“Last Christmas” remains Wham!’s most iconic song — as it returns to the charts every holiday season — and the late George Michael had a lot of thoughts on its staying power.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, former Wham! manager Simon Napier-Bell reflected on his time working with the pop duo from their 1981 inception to their 1986 breakup, and admitted Michael thought the success of their 1984 holiday song could get a bit “annoying.”
Napier-Bell, 84, explained that the Grammy winner (who died at age 53 on Christmas Day in 2016) liked the song itself but felt frustrated due to how “perfect” it was.
The music manager told the outlet, “He was always slightly upset by the fact [that] he naggingly knew it was the best thing he ever wrote.”
Wham! "Last Christmas" single artwork. Single Cover Image Courtesy of Epic“George, above all, really wanted to be remembered as a great songwriter,” Napier-Bell explained. “And I think at the bottom of his mind … it was rather annoying that the song he got so perfect was a Christmas song.”
The executive also took a moment to reflect on how timeless Michael's Christmas tune is, noting, “It’s a magnificent piece of work, isn’t it? How can you create a Christmas song that has bells in it, which says ‘Christmas’ every three seconds, and yet has nothing cheesy about it?”
He reiterated, “It’s extraordinary how ‘Last Christmas’ stands up.”
Although Wham!’s holiday song continues to be one of their most beloved hits after nearly four decades, Michael and singer-songwriter/instrumentalist Andrew Ridgeley’s band's legacy goes far beyond the track. The group was among the acts that heralded the British Invasion of the ‘80s, had three other No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (“Careless Whisper,” “Everything She Wants” and “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”) and was hugely influential in their charity efforts.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame posthumously inducted Michael into the organization this fall.
At the November ceremony, he was honored with an emotional performance by Carrie Underwood, who sang his 1987 song “One More Try.” Additionally, Miguel sang "Careless Whisper," and Adam Levine of Maroon 5 covered "Faith."
George Michael and Andrew Ridgely of Wham!.Pete Still/Redferns
His former bandmate, 60, was in attendance and spoke to PEOPLE about Michael’s legacy.
“He produced a fantastic portfolio of material. He was an amazing artist,” Ridgeley shared. “And this honor is fitting.”
The musician also reflected on why it’s “no surprise really” that “Last Christmas” is still as beloved as it is.
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“The first time I ever heard it, it was absolutely knockout,” he said. “It sounded for all the world like a Christmas classic.”
“It's Christmas distilled if you ask me. It's the essence of Christmas,” the recording artist added.
“And so, its enduring nature, its perennial nature isn't really a surprise,” he continued. “But it's a wonderful privilege to have had bestowed upon Wham!, to have one of the all-time Christmas classics — which I think it's fair to say it probably is now.”
