Last Christmas



"Last Christmas" is a song by English pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with "Everything She Wants". Originally written and produced by George Michael, it has been covered by many artists since its original release.

Chart and sales performances (UK)
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 number one 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 number one in early December with "The Power of Love". The Band Aid project helmed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, however, produced the number one single "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Wham!'s offering peaked at number two 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.

In subsequent years, the song managed to reach the middle echelons of the UK singles chart on a regular basis:


 * 1985: No. 2 (13 weeks) (backed with "Everything She Wants")
 * 1986: No. 6 (7 weeks)
 * 1987: No. 45 (4 weeks)
 * 2007: No. 14 (5 weeks)
 * 2008: No. 26 (5 weeks)
 * 2009: No. 34 (4 weeks)
 * 2010: No. 57 (4 weeks)
 * 2011: No. 26 (4 weeks)
 * 2012: No. 34 (4 weeks)
 * 2013: No. 36 (4 weeks)
 * 2014: No. 28 (3 weeks)
 * 2015: No. 18 (5 weeks)

"Last Christmas" has sold 1.8 million copies as of June 2016 and is the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach number one.

Chart and sales performances (Rest of the world)
The song gradually sold in Japan and 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 No. 12 in 1992.

In 2009, the song re-entered the Spanish Lista de Canciones (singles chart) at No. 9.

In 2013, it was the most streamed single on Christmas Day (in the UK) according to Spotify.

In Germany, the song is the most successful Christmas single of all time, having spent 119 weeks on the German Singles Chart and attained a peak position of No. 4. It has charted every year since 1997. In January 2008, the song fell from No. 4 to No. 64 there, also making it the biggest fall out of the top 10 on the singles chart.

In the Netherlands, the song never reached number one, peaking at No. 2 in January 1985 (behind Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"). In the Dutch Singles Top 100 (one of three charts in the Netherlands that claims to be the "official" chart, but it's the only one that is not broadcast and remains unpublished except on its own official web page), the song has now entered on 16 different occasions, including every year since 2006. Its highest position after 1984 was No. 5 (during the 2007 Christmas season). In the Dutch Mega Top 50 (which was first published in 1993), the song re-appeared in 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008, and 2013.

In the United States, the song has also re-entered the Billboard Holiday Songs Chart on a regular basis. As of November 25, 2016, total US sales of the digital track stand at 751,000 downloads according to Nielsen SoundScan, placing it 10th on the list of all-time best-selling Christmas/holiday digital singles in US SoundScan history.

Music video
The video to "Last Christmas" shows Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley accompanying girlfriends to see friends at an unspecified ski resort: the cable-car that can be seen in two shots is from Saas-Fee, Switzerland. It becomes clear early on that the character of Ridgeley's girlfriend (played by model Kathy Hill) was previously in a relationship with Michael, and that the song is aimed at her. She can easily be spotted throughout the video by the fact that she's usually wearing red, but everyone else is wearing more muted colors.

There is a brief flashback to "Last Christmas" showing Michael's character presenting her with a jewelled brooch. In the present time, Ridgeley is wearing the brooch, suggesting that the girl gave the same gift (perhaps by regifting it) to her new love after she and Michael parted ways. Interestingly, when the girl wears the brooch from Michael's character, it is "right side up" and when Ridgeley's character wears it, he wears it "upside down". On numerous occasions Michael presents a thoughtful expression, suggesting his conflicting emotions.

Her seeming indifference to Ridgeley's open displays of affection makes the viewer wonder if Ridgeley's heart is the next to be broken. However, at the end of the video, everyone leaves properly "paired off" so perhaps it is suggested that Michael has worked out his confusion and now realizes he is after all with the right girl.

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. The video also marks the last filmed appearance of a clean-shaven Michael, as he sported a beard, which he has had since then, in the video for "Everything She Wants".

Original 1984 release
7": Epic / GA 4949 (UK)


 * 1) "Last Christmas" – 4:24
 * 2) "Everything She Wants" – 5:07
 * Note: The version of Everything She Wants is the album version.

12": Epic / TA 4949 (UK)


 * 1) "Last Christmas" (Pudding mix) – 6:47
 * 2) "Everything She Wants" – 5:07
 * Note: The version of Everything She Wants is the album version.

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

1991 solo version (Extra verse)
12" (US/UK) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (ft. Elton John) [A] Same as the 1984 Wham! original, but with an extra verse at the end. This version is largely forgotten, and does not appear on subsequent recordings by Michael or Wham!.
 * 1) "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (Michael/John)
 * 2) "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright)
 * 3) "Last Christmas" (Michael) [A]

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

Certifications and sales
!scope="row"| Japan (RIAJ)
 * 655,000
 * 655,000

!scope="row"| United States (RIAA)
 * 751,000
 * 751,000

Whigfield version
In the UK the following single planned after "Close to You" was "Big Time"; however, it was suggested that Whigfield should record a version of "Last Christmas" to go with the release of "Big Time", as a double A-side single. The single was also released as a double A-side single in Germany with "Close to You". In other countries "Last Christmas" was released on its own with various remixes. The single reached #21 in the UK, which was Whigfield's final release on Systematic Records. It also features on various Special Edition versions of her debut album Whigfield and also on Whigfield II. The EP was released 10 November 1995 in Australia. A UK single was released on 3 December 1995.

Official versions

 * 1) "Last Christmas" (Major version)
 * 2) "Last Christmas" (Minor version)
 * 3) "Last Christmas" (Major Mild EQ version)
 * 4) "Last Christmas" (K David version)
 * 5) "Last Christmas" (David version)
 * 6) "Last Christmas" (MBRG version)
 * 7) "Last Christmas" (MBRG radio edit)

Billie Piper version
Billie Piper originally recorded a cover of the song as a B-Side of her single "She Wants You". It was released as CD single in limited areas of Europe, and did not chart in any country. The single was also released as a promotional Vinyl Single in the UK, limited to 500 copies and therefore could not chart there.

Track listings

 * European CD single
 * 1) "Last Christmas"
 * 2) "She Wants You" (album version)
 * 3) "She Wants You" (Sharp Ballrom Remix)


 * UK promo vinyl
 * 1) "Last Christmas" (edit)
 * 2) "She Wants You" (radio edit)

Jimmy Eat World version
Last Christmas was released as a single by Jimmy Eat World in 2001, following the band's breakthrough hit album Bleed American. The B-Side was a cover of "Firestarter," by The Prodigy.

Hilary Duff
Listed as the first track off of her debut album, Santa Claus Lane.

Ashley Tisdale
"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2006 for Warner Bros. Records by Ashley Tisdale. The song was released to US radios on 11 November 2006 and as a digital download on 21 November 2006. This song was the first single released by Ashley Tisdale in her deal with Warner Bros. Records and became her official first holiday single. Tisdale performed the single in 2007 on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas in Rockefeller Center, and in 2009 in the Citadel Outlets of Los Angeles, California. The song was one of the B-Sides in the European CD singles of Tisdale's first single "Be Good to Me" and Tisdale's second single "He Said She Said", from the album Headstrong. The song has been included on several compilation albums, including A Very Special Christmas 7 and Disney Channel Holiday.

Track listings

 * Digital download
 * 1) "Last Christmas" (single version) - 3:55

Crazy Frog
"Last Christmas" was covered in 2006 by Crazy Frog and released as a Christmas single. In Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and France, "Last Christmas" was released 12 months before in other countries.

Track listings

 * CD single
 * 1) "Last Christmas" (radio edit)
 * 2) "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
 * 3) "Last Christmas" (club mix)
 * 4) "Nellie the Elephant"
 * 5) "Last Christmas" (video)

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

In the UK, despite it being a B-side track, the song is regularly played throughout music channels during the festive season. The two official music videos got more than 50 million views on YouTube.

It was released as part of their Christmas album, It's Christmas Time.


 * iTunes download
 * "Last Christmas" – 3:52

Charts
* Based on downloads alone, but did chart at #10, as it was the B-side to "What Hurts the Most".

Alcazar version
The song was covered by Alcazar from Sweden as the sixth single to be released from their third studio album Disco Defenders, released in 2009. The single was only released digitally in Germany. It was included as a bonus track on the Swedish special edition version of Disco Defenders, released on 18 November 2009.

Music video
A music video was produced to promote the single.

Track listings
Digital download
 * 1) "Last Christmas"
 * 2) "One Two Three Four"

Joe McElderry version
British solo singer Joe McElderry covered the song in 2011. This version was released as a single on 19 December 2011, an EP was also released digitally in Ireland on 4 November 2011, and in the UK on 7 November 2011. Joe McElderry's version is taken from his third studio album, Classic Christmas, released 28 November 2011. 7th Heaven Remix & Production have done a remix for the song.

A short music video was made using footage which was filmed for the Classic Christmas's album advert, it features McElderry outside in the snow, collecting logs and taking them to a large house preparing for a Christmas party, a similar video was made for McElderry's version of "O Come All Ye Faithful". The advert and both videos were directed by Steve Lucker.

Track listings
EP 1
 * 1) "Last Christmas" – 4:18
 * 2) "Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)" – 3:07
 * 3) "Silent Night" – 3:28

7th Heaven Remixes
 * 1) "Last Christmas" (7th Heaven Remix) – 6:54
 * 2) "Last Christmas" (7th Heaven Remix Edit) – 3:47

Ariana Grande version
"Last Christmas" is a song by American recording artist Ariana Grande. The song serves as the lead single from Grande's Christmas Kisses EP. It was released on 19 November 2013 in the iTunes store.

Composition
Grande's cover draws primarily from pop music and contemporary R&B and also includes newly-written lyrics in place of some of the originals. These lyrics reinterpret the song as a "woman done wrong" breakup song. The verses have been described as "bouncier" than the original melody.

Track listing

 * Digital download
 * 1) "Last Christmas" – 3:24

Carly Rae Jepsen version
"Last Christmas" was covered by Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen in 2015 and was released to digital retailers on November 20, 2015 through 604 Records (in Canada) and Interscope Records and School Boy Records (internationally). Jepsen's rendition was praised by critics for combining stylistic elements similar to the original with modern production.

Track listing
Digital download - single
 * 1) "Last Christmas" – 3:32

Critical reception
Bianca Gracie of Idolator described the song as "quintessential Carly" for highlighting Jepsen's unique vocals and synth production and wrote that her cover will "charm your... socks off." Nolan Feeney of Time echoed those sentiments, noting that "Last Christmas" is "the kind of brokenhearted yet warm and sweet song [Jepsen] excels at." Jackson McHenry of Vulture applauded Jepsen for her straightforward approach to the song and avoiding the "vocal gymnastics" that bog down some Christmas covers.

A more critical review came from music blog Popcrush, who deemed the cover overproduced. "The slick production is a disservice to both Carly’s vocals and the original’s emotional heft," writes Samanth Vincenty.

Live performances
Jepsen performed the song live at the annual NBC television special Christmas in Rockefeller Centre, which aired December 2, 2015. She also performed the song on the episode of The Late Late Show with James Corden airing December 16, 2015.

Other cover versions

 * Glee Cast - led by Lea Michele, Cory Monteith with Amber Riley (peaked at #63 on the Billboard Hot 100, the first time a cover version of the song appeared on the chart, and at #27 on the Adult Contemporary chart).
 * Taylor Swift (Peaked at number 28 on US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 2007).