Wham! Album: “Make It Big”

Like it or not, Make It Big, from Wham!, is one of the best overall albums from the 80s. Four of the eight songs were major hits back in the day. That might not sound like much, but just listen to those four hits ("Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Everything She Wants", "Freedom", and "Careless Whisper") and you'll see, or hear, that there were no other songs like them at the time. You know it was crazy and maybe even silly, but for some reason, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Freedom" were just THAT dang catchy. "Everything She Wants" was a more serious but equally as great song, and "Careless Whisper" became an instant classic as soon as it was released.

But that's not all that Make It Big has to offer. When I listened to the other songs, the non-hits, I wondered why they were never released as singles. All four of them, especially "Credit Card Baby" and "Heartbeat" sound like surefire hits. I guarantee you that had they've been released, every song on Make It Big would've been a hit. While you might be too embarrassed to admit that you like Wham!, you gotta admit that the music is great. George Michael is a great singer, and Andrew did a good job backing him up. Whether it's a slow ballad or fast, carefree songs, Wham! did a great job of making it sound good.

If you're one of the millions who like what you hear when a Wham! song plays, just forget about how 'uncool' it may be to be a fan. Go ahead and get the album while you can!

1984 was a very huge year with so many great acts with a lot of great music from Madonna starting out with Lucky Star, Michael Jackson securing the definitive spots with Thriller, and Lionel Richie hot everybody to party all night long. THere was just so much great music all around. That also was shown with George Michael and Andrew Ridgley of Wham!. They held their own as one of the most definitive guilty pleasure acts of the 80's era. Even today, those classic are still just delightful and fun to really listen to. Although Wham! had only made three records, their second one was the most definitive of their great classic songs.

Wham!'s 1984 guilty pleasure record Make It Big is truly a great delight to listen to today, as much as it was two decades ago when it was released. The songs here still sound great and fun to dance like it was 1984 all over again. The collection remains definitive with classics like Freedom, the deep Everything She Wants, the great diddy Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, and the soulful Careless Whisper. The record has been recently reissued and it sounds better than it did over twenty years ago. Although I just wish that there could've been a few more songs than just the actual eight tracks, it still is a great record to play around with.

Arguably, despite Wham!'s position to some as the spark that launched the boy band crazes of the late 80's and 90's, this record is still a great must have for any 80's owner. Make It Big is a great classic for any die hard fan of George Michael and Wham!, and that is a Careless Whisper you should care about.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: B+

Price: A-

Remastering: B+

Overall: B+

I own this album and it is one of my favorites.

Two of the songs ("Like a baby" and "Careless Whisper") are slow ballads, the rest are energetic, rythmic disco songs.

All of them are focused on love, not on social justice or religion like some of George Michael's later songs.

Buy this CD, the music is damn good.

This album featuring George Michael is one of the best albums ever made. It sold over a million copies and had a number of hit singles and videos. This album has always been mainstream since its release. Careless Whisper and Everything She Wants are my favorite tracks on a great album that has no weak tracks.

Although Wham's debut album was a major hit in the UK, the duo had yet to make their presence known in the consumer-friendly US market. Of course that all changed with the appropriately-titled MAKE IT BIG, which shot to #1 on Billboard's Hot 200 and spawned four Top 5 hits. In truth, the album's format is not completely unlike 1983's Fantastic, only everything has been kicked up a notch.

The rather absurd "tough guy" personae that Michael adopted on portions of FANTASTIC has thankfully been dropped as the duo aims to present themselves as more sophisticated pop performers. On the whole, the melodies and hooks are also considerably sharper than on the last outing. There's nothing on this record that's going to redefine the world for anyone, but that's perfectly fine.

Perhaps best known for the silly-yet-memorable smash "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (#1 US, #1 UK), many cynics might be surprised by how effective the rest of the record is. "Like a Baby" is a soft, non-cloying ballad, while "Heartbeat" and "Freedom" (#3 US, #1 UK) are absolutely unbeatable bubble-gum pop. The hit "Everything She Wants" (#1 US, #2 UK) and "Credit Card Baby" (sort of the male answer to Madonna's "Material Girl") both nicely encapsulate `80's commercialism, and a respectable cover of the Isley Brother's "If You Were There" is thrown in for good measure.

Naturally, though, the brightest highlight is the gorgeous "Careless Whisper" (#1 US, #1 UK), which is a song that was not only a huge hit, but also seems to define the meaning of a true modern pop classic. After dancing non-stop through much of the first half of the eighties, this glorious slow waltz was just what we needed.

If you're looking for something gritty or hard-hitting, then this album is going to be the last thing that you want to pick up. However, it's perfect if you're looking for a good time and are in a retro frame of mind. As far as glossy mainstream pop of the mid-80's is concerned, MAKE IT BIG is tough to beat.