Released on 5 November 1984, "Make It Big" was the second studio album by English pop duo Wham!, under more control over the production, this would give the chance to George Michael to colaborate and participate on the production, actually he was credited as a producer too, the album was the hiatus for the duo, hitting the number 1 on both sides the UK and United States spawning four singles " "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Careless Whisper", "Freedom" & "Everything She Want" also the christmas single "Last Christmas".
Not only causing a stir in the charts but in fashion too, the shirts the duo wore in the video for the single "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" that read "Choose Life" became a fashionable statement, and this would be the first of many hit singles for the duo, "Careless Whisper" was a massive power ballad too, for "Freedom" the duo performed a concer in China being the first Western pop act to performed there, and finally "Everything She Wants" was released as a double A-side with "Last Christmas" that year too.
Writtend and recorded in Southern France over a course of six weeks, allowing the duo to escape from press attention, and also due to tax reasons, the duo achieved meteoric success with their infectious pop anthems and youthful appeal, something that their second album Make It Big truly cemented.
Marking a significant departure from their earlier work, granting the band greater creative autonomy, under the guidance of Michael's producing prowess, showcasing his songwriting talent, which had initially been overshadowed by the band's commercial success, while only two tracks were not solely written by Michael (The Isley Brothers’ “If You Were There” and the legendary “Careless Whisper” by Michael & Ridgeley), the remaining six songs were solely composed by the singer, demonstrating his exceptional ability to craft some of pop music’s most profound and enduring melodies. Michael's songwriting savvy, often overlooked during the band's peak popularity, would ultimately become a defining characteristic of his solo career.
The album was composed with only eight tracks, remember it was the pre-CD era back then so practically vinyl only allowed this, so the big difference between "Fantastic" was that this helped to established their career and this insted solidified their status as a global and massive superstars. The album's lead single “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” became an instant cultural phenomenon, its infectious melody resonating with audiences worldwide, a moment in pop culture history that would forever help shape the 1980s pop movement, characterized by its distinctive style, sound, and visual appeal, all things that were significantly influenced by MTV of course that was at their peaked.
Another interesting thing was, that Wham relied on soul, motown, and funk instead to turned into synthesizers, also the clever use of harmonies with soulful brass helped the duo the set apart from the other groups of their era, without losing the pop appeal, the album's remaining singles—"Everything She Wants," "Freedom" and "Careless Whisper"— finished to solidified Wham!'s reputation for creating pop classics, just like "Everything She Wants" which is a poignant exploration of unrequited love and longing, on "Freedom" the sound is more upbeat and celebratory, but it also carries a deeper meaning. It is a call for personal liberation, both from societal constraints and from the confines of a romantic relationship, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” is perhaps the most iconic and enduring song in Wham!'s repertoire and of the 1980s., a slow-burning ballad with a haunting saxophone melody, the song explores themes of infidelity and betrayal. Michael's soulful vocals are put to full use and convey a sense of regret and longing, while the lyrics offer a glimpse into the complexities of not just human relationships, but also Michael’s inner struggles with love and loss, the song’s emotional intensity and chorus have solidified its place in the pop music canon.
But the album had another hidden tracks/gems too, the charming and melodic "Heartbeat" and "Credit Card Baby" as well, unfortunately these two pale in contrast with the other four massive singles, although "Hearbeat" was used as a promo single in several countries peaking well on local charts, don't forget that "Last Christmas" arrived late between November/December that year and became another instant hit single arriving on time to cement the band's enduring legacy as a timeless masterpiece that helped to introduce George Michael solo career.
The album was a massive success, the critics were fairly positive, although some critics considered a flawless pop record, forgetting the album really nailed it, spawning four hit singles and boosted the sales, helping Wham! to succeed in a global scale.
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