“Last Christmas” is a holiday classic that has been enjoyed by millions around the world since it was first released by British pop duo Wham! in 1984. The song was written by George Michael, one of the duo’s members, and has become a staple of holiday music playlists everywhere. Over the years, “Last Christmas” has been covered by many artists and has appeared in many films and TV shows. This is a reminder that while the holidays are often a time of joy and celebration, they can also be a time of reflection and melancholy, especially for those who have experienced loss or grief.

The history of creation and the meaning of the song Last Christmas

About the history of the legendary song of the band Wham! not much is known. As George Michael recalled, the idea to write it came when he and Andrew Ridgeley were watching football on TV at his parents’ house. At the conclusion of the match, he spent the whole night composing words and music. In the morning the final version of Last Christmas was ready and George presented it to Andrew.

Last Christmas is performed on behalf of a guy who continues to be tormented by unrequited love for the girl who left him. Instead of Christmas in the chorus, the author could well have mentioned any other holiday: New Year, Easter or Thanksgiving. The meaning of the song Last Christmas would not have changed from this, although the popularity of the composition would certainly have suffered.

The meaning of the song «Last Christmas» by Wham

The song starts immediately with a chorus. It is about how last Christmas the guy confessed his love, but the girl rejected him, breaking his heart. So now he will be more selective and will only give love to someone very special.

Once bitten and twice shy – (idiom) having been burned in milk, you will blow on the water and
catch someone’s eye – attract the eye
recognize – find out.

After such a categorical chorus, the soloists of the Wham! tell us the whole story.

After breaking up, the guy could not just forget his love – he keeps his distance, but she still attracts him. And still doesn’t pay attention.

Last Christmas he said “I love you” and now he regrets what a fool he was. And if they succeed again, he understands that she will deceive him again.

The naive lover hoped so much that she would become the one to rely on. But she remained indifferent to him, and he was just a shoulder for her to cry on.

And yet he managed to find his love, which means that she will no longer be able to fool him!

This song is about a young man who was rejected by the girl he was in love with. He tries to forget her, but he can’t. A year later, at Christmas, he still finds a new love and gets rid of thoughts about the past.

“Last Christmas” is a song about heartbreak and the pain of lost love. It was inspired by a breakup that George Michael, the songwriter and producer of the song, went through last year. The song’s lyrics express the sadness and frustration of being alone during the holiday season, a time often associated with joy and togetherness. Despite its melancholy theme, the song has an upbeat melody and has become a fan favorite thanks to its catchy chorus and infectious instrumental performance. Overall, the song serves as a reminder that the holidays can be a difficult time for those who have experienced loss or heartbreak, and that it’s important to reach out to loved ones and find ways to find joy and comfort during this time. In an interview with The Guardian, he explained that this song was a way for him to express his feelings of grief and disappointment during the holiday season.

“Last Christmas” has become a holiday classic and is widely known and loved by people all over the world. The song was written and produced by George Michael, who was only 22 years old at the time. It was released on December 3, 1984 and quickly gained popularity, reaching the top of the charts in several countries including the UK, Germany and Sweden.

The song was originally recorded by the British pop duo Wham!, which included George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. It was released as a single and later included on their 1986 album Music from the Edge of Heaven. Despite its melancholy theme, the song has a catchy, upbeat melody and has become a fan favorite for its catchy chorus and infectious instrumental performance.

Over the years, “Last Christmas” has been covered by many artists including Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Coldplay. It has also been featured in many films and TV shows including Love Actually and Glee. The song has a bittersweet theme as it was inspired by a breakup that George Michael went through last year. Ariana Grande covered “Last Christmas” as part of her Christmas Kisses EP released in 2013.

Her version of the song is a slow-motion version of the classic holiday tune with R&B influences. Grande’s vocals are soft and soulful, and she adds a few of her signature high notes to the song’s chorus. The production is sparse and restrained, with simple piano accompaniment and some subtle electronic beats. Grande’s version of “Last Christmas” is a fresh and modern take on a classic holiday tune, and her emotive vocals bring new depth of feeling to the song’s bittersweet lyrics.

In the United Kingdom, “Last Christmas” is the second best-selling single of all time, behind only Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997”. It has sold over 1.9 million copies in the United Kingdom alone, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.

The music video for “Last Christmas” was filmed in the Swiss Alps and features Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley skiing and playing in the snow. The video was directed by Paul Weiland and was released in 1984, shortly after the song was released as a single.

In the video, Michael and Ridgeley can be seen skiing down the mountain and playing in the snow as Michael sings the song’s melancholy lyrics. The video also features scenes of Michael walking through a snowy forest and driving a car through a snowy landscape.

Interesting Facts

• The track Last Christmas became the best-selling single in the UK that did not rise to number one on the chart.
• Last Christmas (December 25, 2013) Last Christmas became the most downloaded song on Spotify in the UK.
• Shortly after the release of the song, George Michael was sued by Dick James Music. He was accused of plagiarism, pointing out the similarities between Last Christmas and Can’t Smile Without You by The Carpenters. Michael paid compensation, the amount of which was negotiated out of court.
• The proceeds from the sale of the Last Christmas single, duo Wham! added to the amount that Band Aid earned from the song Do They Know It’s Christmas?. They also went to the famine fund from Ethiopia.

 Last Christmas, written by George Michael, conquered the British charts for the first time in 36 years

In early January 2021, the famous song Last Christmas by British duo Wham!, written by George Michael in 1985, topped the UK music chart for the first time.

Previously, this composition, despite all its popularity, has never been a leader in this chart. To achieve such a result, it took her 36 years, which is an absolute record for the duration of the release of the song in the hit parade.

It should be noted that although the song mentions Christmas, only the name makes it related to the holiday itself, but every year at the end of December, a rare radio station does not put the track on the air, and some performer will definitely record a new cover. Today we tell the story of the creation of the song Last Christmas.

Not much is known about the history of the creation of Last Christmas. As George Michael recalled, the idea to write it came when he and Andrew Ridgeley were watching football on TV at his parents’ house. At the conclusion of the match, he spent the whole night composing words and music. In the morning the final version of Last Christmas was ready and George presented it to Andrew.

Last Christmas is performed on behalf of a guy who continues to be tormented by unrequited love for the girl who left him. Instead of Christmas in the chorus, the author could well have mentioned any other holiday: New Year, Easter or Thanksgiving. The meaning of the song Last Christmas would not have changed from this, although the popularity of the composition would certainly have suffered.

In December 1984, Last Christmas was released as a single from the album Music from the Edge of Heaven by Wham!. On the UK Singles Chart, it ended up at number two, failing to beat Do They Know It’s Christmas?, a track recorded by Band Aid for the famine-stricken in Ethiopia. However, the proceeds from the sale of the Last Christmas single, Wham! added to the amount that Band Aid earned from the song Do They Know It’s Christmas?.

The song also did not hit the Billboard Hot 100, because it was released only as a promotional single.

Shortly after the release of the song, George Michael was sued by Dick James Music. He was accused of plagiarism, pointing out the similarities between Last Christmas and Can’t Smile Without You by The Carpenters. Michael paid compensation, the amount of which was negotiated out of court.

But despite all this, Last Christmas sold out in huge numbers in many countries of the world. She is still very popular and often appears in the charts on New Year’s holidays.

Nearly five hundred covers were recorded on Last Christmas. Among the performers of the composition were Billy Piper, Ashley Tisdale, Crazy Frog, Cascada, Alcazar, Access, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay and Max Raabe.

In 2019, after the death of George Michael, a new video clip Last Christams – Wham was released in 4k resolution.