The only version of “Last Christmas” that matters is the version by Wham! I despise any other version of “Last Christmas”. There. I said it.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, “Last Christmas” was written and produced by George Michael. It started as an idea in 1983 when Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were visiting Michael’s parents. Michael wrote it in his childhood bedroom.
Although it’s a song with a happy melody and sad lyrics, the song is a Christmas classic and any time I hear it on the radio, I always turn it up. It once again reminds me that some of the best damn music we ever had was released in 1984. Add in the fact that at that time Wham! was one of my favorite groups and anyone can understand why I love this song so much. May the memory of George Michael live forever.
One of the reasons why I love this song is that it was a big part of my teen-hood. Oh. My. Goodness. A Christmas song in 1984 with some of the biggest British musicians at the time behind it? For charity? Sign me up! Once I bought the 45 single, I was listening to it night and day!
This song, forty years old this year (just celebrated the recording anniversary on November 25), was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. Being a teen at the time and not being British, I did not know who Bob Geldof or Midge Ure were. But with the many music books I had at the time, I soon found out they were from Boomtown Rats (hey I actually like “I Don’t Like Mondays”) and Ultravox.
The inspiration for the song came after Geldof saw a BBC report regarding the famine in Ethiopia. He then contacted Ure and between the two, used their British musical powers to round up the talent that would put this song on the map.
The six main singers were probably the biggest names in British music at the time:
Paul Young – would go on to win a Brit Award for Best British Male in 1985
Boy George – lead singer of Culture Club, one of the hottest musical acts at the time
George Michael – lead singer/songwriter of the musical duo Wham!, one of the hottest musical acts at the time and would go on to become a phenomenal solo artist as well. George forever.
Simon LeBon – lead singer of the musical group Duran Duran, one of the hottest musical acts at the time and my favorite group at that time
Sting – lead singer of the musical group The Police, one of the hottest musical acts at the time
Bono – lead singer of U2, one of the hottest musical acts at the time
Combined with other top British acts at the time (Bananarama, Status Quo, Spandau Ballet, Genesis/Phil Collins, etc), you had a who’s-who of British music going on.
Phil Collins played drums. John Taylor from Duran Duran played bass. Even members from the U.S. group Kool and the Gang were there.
At the time the song sold over 2 million copies around the world and raised more than $24 million to support the people of Ethiopia.
Although there may be some controversy over funds raised and money used, you’d be missing the point of the song if that was all you took into consideration. It is one of my favorites and I do believe they should stop re-recording different versions for different reasons and anniversaries. Leave it right where it should be—in 1984.
Some fun facts about the song: on Christmas Eve 1984 at 3:00 p.m., at least in my area, the song was simultaneously played on all radio stations.
Another fun fact: Boy George almost missed out on recording his part because Geldof couldn’t reach him in New York. He finally did reach him and was ordered to get his ass on the next Concorde to London. He was the last vocal recorded that day.
When I hear the name Judy Garland, two songs come to mind: “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Many versions of both songs have been done but none supersede Judy’s versions. Especially “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.
This song was written in 1943 by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane for the 1944 musical film “Meet Me in St. Louis”, which of course stars Judy Garland. There’s a scene in the film where the family is getting ready to move to New York from St. Louis and Esther, Judy’s character, sings the song to her distraught sister Tootie, played by Margaret O’Brien to brighten her spirits.
AFI ranks it at number 76 out of 100 top songs in North American cinema.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad version of this song but Judy’s is special because it’s the only one that has made me cry. Maybe it’s because I recall the scene from the film when I hear it and how sad that seems to me or maybe it’s just the song itself.
What can be said about “White Christmas” that hasn’t already been said? It’s one of the most iconic Christmas songs, with the Bing Crosby version being the best-selling single (in terms of sales of physical media) with estimated sales in excess of 50 million physical copies worldwide.[3] When the figures for other versions of the song are added to Crosby’s, sales of the song exceed 100 million. (per Wikipedia).
Here I’m going to talk about Crosby’s version because, although countless others have covered the song, in my opinion, his version is the only one that matters.
It’s not clear on where or when Irving Berlin wrote the song but the Jewish immigrant wrote it for the 1942 Bing Crosby film “Holiday Inn”. It went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song would also go on to be synonymous with the other Crosby Christmas film classic “White Christmas”.
In 1974 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and per Wikipedia the recording was broadcast on Armed Forces Radio on April 30, 1975, as a secret, pre-arranged signal precipitating the U.S. evacuation from Saigon.
The reason this song is included in my top 25 is because it’s iconic. I find the lyrics very picturesque and sentimental and I enjoy both films the song is featured in. It would be wrong for me to NOT include it on this list. If it weren’t for one other song that hits me harder, this song would be my number one. But it isn’t and I felt where I put it on my list was a good number for it.
Although this song may not be considered a “traditional” Christmas song, I still feel it IS a Christmas song because it does mention Christmas Eve. I consider it one of my faves because of its bittersweet story. The story just so happens to be true.
Singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg wrote this and it was released as a single in 1980. It tells the story of a man who runs into his old flame at a grocery store on Christmas Eve and they reminisce about old times over a few beers in her car.
As the story goes, in 1975 Fogelberg had returned home to Peoria, IL to visit family at Christmas. While there he went to a store and ran into his old high school girlfriend Jill Anderson. The two did sit in her car and split a six pack while chatting for two hours.
Imagine Jill’s surprise five years later when she hears “Same Old Lang Syne” on the radio at Christmas. She has said in interviews that she is so glad to have known Dan Fogelberg.
My favorite line from the song is
“She said she saw me in the record stores And that I must be doing well I said, “The audience was heavenly But the traveling was hell”
Which is something I’m sure more than one musician has felt over time.
If anything I feel this song doesn’t get nearly it’s due at Christmas. It really isn’t played as often as it should be.
michellemchatton.com 
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