George Michael, Wham! and the history of the hit

For Andrew Ridgeley, “Last Christmas” is as inevitable as the holidays are for you.

The Wham! Star is video-calling from central London, where “the pedicabs play it, so it’s a constant reminder,” he says, both amused and proud, pausing to listen again. “And that’s Mariah.” (Laughs.)

George Michael and Ridgeley’s relentlessly cheerful Christmas classic is celebrating its 40th anniversary (and a second year at No. 1 in the UK Christmas charts) with an anniversary EP and accompanying documentary, Wham! “Last Christmas Unwrapped” (streaming now on Netflix).

The latter is packed with fan service: the cast of the oh-so ’80s music video have a bittersweet reunion in Switzerland, where they vividly remember Michael, who died on Christmas Day 2016. Equally exciting for the faithful will be the photographic evidence of George and Andrew singing Christmas carols in disguise.

Ridgeley, 61, spoke to USA TODAY about what he thinks of Whamageddon, the song’s connection to “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and the backstory behind this ruthlessly redesigned rhinestone brooch.

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(Edited and condensed for clarity.)

Question: George wanted “Last Christmas” to be Wham!’s fourth No. 1 hit in 1984. becomes. But did he intend to write a Christmas classic? Or did he even believe that?

Answer: It was an ambition. He conceived the melody and realized it would make a brilliant Christmas song. As our success grew throughout 1984, he wanted the icing on the cake. Christmas #1 was a big deal for us growing up in the 70s. They seemed to be reserved for the elite artists of the time. I think Yog (Michael’s nickname) felt it would add status and elevate the brand.

Lyrically it is a very sad and contradictory song. What inspired this theme of sadness?

Actually, I never asked him. It was such a brilliant juxtaposition of the sadness and lament of love betrayed with a truly uplifting, light and pretty melody. I don’t think it was a result of a personal experience. I think he recognized that the themes of Christmas are poignant. I have no doubt that he intended to.

Was Whamageddon a thing during George’s lifetime? I’m sure he was aware that the song polarized some people. Did that bother him? Or did it make him feel like he had succeeded in writing something that people were so passionate about?

(Laughs.) Wham! polarized opinions from the start, so we were used to it. Overall, we seemed to attract more positive things than negative things. It certainly wasn’t a motivating part of writing the song. I don’t get Whamageddon (a viral challenge to avoid the song for as long as possible during the holidays) for the life of me, it’s not a game you have much control or will over. I don’t think he would have known about it.

Do you enjoy listening to “Last Christmas”?

It’s not a song that I’ve become bored with. I don’t listen to it very often from start to finish, although I have listened to it a lot this year. The vocals are so beautifully sung, such a beautiful melody, as a melody it is so attractive. And certainly the song itself is very well constructed. I can appreciate it in all its virtues, and they are quite considerable.

I’m excited about the new attention the video is getting. It’s just wonderful, there’s some very tragic hair in there.

The text is very visual, very cinematic. It’s idyllic to spend Christmas with friends in the mountains. People could see the real affection between us (in the video) who are friends. And it’s incredibly charming. I think most of our fans would have preferred to sit at this table.

How did you come to connect the love triangle with the brooch?

My grandmother had given it to my mother and my mother rarely wore it because it was old-fashioned. I had actually worn it for some promotional photos and it seemed like a nice picture. Andy (Morahan, the director of the music video) realized that it would be a very good example of the expression of love.

Do you still have the brooch?

The brooch did not survive the years of manipulation, the putting on and taking off of jackets. In the end it fell apart. All the stones, all the glass fell out. It came to a rather sad end. But I think we could recreate it for people one day. I had this conversation with our Wham! World design people and I think we can reproduce it.

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George Michael, Wham! and the history of the hit

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