On this day in music history: November 17, 1984 - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham! hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Written and produced by George Michael, it is the first US chart topper for the pop music duo from Bushey, Hertsfordshire, UK. Released as the lead single from the duos second album Make It Big, the inspiration for the song comes from a note pinned to (a then still teenaged) Andrew Ridgeleys bedroom door. The note was to remind his mother to wake him up before she left for work. However, Ridgeley makes the mistake of writing the word up twice on the note, so to humorously compound his error, he writes the word go twice. The track is cut at SARM West Studios in London in the Spring of 1984, with Michael and engineer Chris Porter programming the songs drum track on a Linn LM-1, and musicians Deon Estus (bass), Hugh Burns (guitar), David Baptiste, Steve Gregory (saxophones), Colin Graham, Paul Spong (trumpets), Tommy Eyre, Andy Richards, and George Michael (keyboards). The basic track will be cut in a day and a half, with Michael recording his lead and background vocals over a few days time. Issued in the UK first on May 5, 1984, it will quickly shoot to number one, spending two weeks at the top. Released in the US in August of 1984, it will quickly repeat its overseas success. Entering the Hot 100 at #80 on September 8, 1984, it will climb to the top of the chart ten weeks later. It is the first of three consecutive US chart toppers that Wham! will have in just six months. The song will later be used to humorous effect by Ben Stiller in the comedy Zoolander in 2001. Wake Me Up Before You Go Go is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 02:15:03 +0000
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