The points of discussion:
1) Do you love it or hate it?
2) Does it bring back memories?
3) Any relevant experiences involving the song?
4) What do you think the song is about?
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go:
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" is the single that launched George Michael's mega successful career in America. It was the first official single to be released, after a low key release of "Bad Boys" in America, which peaked only at #60. "Wake Me Up" quickly became a huge radio smash at the end of 1984, as well as becoming one of the biggest selling singles that year, going platinum. This track was also accompanied by an interesting video which presented a different kind of image for George and Andrew, the latter having a nose job. The song itself was inspired by a note Andrew left behind for his mom saying "Wake me up" where George added the words "before you go-go". Anyways, this single also became Wham's first #1 hit in the UK, the first of many. It is a memorable 80's classic till today, taken from the US 6 times platinum album "Make It Big".
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go:
UK: #1
US: #1 (3 weeks)
Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go Lyrics
(name) Chantilly
(email) [email protected]
I always did, still do, and will always cringe whenever I hear "Wake me up, before you Go-Go" - However, I much enjoy its upbeat and candid music video.
(name) Eric Betzold
(email) [email protected]
I have loved "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" since I was in kindergarten. I remember back in early 1985, I was on the school bus and I heard the song. Immediately, I loved it. I got home and found that my mom actually had the record. So I listened to the song over and over again for a few weeks. Over the years, I drifted away from the song, but I bought "Make It Big" about nine months ago and rediscovered the song I love. Ever since then, I have been a huge Wham! and George Michael fan. I guess I have my friend Lisa Schooley to thank. She first got me thinking about George Michael and Wham! and I don't think I would be interested in GM now if she hadn't been there. Thanks Lisa, and thank you George (and Andrew. Even though you weren't a big part of Wham!, I still love ya!) for all the great music you have brought us over the years.
Eric Betzold
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(name) Claudia Beltrand
(email) [email protected]
Song of the week: Wake me up before you go-go
'Wake me up' was the first Wham! single ever released in my country, and I must confess I really liked it at that time (I was 13 then). Nowadays with more years of 'eating' music I realize these lyrics are not of the best George have done. So, I usually skip the song whenever I hear 'Make it Big', but still think 'Wake me up' belongs completly to the general foolish happiness that album possess, not just because for the lyrics but the music, the music can do wonderful things for your spirit in a bad day. 'Wake me up' was made by a young guy in a happy age of his life, as happy as were mine then and that's the feeling it remains me: The old good times.
(name) Chitrawati
(email) [email protected]
Wake me up before you go go? Hmmm... I like this song. Actually that song is one of the WHAM! 's most popular song in my country up until now. I like the beat, the music. Everytime I hear it I feel my body dancing to the music. I admit that maybe WMUBYGG isn't the best song George had written but still the atmosphere it brings is wonderful. It can lift your spirit up. The first time I heard it was when I was in Junior High school. It was the radio station who played it. That is the first time I'd ever heard about WHAM! and I like it ever since.
(name) Laurie Harbert
(email) [email protected]
Hi All,
I think there is just one word to describe Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go: FUN! Who cares if the lyrics aren't soulful and meaningful, does everything in life have to be? Isn't there is something to be said for frivolity sometimes? And they all look so damn happy in the video! Every time I hear it, no matter when or where or what mood I'm in, it brings a smile to my face!
My other fond memory of this song is from several years back. My younger sister wanted me to make sure she was out of bed when I left for work b/c she had to get up early that Saturday to go take her SAT exam. I was afraid I'd forget, so I told her to leave me a note to remind me. When I opened my bedroom door that morning, there was a large piece of white paper cut in the shape of a bubble quote, like in the cartoons, that said: (yep,you guessed it) Wake me up before you go-go! The paper made it into my scrap book and my sister aced the SAT and is now a CPA. One small success for her, one giant leap for Yogkind!
Laurie
(name) Tracy
(email) [email protected]
Do I love it or hate it?.....I lurve it to bits right to this day! This song brings back a mountain full of memories...it was the song that launched my obsession with The Legend That Is! I was introduced to WHAM! by a friend, who insisted that George Michael was the greatest thing since sliced bread!! Club Tropicana hadn't moved the earth for me, so I vaguely listened to her chatter and kept one solitary picture of the man next to my bed to please her! To cut a long story short....sometime in October 1984(wow!), she came screeching down the stairs in our apartment block.."TURN ON THE TELLY"...she was frantic...I ran to the telly(my mum had reached it first) and there HE was! It was the opening stages of the "Wake me up.." video, with this gorgeous man standing in his white 'Choose Life' gear....Sarah ran in and we both started screaming!! We cried thru the entire video(how idiotic eh?) Thank God for mothers with a brain....she had popped a video tape in and I had my very own video to watch ALL day EVERY day!! "Wake me up...." continued to be the song that I played constantly for many years to follow, I think it's a very 'fun' song and you can't be anything but happy when listening to it!! Thank you George, for this gem!!
(name) Michelle Wilson
(email) [email protected]
Do I love this song? YES!! I rediscovered this song because of gnotes. I listen mostly to George's new music. But when Wake me up was the song of the week I decided to listen to it again. As I sat on my livingroom floor, all these wonderful memories came back from high school. I can remember kissing my boyfriend to this song and dancing with my friends to the video. I forgot all about these memories. At a time when things can get so crazy it is nice to pop in a cd and have great memories come flooding back to you. It is amazing how so many important things can be attached to songs. I must say that I have more wonderful memories to George Michael/Wham songs then any other music and I would like to thank him for making such wonderful music.
(name) Bryan
(email) [email protected]
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" is one of my favorite songs from Wham! Well more because of the video. I just love the video. It's fun and colorful and cute, very 80's. It always puts a smile on my face and I love the part when George and the rest of the gang were dancing and acting crazy around the middle of the video, as I said. I prefer "Freedom" and "Everything She Wants" but they don't have killer videos like this! I just love the happiness surrounding the song and the video.
The song is great pop and I think it's one of the few songs that people remember from George in the 80's. I think many people my age remember this because it's one of those songs that was constantly played on the radio and you had to be somewhere really sheltered if you never heard this. Anyways, I love this song as it reminds me of my childhood. It's hard to explain but I lived in a really depressing place when I was young and I remember it really clearly till this day. But listening to "happy" music like this always made me feel better.
Anyways, to re-iterate, I love the video! This better be on the Greatest Hits Video compilation or I'll go crazy. I only have it on VHS tape which is probably rotting right now and is unplayable.