then you're in for fun.
But you're here
And you're there
Well there's guys like you just everywhere
Looking back on the good old days?
Well this young gun says caution pays!
[Chorus]
Young Guns,
Having some fun
Crazy ladies keep 'em on the run.
Wise guys realize there's danger in emotional ties.
See me, single and free
No tears, no fears, what I want to be.
One, two, take a look at you
Death by matrimony!
I remember when he such fun and everything was fine,
I remember when we use to have a good time,
Partners in crime.
Tell me that's all in the past and I will gladly walk away,
Tell me that you're happy now,
Turning my back-
Nothing to say!
"Hey tell this jerk to take a hike,
There's somethin' 'bout that boy I don't like"
"Well sugar he don't mean the things he said"
"Just get him outta my way, 'cause I'm seeing red
We got plans to make, we got things to buy
And you're wasting time on some creepy guy"
"Hey shut up chick, that's a friend of mine,
Just watch your mouth babe, you're out of line"
Ooh!
Get back
Hands off
Go for it!
Get back
Hands off
Go for it!
[Chorus]
The song "Young Guns Go For It" talks about a friend who has recently become engaged and how the singer thinks it's a bad idea. The singer is happy being single and free and thinks marriage at a young age can cause nothing but problems. He warns his friend how being tied down in marriage so young with kids on the way could be a dangerous thing, tying you down for good. The chorus doles out advice to young men to remain single and free, rather than be weighed down in the ties of matrimony. The singer warns that his friend is making a grave mistake by settling down so young.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey sucker
The singer addresses someone with disbelief.
(What the hell's got into you?)
The singer questions the actions of the person.
Hey sucker
The singer addresses someone with disbelief.
(Now there's nothing you can do)
The singer implies that the person is in a bad situation.
Well I hadn't seen your face around town awhile,
The singer indicates that the person has been gone for a while.
So I greeted you, with a knowing smile,
The singer acknowledges the person's return.
When I saw that girl upon your arm,
The singer notices the person's new girlfriend.
I knew she won your heart with a fatal charm.
The singer suggests that the person is in a doomed relationship.
I said "Soul Boy, let's hit the town!"
The singer invites the person to go out with them.
I said "Soul Boy, what's with the frown?"
The singer questions the person's sour expression.
But in return, all you could say was
The singer reveals the person's unresponsive answer.
"Hi George, meet my fiancee"
The person introduces their fiancée to the singer.
[Chorus]
The singer begins the chorus to the song.
Young Guns,
The singer refers to young, single people.
Having some fun
The singer suggests that they are enjoying themselves.
Crazy ladies keep 'em on the run.
The singer suggests that single men are pursued by crazy women.
Wise guys realize there's danger in emotional ties.
The singer suggests that people who are aware understand that relationships can be dangerous.
See me, single and free
The singer describes themselves as single and free.
No tears, no fears, what I want to be.
The singer expresses that they do not have any concerns about being single.
One, two, take a look at you
The singer addresses the listener.
Death by matrimony!
The singer suggests marrying someone can end in disaster.
A married man? you're out of your head
The singer thinks the person is crazy for getting married.
Sleepless nights, on an H.P. bed
The singer implies that the person will have a difficult and uncomfortable life in marriage.
A daddy by the time you're twenty-one
The singer suggests that the person will have children early in life.
If your happy with a nappy then you're in for fun.
The singer implies that changing baby diapers can be difficult.
But you're here
The singer acknowledges the presence of the person.
And you're there
The singer acknowledges the absence of the person in their former life.
Well there's guys like you just everywhere
The singer suggests that there are many like the person.
Looking back on the good old days?
The singer asks if the person is nostalgic for previous moments.
Well this young gun says caution pays!
The singer suggests that being careful is important.
[Chorus]
The singer begins the chorus to the song.
I remember when he such fun and everything was fine,
The singer recalls a time when things were good.
I remember when we use to have a good time,
The singer recalls when they spent time together.
Partners in crime.
The singer describes the closeness between them.
Tell me that's all in the past and I will gladly walk away,
The singer suggests that they will move on if the person has changed.
Tell me that you're happy now,
The singer asks if the person is truly happy.
Turning my back-
The singer implies that they might leave.
Nothing to say!
The singer indicates that they are not interested in prolonging the conversation.
"Hey tell this jerk to take a hike,
Someone speaks rudely of the singer.
There's somethin' 'bout that boy I don't like"
The person expresses disdain for the singer.
"Well sugar he don't mean the things he said"
Someone defends the singer's words and intent.
"Just get him outta my way, 'cause I'm seeing red
The person wants the singer out of their sight.
We got plans to make, we got things to buy
The person suggests that they have important things to do.
And you're wasting time on some creepy guy"
The person dismisses the singer as unimportant.
"Hey shut up chick, that's a friend of mine,
The singer's friend defends them.
Just watch your mouth babe, you're out of line"
The friend reprimands the person for speaking disrespectfully.
Ooh!
The singer interjects with a sound of satisfaction or excitement.
Get back
The singer asserts control or authority.
Hands off
The singer suggests that the person should not touch them.
Go for it!
The singer encourages others to pursue what they want.
[Chorus]
The singer begins the chorus to the song.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GEORGE MICHAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alexanderthegreat3
I won't say: Rest In Peace... I wanna say: thanks a bunch, George , for giving me the best soundtracks of my 80's
@MaryJane-ru9eb
Hey r u a Greek fellow or something
@glenshea1967
Mary Jane. You don't have to be Greek to enjoy George's music
@sanatani_girl01
This got me emotional :')
@sharonmaguire9617
Love George Michael he was one in a million
@marykoufalis7666
@Mary Jane indeed he is and I am Greek as well.
@rebeccanaomi1488
I'm 15 and my parents are massive 80's fans, I've grown up listening to wham, culture club etc. I love whams music and I'm so thankful for the joy it's given me. It just shows what a talent George Michael was that 30 years later this song still makes me get up and dance.
@partypoison5135
youd be 20 now!! do u still listen to them?
@Doves96
21 Now :) Still loving the wham?
@brenraz
Wham bham 👍🫰🥂