Wham - Make It Big
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Free Music Notes for Make It Big
Free Music Review: This is a Great, Timeless Pop Album, and You Know it!
Hit: 5 Stars
When George Michael and Andrew Ridgley changed their image from disco bad boys in leather to cute poppy pinups ala college frat hotties with a truckload of irresistible radio pop aimed at mostly young teenage girls and the adult contemporary community, they knew EXACTLY what they were doing. They even titled the album with their intentions for its success, for Chrissakes! Dismissed by many for years as forgetable pop fluff, songs from this album are still being played on the radio and, much to the dismay of all us once teens and 20-somethings--George is not the sensitive "metro" man we'd been hoping he was. That doesn't stop us from loving him anyway, much the same way we refused to admit that tall sun-in bleached hottie wearing pastel was anything but merely sensitive. This album makes it so easy to see George the way we wanted to and, let's face it, he WAS Wham. He's often referred to Andrew as the lazy one in the group, but that shows in spades nowhere like here.
We tolerate the bubblegum fun of a song like "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" to get to a great fusion soul song on the order of Stevie Wonder's "Tell Me Something Good" called "Everything She Wants" in which George proves he can write and sing better than contemporaries like Boy George and Tony Hadley--definitely some stiff competition.
Then we're back for more teenage bubblegum with "Heartbeat" which sounds like it belongs in an episode of Happy Days. "Like a Baby" shows a strong, keen sense of jazz and soul styling that also makes the most of George's soulful voice and range. The song is beautiful, sad, sexy, and makes you wonder if this vulnerable man can be real.
We get our answer with the teenage Motown wannabe-isms of "Freedom." Yup, he's real, and so is his lust for pop star payola. "If You Were There" is a personal favorite of mine and makes me feel like a giddy little 19 year-old again. The arrangement and background vocals of this song remind me slightly of "Ooh, Child" by the Five Stairsteps.
"Credit Card Baby" is just one fine brass enhanced soul song in which George makes it very clear he is a talent on all levels and isn't shy displaying it or his own appeal. You don't even have to look at this man to swoon when you hear him, and I'm not only speaking from a female perspective!
Here's the song that really did it for me: "Careless Whisper." This number, like no other, still symbolizes everything I judge George Michael and all he can be by. It's probably one of the most beautiful jazz/soul songs written in the last 25 years, and the arrangement with that steamy sax and Michael's very intimate vocals can never be outdone by anyone else. This is his song, he owns it, and I bet he knows it too. I got breathlessly aroused at 20 the first time I heard it, and this composition still works it's magic on me so many years later. Few songs affect me like this one in the unique and sultry way this one does, a difinitive compliment to the writer and his muse.
This is, as I stated, a pop album that stands the test of time, so don't let others tell you not to buy it because it's uncool. Did you ever notice how many trendy albums called cool don't stand the test of time? People are still purchasing Make it Big for all the RIGHT reasons. Guilt is a useless emotion where talent is concerned, so do the right thing and order a copy of Make it Big. I guarantee you'll play it over and over until you need to order another one!
Free Music Review: Make It Big (1984)
Hit: 5 Stars
We all know that George Michael went on to become a major hit when he released FAITH, his first solo album in 1987. Some George Michael fans, excluding me, seem to forget that he became famous when he was one-half of WHAM! 1983 was the year WHAM! had debuted with their first album FANTASTIC. But it wasn't until 1984 that they became a hit with their second album MAKE IT BIG. Every song on this album is worth the time and if there is anybody who says otherwise, they don't know what in the hell they're talking about.WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO
The album's first single. It may sound sort of cheesy, but this is a classic WHAM! hit. It's definitely one of my favorites and probably will always be.
EVERYTHING SHE WANTS
The album's second single. The first time I heard this, I wasn't too fond of it, but the more I heard it, the more it grew on me. The harmonies and arrangements are unbelievable and any WHAM! fan should be shamed if they say they hate this song.
HEARTBEAT
Can't turn off the album without listening to this one first. It's habit that's hard for me to break. This song is nothing less than a classic.
LIKE A BABY
So many artists are recording songs that say LIKE A as the first two words in the title. Backstreet Boys recorded LIKE A CHILD. Madonna's '89 No. 1 hit was LIKE A PRAYER and her '84 No. 1 hit was LIKE A VIRGIN. But it all started with WHAM! This track is amazing and deserves every listeners', WHAM! fan or not, attention.
FREEDOM
The album's third single. You can't tell me that this is not a great song. First time I heard it, I was already singing along with it.
IF YOU WERE THERE
Not bad.
CREDIT CARD BABY
This one goes out to anyone with a credit card! Sike, I'm only kidding. Another song that should not be skipped, regardless of how you all feel.
CARELESS WHISPER
The album's fourth and final single. The version you see on this album isn't the single version and album version. This is the extended version. The original runs 5 minutes and 5 seconds long. This version runs 6 minutes and 32 seconds long. All in all, this still an undestroyable hit. I heard this one when I still in middle school and even then I loved it. You can find the original version on George Michael's album LADIES & GENTLEMEN THE BEST OF GEORGE MICHAEL.
I know that there are many WHAM! fans out there. I'm not sure how many of you WHAM! fans have this album, but I can tell that not all of you have this album. To the ones that don't have this album: Get out your Credit Card, Baby, and buy this album NOW!!!
Free Music Review: As Big As It Gets
Hit: 5 Stars
In the early 80s, a cute-looking chinese descendant / Thai national who loved listening to music so much that he couldn' t live his day without them and who would several years later turn into a twenty-something year old handsome guy like his middle name obviously implies was watching TV at his house.........SUDDENLY, Entered the video clip of two indoeuropean good-looking guys ( one got fake blonde, another dark brown ) singing and dancing happily on stage before a bunch of cutie pies ( who were hired to do so ) crazily ecstatically screaming at them......... The music was melodically beautiful, tongue-in-cheekedly lyrical and full of youth energy and factors: to this kid ( yesssssss, the good-looking kid ), it represented " what's goin' on right there right then " in US music scene. It represented the value of freedom and liberty of youth in those more civilized countries: youngsters can be free and be who they wanna be- sort of that...The song title is " Wake Me Up Before You Go Go "..... Then the kid some days later on went out to buy the album, came back home and listened to it several times.... He cried into tears when he heard Careless Whisper for the first time... He was indentified with it and pretended to be the main male character in the number who just lost his beloved girl because she caught him BIG BAM BOOMing with a foxy typed wild cat in that video clip......Song after Song... Time after Time..from Freedom to Everything She Wants... MAKE IT BIG is one of the 80s pop music representatives of how shiny, happy yet quality pop music in 80s were projected and how great George Michael would become in years to come...If someone asks you if you could name at least one quality boy-band, be it 80s or 90s, and its album... Be proud to speak out " Wham! and MAKE IT BIG "....Welcome to the club.. I am sure that you already read a lot of positive reviews on elements of individual numbers / songs in this album.. that's why instead i drawed pictures of the satisfactory results gained from listening to the music from this album at THAT time ( it also is applicable to now too ).....You can draw your own positively inspiring pictures too after listening to this album...This is the album that always makes you feel young at heart regardless...It will free your spirit and cleanse your soul... It is definitely THE FOUNTAIN of YOUTH.... Expereince it on your own to believe in it.......As usual, have a nice day of listening without prejudice...- Shin H. Piyakulkunakon ( Michael )Free Music Review: So beyond teen-age fun
Hit: 5 Stars
I own this and all the other Wham albums on vinyl. Soon I will own all on CD. I played Freedom so much that it's completely scratched and worn out. This album came out when I was a 13 year old freshman in High School. Wow, did I LOVE George Michael. I still do, he's the best, what a great voice. This is a great album with super videos. I remember dancing to "Wake me up before you Go-Go" at my first High School Dance. Yes, I owned dolphin shorts and a Choose Life shirt. I didn't understand why they wanted to dance the jitterbug but I figured it was popular in the UK. I even bought a painters cap like the one Andrew wore. I would have gladly killed any of the back up singers to take their job and used to mimic their movements in my bedroom. "Everything she Wants" was such a cool grown up song. I swore never to become a gold digger like the girl who hurt George. I wish they would put the video remix on this album as it is much cooler with the additional lyrics. "Heartbeat, Like a Baby, and Credit Card baby" are great. I used to think George was stoopid for giving the girl his credit card then complaining in "Everything she wants." I could and still cannot get enough of Freedom. Hearing the music just makes want to put on a big smile and jump around the room. George was definitely singing about me in "If you were there" I know this and cannot be persuaded otherwise. Ah yes, and "Careless Whisper" I cried when I saw the video. "George don't fool around with that old trampy woman with her dental floss swimsuit!" I would play this song over and over and over again. I used to practice my ballet to it in my room too.
Ok, if you had a pulse in 1984-86 when this music was HOT, you know what I mean. Every adolecent fantasy and dream I had centered around Wham's music. Duran Duran was cool but they could not touch my heart like George Michael and Andrew Ridgely. I know George Michael has said that he is embarrassed about this music. Well George, you're an idiot. I'm 30 now and still love listening to Wham. It reminds me of high school lockers, dances, MTV - when it was cool, designer jeans, and pink lip gloss. How can you put down the songs that made you so awesome. Don't take yourself so seriously.
As for those of you that come here to diss this album you were probably just jealous boyfriends that were compared to George in the 80's and lost. Go back to the Quiet Riot section and continue to pretend to know something about good music.
Free Music Review: Pop At It's Best!
Hit: 5 Stars
All it takes is one listen to "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and you're hooked. George Michael, the driving force behind the music of Wham!, is one of the most talented singer/songwriters of the past two decades. On this album, it is apparent that this man LOVES what he does. Catering somewhat to the legions of lusty female fans, George still managed to create worthwhile, quality pop music. Music that is catchy and transports the listener to another place. Reaching number 1 on both the UK & US album charts, Make It Big was definitely a success - but not because it was fathered by two of the most lusted after men in pop, but because it was THAT BLOODY GOOD! Even the production of the album is astounding and far from the quality one would expect from a so-called teeny-bopper band. Indeed, George Michael is the goods! Proceedings kick off with "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", one of the most up-beat pop songs ever. As one of my friends commented after listening to the track, "that man LOVES to sing!" And so he does. "Everything She Wants" hits a funkier note with fantastic beats and intelligent lyrics (not the kind of song a teenager would write!). One or two tracks seem like fillers (namely "Credit Card Baby" & "Heartbeat"), but even they are tributes to the ultimate pop of Motown, and because it's Michael who's singing, he gets away with it. Those two aside, an Isley Brothers cover "If You Were There" is done justice and is delivered with sugar-coated sweetness. "Freedom" follows closely on the heels of "Go-Go" as an up-beat tune, yet the lyrics tell a different story... The beautiful ballad "Like A Baby" paints an attractive picture of foreign skies and overseas romance - the type of song that many George fans identify him with. And last but certainly not least, "Careless Whisper". Probably the best-known George Michael song, one listen commands that you hit the replay button on your stereo until the cd is worn through! An ideal album for '80's nostalgics, but also a fabulous album for those interested in quality pop music - music that kicks, lyrics that dare you to think, and a voice that melts your soul. Combined, this equals only one thing - Make It Big.