Last Christmas

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“Last Christmas”
“Last Christmas” cover
Single by Wham!
from the album he said she said
Released 1984
Format 12", 7", CD single
Recorded 1984
Genre Pop
Length 4:27
6:45 (Pudding Mix)
Label Columbia Records (US/Canada)
Epic Records
Producer George Michael
Wham! singles chronology
"Freedom"
(1984)		 "Last Christmas"
(1984)		 "Everything She Wants"
(1984)
Twenty Five track listing
"Careless Whisper"
(1)		 "Last Christmas"
(2)		 "A Different Corner"
(3)

"Last Christmas" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with "Everything She Wants". It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.

Wham! had been a dominant force in the UK Singles Chart in 1984 and news that they were planning a Christmas single meant that a battle for the coveted Christmas #1 spot in the UK seemed set to be between Wham! and the year's other big act, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who had achieved a third #1 in early December with "The Power of Love". However, the Band Aid project, helmed by Bob Geldof, produced the #1 single. Wham!'s offering peaked at #2 for much of the period, although George's involvement in Band Aid meant that Wham! still had an input. Wham! subsequently topped the monies raised by Band Aid by donating all of their "Last Christmas/Everything She Wants" royalties to the Ethiopian famine appeal.

"Last Christmas" did make #1 in various other countries.

The single sold well over a million copies and became the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach #1. A year later, it was re-issued for Christmas again (this time without a billed flip-side) and got to #6. A second re-issue at Christmas 1986 - by which time Wham! had split - stalled outside the top 40.

The song gradually sold in Japan, and finally became the best-selling single that did not reach that country's top-10 chart, selling more than 600,000 copies and peaking on the chart at #12 in 1992.

Since 1997, the song enters the German Singlecharts every year and peaked at #4 in 2007. In the airplay charts the songs enters every year the Top 5.

In 2007, the track re-entered the UK Top 20 and hit the UK iTunes Top 10.

Contents

[edit] "Can't Smile Without You" settlement

Due to obvious similarities between "Last Christmas" and the song "Can't Smile Without You" as popularised by Barry Manilow, an out of court settlement was reached in which the first year's royalties were donated to the one-year-old "Band Aid" charity.[citation needed]

[edit] Music video

The video to "Last Christmas" saw George and partner Andrew Ridgeley accompanying girlfriends to see friends at their home in an unspecified ski resort, although the cable-car that can be seen in two shots is from Saas-Fee, Switzerland. It became clear early on, however, that Andrew's girlfriend had previously been in a relationship with George, and it was to her character the song was aimed. The video also featured the duo's erstwhile backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie and Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp, the boyfriend and future husband of Shirlie Holliman.

[edit] Ashley Tisdale version

“Last Christmas”
“Last Christmas” cover
Single by Ashley Tisdale
from the album A Disney Channel Holiday
Released November 21, 2006
Format Digital Download, CD single
Recorded 2006
Genre Pop
Length 3:56/3:39
Label Walt Disney Records, Warner Bros. Records
Producer George Michael
Ashley Tisdale singles chronology
"Kiss the Girl"
(2006)		 "Last Christmas"
(2006/2007)		 "Be Good to Me"
(2006/2007)

"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2006 for Warner Bros. Records by Ashley Tisdale. It was released on iTunes on Christmas, 2007 as Ashley's official first holiday single. The CD single didn't have a physical release.

[edit] Official Versions

  • "Last Christmas" - 3:56
  • "Last Christmas" (Radio Edit/Single Version) - 3:39
  • "Last Christmas" (Cutted Live Version) - 1:21

[edit] Digital Single Tracklist

iTunes Version

  1. "Last Christmas" (Single Version) - 3:39

[edit] Live Performances

Ashley performed Last Christmas for the first time on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2007 Edition, singing the Cutted Live Version. Later, performed Last Christmas alongside with Suddenly on Christmas on Rockefeller Center (2007 Edition).

[edit] Charts

Chart (2007/2008) Peak
position
U.S iTunes Holiday Songs Top 100 1

[edit] Crazy Frog version

“Last Christmas”
“Last Christmas” cover
Single by Crazy Frog
from the album Crazy Frog Presents More Crazy Hits Ultimate Edition
Released December 2006
Format CD single
Maxi single
Digital download
Recorded 2006
Genre Dance & Electronica
Label Ministry of Sound
Producer Henning Reith
Reinhard Raith
Crazy Frog singles chronology
"We Are the Champions (Ding a Dang Dong)"
(2006)		 "Last Christmas"
(2006)		 "Crazy Frog in the House (Knightrider)"
(2007)

"Last Christmas" is the Crazy Frog Christmas single release for 2006, a cover of the Wham! song "Last Christmas". In Belgium, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and France, "Last Christmas" was released 12 months before in other countries.

[edit] Track listing

  1. Last Christmas (Radio Edit)
  2. We Wish You a Merry Christmas
  3. Last Christmas (Club Mix)
  4. Nellie the Elephant

[edit] Cascada version

“Last Christmas”
Single by Cascada
Released November 21, 2007
Format Digital Download, CD single
Recorded 2007
Genre Eurodance, Holiday, dance-pop
Length 3:52
Label Zooland Records, Robbins Entertainment, All Around the World
Producer George Michael
Cascada singles chronology
"Wouldn't It Be Good"
(2007)		 "Last Christmas"
(2007)		 "What Hurts The Most"
(2007)

"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2007 by Cascada. It was released on iTunes in November, 2007. The single had a only Digital release but 6 days later it was released on the single/EP What Hurts The Most which was the first single from there second album.

[edit] iTunes Download

  • "Last Christmas" - 3:52

[edit] Track listing

[edit] Original 1984 release

7": Epic / A 4949 (UK)

  1. "# "Everything She Wants" – 5:07

7": Epic / QA 4949 (UK)

  1. "Everything She Wants (Remix)" – 5:31
  2. "Last Christmas" – 4:24

12": Epic / TA 4949 (UK)

  1. "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)" – 6:47
  2. "Everything She Wants" – 5:07

12": Epic / QTA 4949 (UK)

  1. "Everything She Wants (Remix)" – 6:30
  2. "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)" – 6:47

[edit] 1985 reissue

7": Epic / WHAM 1 (UK)

  1. "Last Christmas" – 4:24
  2. "Blue (Armed With Love) [Live in China]" – 5:43

12": Epic / WHAM T1 (UK)

  1. "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)" – 6:47
  2. "Blue (Armed With Love) [Live in China]" – 5:43
  3. "Everything She Wants (Remix)" – 5:31

[edit] 1986 reissue

7": Epic / 650269 7 (UK)

  1. "Last Christmas" – 4:24
  2. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" – 5:43

12": Epic / 650269 6 (UK)

  1. "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)" – 6:47
  2. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" – 5:43

[edit] 2007 reissue

7", 12", CD: Tent / PD45579

  1. "Last Christmas (Remix)" – 5:13
  2. "Everything She Wants (Remix)" – 6:01
  3. "Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)" – 6:47
  4. "Everything She Wants" – 6:29

[edit] Other cover versions

Although only the Wham! original has maintained status as an airplay and party staple each festive season in many countries. In much of Continental Europe (although not in the UK or Ireland) the original Wham! recording is reissued every year, and has achieved significant chart peaks in the 2000s especially in Germany.

[edit] Chart performance

Wham! version
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Sweden 7
Switzerland 6
Norway 2
Austria 9
Netherlands 2
Finland 20
Australia ARIA Charts 3
Japan 12
UK Singles Chart 2
German Singles Chart 7
Chart (2007) Peak
position
UK Singles Chart 14
German Singles Chart 4
Crazy Frog version
Chart[1] [2] [3] Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart 30
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart 19
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart 6
Dutch Singles Chart 48
French Singles Chart 19
Irish Singles Chart 16
New Zealander Singles Chart 19
UK Singles Chart 16

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Last Christmas" Singles Chart in various countries Lescharts.com (Retrieved December 16, 2007)
  2. ^ Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved March 1, 2008)
  3. ^ UK Singles Chart Everyhit.com (Retrieved March 1, 2008)
v • d • e
Wham!
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v • d • e
Ashley Tisdale
Studio album
Headstrong (2007)
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"Kiss the Girl" · "Last Christmas" · "Be Good to Me" · "He Said She Said" · "Not Like That" · "Suddenly" · "So Much for You" · "Headstrong"
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v • d • e
Crazy Frog
v • d • e
Cascada
Natalie Horler · DJ Manian · Yanou
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Singles
Related articles


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