They were about to release probably the world’s favourite Christmas hit (sorry Mariah…) only to see it kept off the top by… Well, we’ll save that for another time. Wham! won’t be back at the top in 1984, but under normal circumstances they would have been. Let’s not forget Andrew!) Over half of the year so far has seen either Frankie Goes to Hollywood or George Michael at #1. Three of the past five chart-toppers have been written and performed by George Michael. One wonders if using the song for this video was intentional: I don’t want your freedom… sung over images of communist China? They were the first Western act to play there since Mao’s rise to power, and they sold out stadiums despite nobody knowing who they were. The video for this one is interesting, taking the form of a travelogue from the duo’s tour of China in 1985 (it must have been made several months after the song was a hit). I dont want your freedom I dont want to play around I dont want nobodys baby Part - time love just brings me down I dont need your freedom Girl all I want right now is you But you know that Ill forgive you Just this once, twice, forever Cause baby You could drag me to hell and back Just as long as were together And you do I dont want. (There are even seven-minute long mixes of ‘Freedom’, which is definite overkill.) It’s not fair to compare – each song should be taken on its individual merits yadda yadda yadda – but WMUBYG-G was shorter, and even sweeter for it. The ‘solo’, where the boys adlib over that deliberate beat feels like they were killing time for some unknown reason. It is also a bit too long: five minutes even with an edit. George’s girl is treating him properly bad, like a prisoner who has his own key, not just sneaking off to the dancing without him. And the lyrics here are (slightly) darker than before. Yes, Wham were teeny-boppers, but they proved that being a teeny-bop act needn’t mean being second rate. It’s not as instant as WMUBYG-G (what an ugly acronym) but then I did rather excitedly claim that as the catchiest song ever! It’s still a great slice of pop, though. I don’t want your freedom… It follows the beat too much, and gets a little slowed down by it. The verses, and the bridges – ending in that and you do-o-o… – are so strong that the chorus, when it comes, feels a little pedestrian. were many in his fan base who didnt want him to progress and change his. I don’t know if it’s because ‘Freedom’ sounds like something, or if something released since has sounded like ‘Freedom’, or if it’s just such good pop that it sounds timeless. Featured peformers: George Michael (vocals, producer, arranger, songwriter). It’s wonderfully retro, a tribute to Motown and sixties vocal groups and the perfect follow-up to ‘Wake Me Up…’, which was pitched half a decade earlier, towards the days of doo-wop.Įvery day I hear a different story, People say you’re no good for me… The chord progression in the verses sounds so familiar. And if that sounded like a subtle dig, then I didn’t mean it to. Like the duo’s first #1, ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’, it’s another backwards facing hit. Freedom, by Wham! (their 2 nd of five #1s)ģ weeks, from 14 th October – 4 th November 1984
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