I totally agree, although I think it has something to do with George Michael's rebranding as a solo artist, but he wrote Wham's stuff too!

Make It Big absolutely holds up to Faith (and those 1984 smashes you mentioned).

[img:$uid]http://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/10308209_10154099337175133_7743804743553143740_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=baf011638de0509bc11c916269d53ff2&oe=56D26FC5[/img:$uid] [img:$uid]http://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/1551518_10153673982260133_178925504_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=9ad91e1b43130fc3e4ae9322dde1a1f9&oe=56BDB9A0&__gda__=1454946198_9d8ec4c739fd42d57a3a9c035618b5e3[/img:$uid]

I like Fantastic & Music From The Edge Of Heaven better than this album. On Make It Big, I like the remixes better (ig. Freedom, Everything She Wants) and Heartbeat always sounded like it belongs on a 1980s soap opera soundtrack to me, maybe Santa Barbara. But I like it. You know there were those soap actors who put out records then like Jack Wagner, Michael Damian, & Rick Springfield. My favorite was Credit Card Baby. I didn't know the Isleys song, I heard Wham!'s version first.

MickyDolenz said:

I didn't know the Isleys song, I heard Wham!'s version first.

That is the realest schitt you ever posted.

Cinny said:

MickyDolenz said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Also had no idea CCB was an Isley Brothers song.

It's not, If You Were There is. I actually heard the Isley version on some TV show or commercial about a week ago.

I remember I bought a magazine with Tears For Fears in it and Roland did not seem to like being compared to Wham!. I probably still have it somewhere, think it was Smash Hits.

MickyDolenz said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Cinny said:

I totally agree, although I think it has something to do with George Michael's rebranding as a solo artist, but he wrote Wham's stuff too!

Make It Big absolutely holds up to Faith (and those 1984 smashes you mentioned).

[img:$uid]http://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/10308209_10154099337175133_7743804743553143740_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=baf011638de0509bc11c916269d53ff2&oe=56D26FC5[/img:$uid] [img:$uid]http://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/1551518_10153673982260133_178925504_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=9ad91e1b43130fc3e4ae9322dde1a1f9&oe=56BDB9A0&__gda__=1454946198_9d8ec4c739fd42d57a3a9c035618b5e3[/img:$uid]

If one can look past their coloruful teenybopper exterior and actually listen to their music then they will realize that they had the lyrics and the talent that the average label creation wouldn't. "Everything She Wants" and "Freedom" spring to mind when I think of their edgy/ mature songs, the latter is harder to see that however because of its more upbeat, sunny production but it's all in the lyrics. I love "Wake Me Up" but unfortunately that song didn't truly exhibit the duo's/ George's musical ability other than being a fun, happy and catchy pop tune than perfectly matched Wham!'s image. I'm kinda surprised "Careless Whisper" was a hit although that was more so on the UK side than the US IIRC. BTW, nice collection, Cinny.

Careless Whisper was a US No.1 hit.

MichaelJackson5 said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Oh, your original post suggested otherwise but never mind.

No, I thought you had the album going by this thread. The album credits has who wrote the songs and the Isleys & Jasper are credited. So I didn't mention the title and said the Isleys song.

MickyDolenz said:

Doalwa said:

I really like a lot of GM's Wham stuff...Everything she wants, Wake me up, Careless Whisper, Freedom...all of these were perfect pop songs. But can anybody tell me what exactly Andrew Ridgeley's role in Wham was exactly? He strummed a few cords on his guitar from time to time but at least on stage his input seemed quite minimal? Did he share writing credit with George or what was the deal here?

He was just George's support to get through the fame in the early days. I think he co-wrote Careless Whisper and lives off its royalties

warning2all said:

Dilan said:

I think he co-wrote Careless Whisper and lives off its royalties

Andrew also co-wrote Wham! Rap & Club Tropicana. George & Andrew was in the pre-Wham! ska band called The Executive, which had Andrew's brother Paul in it too.

MotownSubdivision said:

Out of the many classics offered by 1984, I think this album is overlooked (not really underrated) in comparison. I guess many people get turned off by the fact that Wham! was a pretty boy duo that was aimed largely at teenage/ young adult girls but MIB is pop perfection. Everyone knows "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" but the average listener isn't familiar with songs like "Everything She Wants" or "Credit Card Baby" or most of the remainder of the album. MIB was just what the group needed to make an international impression especially here in the States and served as the perfect launching pad for George Michael's solo career a few years later. Among the Purple Rains, the Born in the USAs, the Like a Virgins and the many other landmark/ excellent albums released in 1984 is Make It Big which I think fits in right alongside them. [Edited 10/23/15 16:16pm]

Rarely do we agree on anything but you're on point with this post. Geoge Michael was a very
fine songwriter and vocalist at one point, as evidenced by this album.

Cinny said:

Make It Big absolutely holds up to Faith...

I dunno about that, Cinny.

MotownSubdivision said:

"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" is pretty much the only Wham! song the average music listener is familiar with now despite the success of the other singles at the time.

I'd say Last Christmas is more well known than Wake Me Up.

MickyDolenz said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Touché.

Where I live both the Quiet Storm on the R&B station and the adult contemporary station still play Careless Whisper and there's a soul oldies station that plays Everything She Wants every once in awhile. I don't hear any others, and the only solo song I hear is Father Figure played in stores Muzak rotation, but not on the radio. But I hear Last Christmas more often than any other Wham! song (or George Michael solo) and it's only played during the Christmas season. It's played on the radio, in stores, and I think it's the song that has the highest views on Youtube.

Cinny said:

I totally agree, although I think it has something to do with George Michael's rebranding as a solo artist, but he wrote Wham's stuff too!

Make It Big absolutely holds up to Faith (and those 1984 smashes you mentioned).

[img:$uid]http://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/10308209_10154099337175133_7743804743553143740_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=baf011638de0509bc11c916269d53ff2&oe=56D26FC5[/img:$uid] [img:$uid]http://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-0/p320x320/1551518_10153673982260133_178925504_n.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoiYiJ9&oh=9ad91e1b43130fc3e4ae9322dde1a1f9&oe=56BDB9A0&__gda__=1454946198_9d8ec4c739fd42d57a3a9c035618b5e3[/img:$uid]

I dunno. For me, Faith was the best album released in the late 80s by a solo artist. It sounds less dated compared to albums such as Bad which has aged horribly. GM was a genius songwriter.

MichaelJackson5 said:

MickyDolenz said:

MotownSubdivision said:

See I don't have that sort of variety on the radio where I stay. "Last Christmas" is definitely a season staple here just as it is anywhere else during Christmastime but "Careless Whisper" and "Everything She Wants" I've never heard on R&B radio much less radio as all. "Wake Me Up" is the only presence Wham! has on my local radio.

We have 4 or 5 college stations too. One of them plays many different kinds of music. You can hear R&B, oldies, pop, tejano, death metal (at night), prog rock, folk, classic rock, Latin jazz, county, rap, zydeco, dance music, funk, etc. all on the same station.

MotownSubdivision said:

MichaelJackson5 said:

I dunno. For me, Faith was the best album released in the late 80s by a solo artist. It sounds less dated compared to albums such as Bad which has aged horribly. GM was a genius songwriter.

Never heard Faith but Bad has aged just fine. Dated and not holding up are two different things.

It's okay for a 28 year old album to sound "dated", IMO! Especially when the recordings are definitive of that era.

What is unfortunate is when things sound dated and out of step with their time of release, ie. Blood On The Dance Floor.