Waiting For That Rate- The George Michael/Wham! Singles Discography Rate- The Winner Is....

[marie_05]

Last Christmas is easily my all-time favourite Christmas song and in some ways the biggest classic in the entire rate. I’m still not sick of it! Even if all of his other hits somehow end up fading into oblivion, at least Last Christmas will always guarantee him (and Andrew!) maximum exposure for a month every year, hopefully until the end of time. George may have died, but Last Christmas is immortal.

I’m still glad it didn’t win, though.

Outside lives to fight another day! I bet it didn’t pick up any low scores because no one saw it as a threat.

My unpopular George Michael opinion is that Father Figure needs to go. Just checked the results of the 2011 rate again and it actually won? It’s still a good song, but for me it has aged the worst out of everything that’s left.

 

[Blaahh]

So do I... I have pulled out the nearest 11 CDs I can think of withLastChristmas on and my OCD is running wild! I guess if there is ever a Wham! SDE, then we could have more than I thought.

So i have;

4.25 version which is the one we all know
4.46 version on the US compilation, sure it is the demo
https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Essential-Now-Thats-What-I-Call-Christmas/release/10067653
6.40 to 6.47 Pudding Mix, longest on The Final or Music From The Edge Of Heaven

 

[phoenix123]

So i have;

4.25 version which is the one we all know
4.46 version on the US compilation, sure it is the demo
https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Essential-Now-Thats-What-I-Call-Christmas/release/10067653
6.40 to 6.47 Pudding Mix, longest on The Final or Music From The Edge Of Heaven

I have these but I’m not sure the alternative version on the NOW album is the same as the original 1984 version posted in this thread?

 

[paullypaul]

So i have;

4.25 version which is the one we all know
4.46 version on the US compilation, sure it is the demo
https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Essential-Now-Thats-What-I-Call-Christmas/release/10067653
6.40 to 6.47 Pudding Mix, longest on The Final or Music From The Edge Of Heaven

omg.. a demo as well?!! Nooooooooo! Do you mind me asking what the key differences are?

turns out I’ve only got the 85 version plus the pudding mix. Are the 2 x 84 versions easily attainable? (Even as a download)?

 

[marie_05]

I forgot to say that George dying on Christmas Day adds a whole new bittersweet layer to the song. Crazy to think that he was still with us the last time we rated his output.
Does it make sense that it feels like George never got the massive outpouring of love Prince and Bowie got after they died? The general response seemed a bit lukewarm, it must have something to do with “credibility”? A lot of people still thought it was not cool to admit to liking his music and I don’t think the “””serious music lovers””” ever fully got on board? A friend of mine (who is a huge Bowie fan) always says that she loved George before she got taste.

 

[Ray]

My unpopular George Michael opinion is that Father Figure needs to go.

Agreed.

The top 7 consists of songs that I see as classics, songs like 'Father Figure' that make me roll my eyes and sigh 'well of COURSE it would be there', and a WTF ('Outside'). At this point I won't even pretend I have any idea re: the order of further eliminations, except knowing that 'Fastlove' will win.

 

[gezza76]

So i have;

4.25 version which is the one we all know
4.46 version on the US compilation, sure it is the demo
https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Essential-Now-Thats-What-I-Call-Christmas/release/10067653
6.40 to 6.47 Pudding Mix, longest on The Final or Music From The Edge Of Heaven

Without hearing it I can't comment but i'd be amazed if it was a demo- probably one of the two original 84 edits (which sound like a demo in places in my opinion).

The easiest way to tell which mix is that the UK 7" mix (84) doesn't contain the verse "I thought you were here to stay" whilst the alternate mix does where it replaces the standard second verse "Crowded room, friends with tired eyes"- I think.



Jesus- what did I start?

 

[paullypaul]

Jesus- what did I start?

haha! Too late for regrets, you’ve opened pandora’s (precious) box now :)

 

[letuinmybackdoor]

My unpopular George Michael opinion is that Father Figure needs to go. Just checked the results of the 2011 rate again and it actually won? It’s still a good song, but for me it has aged the worst out of everything that’s left.

No.

 

[Ray]

Y'all need to get a room separate 'Last Christmas' thread.

 

[phoenix123]

I think someone needs to lay out how many versions there are and the key differences. My OCD is getting triggered. I’m surprised to hear there are different verses?!

 

[Blaahh]

Without hearing it I can't comment but i'd be amazed if it was a demo- probably one of the two original 84 edits (which sound like a demo in places in my opinion).

The easiest way to tell which mix is that the UK 7" mix (84) doesn't contain the verse "I thought you were here to stay" whilst the alternate mix does where it replaces the standard second verse "Crowded room, friends with tired eyes"- I think.

Jesus- what did I start?

Its your thread, so you can start what you like, hehe!

Ah sorry, I thought it was well known, sure I bought it because of a discussion here. Not sure how to describe it, except it sounds empty and like a demo does, which is a useless description! I cannot find it on youtube either. I'll post a more detailed description later. Its definitely not the original UK 7 from my fading memory.

Found this one by the way.

 

[gezza76]

I think someone needs to lay out how many versions there are and the key differences. My OCD is getting triggered. I’m surprised to hear there are different verses?!

No there aren't different verses so to speak.

There are three which are all in the pudding mix

Verse 1- starts "once bitten and twice shy"
Verse 2- "crowded room friends with tired eyes"

And verse 3- "Who'll give me something in return, hold my heart and watch it burn"

The 7" mix in the UK only had verse 1 and 2, the alternative mix I posted has 1 and 3, the pudding mix has all three.

 

[gezza76]

Found this one by the way.

Yes this is the alternative mix I think

 

[gezza76]

Tomorrow's elimination has only 1 mix. I think haha.

Or maybe not.....

 

[Eric Generic]

Y'all need to get a room separate 'Last Christmas' thread.

We'll have to eat our pudding in the other room. This is my childhood revisited.

 

[phoenix123]

No there aren't different verses so to speak.

There are three which are all in the pudding mix

Verse 1- starts "once bitten and twice shy"
Verse 2- "crowded room friends with tired eyes"

And verse 3- "Who'll give me something in return, hold my heart and watch it burn"

The 7" mix in the UK only had verse 1 and 2, the alternative mix I posted has 1 and 3, the pudding mix has all three.

Ah right! I’ve never seen “verse 3” as a verse, more as just some adlibs on the extended Pudding Mix but maybe that’s a consequence of the alternative mix being obscure?

 

[gezza76]

Ah right! I’ve never seen “verse 3” as a verse, more as just some adlibs on the extended Pudding Mix but maybe that’s a consequence of the alternative mix being obscure?

Possibly. Well I suppose the pudding mix gives you everything except those altered backing vocals on "special" and "you gave it away" which I'm not keen on anyway.

I imagine that's the only difference between the original 8 minute mix and the pudding mix

 

[gezza76]

Unless there was another verse............jokes!

 

[paullypaul]

Tomorrow's elimination has only 1 mix. I think haha.
Our maybe not.....

hmmmm well go-go was one of those oh too common 12” singles that offered nothing new and just contained the standard 7” of that song. However, an extended version was released on the 12” single in outer-Mongolia or somewhere similar - the only place it was ever released for some bizarre reason.

or could it be father figure? Does the unplugged version count as a different version?!