Make It Big

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Make It Big
Studio album by Wham!
Released 23 October 1984
Recorded July–September 1984
Genre New Wave, synthpop, post-disco, blue-eyed soul
Length 38:02
Label Columbia
CK-39595
Producer George Michael
Wham! chronology
Fantastic
(1983)
Make It Big
(1984)
Music from the Edge of Heaven
(1986)
Singles from Make It Big
  1. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
    Released: May 1984
  2. "Careless Whisper"
    Released: July 1984
  3. "Freedom"
    Released: August 1984
  4. "Everything She Wants"
    Released: December 1984
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars....[1]
Robert Christgau (B)[2]
Rolling Stone 4/5 stars....[3]

Make It Big is the second album from British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984. The album was a critical and commercial success, hitting #1 in both the UK and the USA and spawning four singles, all topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

"Careless Whisper" was credited as a George Michael solo effort upon its release as a single, while "Everything She Wants" was released as a double A-side with "Last Christmas" which would later appear on the following album Music from the Edge of Heaven.

It was certified 6x Platinum in the U.S.A. within weeks of the album's tenth anniversary.[4]

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by George Michael, unless noted otherwise.

[edit] CD

No. Title Length
1. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"   3:50
2. "Everything She Wants"   5:01
3. "Heartbeat"   4:42
4. "Like a Baby"   4:12
5. "Freedom"   5:20
6. "If You Were There" (The Isley Brothers) 3:38
7. "Credit Card Baby"   5:08
8. "Careless Whisper" (Michael, Andrew Ridgeley) 6:30
Total length:
38:02

[edit] Cassette/LP

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"   3:50
2. "Everything She Wants"   5:01
3. "Heartbeat"   4:42
4. "Like a Baby"   4:12
Total length:
17:45
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "Freedom"   5:01
2. "If You Were There" (The Isley Brothers) 3:38
3. "Credit Card Baby"   5:08
4. "Careless Whisper" (Michael, Andrew Ridgeley) 6:30
Total length:
20:17

[edit] Chart positions

[edit] Album

Chart (1984) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart 1
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Billboard 200 1
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 20
Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart 1

[edit] Singles

  • "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", #1 U.S.; #1 UK
  • "Careless Whisper", #1 U.S.; #1 UK
  • "Everything She Wants", #1 U.S.; #2 UK
  • "Freedom", #3 U.S.; #1 UK

[edit] Certifications

Organization Level Date
RIAA – USA Gold 26 December 1984
Platinum 28 December 1984
Triple Platinum 8 July 1985
4× Platinum 23 December 1985
5× Platinum 22 August 1990
6× Platinum 7 October 1994

[edit] Personnel

  • Lead vocals: George Michael
  • Additional vocals: George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley
  • Acoustic Guitar: Hugh Burns and Andrew Ridgeley
  • Bass Guitar: Deon Estus
  • Drums: Trevor Morrell
  • Electric Guitar: Hugh Burns and Andrew Ridgeley
  • Keyboards: Tommy Eyre, George Michael and Andy Richards
  • Saxophone: David Baptiste and Steve Gregory
  • Trumpet: Colin Graham and Paul Spong
  • Arranger: George Michael
  • Assistant Engineer: Paul Gomersall
  • Engineer: Chris Porter
  • Photography: Tony McGee
  • Producer: George Michael

[edit] References

Preceded by
Like a Virgin by Madonna
Billboard 200 number-one album
2 March 1985 – 16 March 1985
Succeeded by
Centerfield by John Fogerty
Preceded by
Welcome to the Pleasuredome by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
UK number one album
17 November 1984 – 30 November 1984
Succeeded by
Hits 1 by Various Artists
Preceded by
Choose 1985
by Various artists
Australian Kent Music Report number-one album
4 February – 17 February 1985
Succeeded by
1985 Comes Alive
by Various artists
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