80s, Baby! with Seersha

Maybe next year: Last Christmas by Wham!

• Seersha • Season 1 • Episode 6

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Release Date: December 18, 2024
Name of podcast: 80s, Baby! with Seersha  
Episode title and number: Maybe next year: Last Christmas by Wham!, Season 1, Episode 6 (Season Finale)

Episode Summary: In this special holiday season finale, we unwrap the story behind Wham!'s beloved classic "Last Christmas." Discover how 21-year-old George Michael created this enduring holiday hit in his childhood bedroom and insisted on playing every instrument himself. From its summer recording session decorated with Christmas lights to its 37-year journey to finally reaching #1, this episode celebrates both the magic of the holiday season and the timeless appeal of 80s music. Join Seersha for one last dose of 80s inspiration in 2024 as we wrap up Season 1 of "80s, Baby!"

Chapter Markers:
Intro - 0:00
Exposition - 0:56
"Last Christmas" Deep Dive - 3:47
Reflection - 10:12
Final Thoughts - 13:29
Credits - 16:58

Show Notes:
Get two FREE holiday songs from Seersha & Micah Cadwell as Moonlighting: https://wearemoonlighting.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-clear
Check out the music video for Last Christmas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI

Want to get in touch? DM @seershamusic on social media, or find Seersha on the web at www.seershamusic.com.

I’m an 80s baby through and through, deeply in love with the decade that defined pop culture like no other. It wasn't always clear how this passion would shape my journey, but my love for both 80s-inspired music and jams straight from the era has led me on a wild journey from depressed corporate girly to embodying the essence of 80s pop-rock on stages across the world with Guardians of the Jukebox.

So whether you're an 80s aficionado, a fellow artist drawing inspiration from this colorful decade, or someone curious about my transformation from mundane 9-to-5 to musician living a retro-tinged dream, you've found your crew. Let’s be kind, rewind, relive, and re-love the 80s together.

Welcome to “80s, Baby!” I’m your host, Seersha.

Y’all, it’s hard to believe we've reached our holiday special and season finale already. What a journey it's been, from exploring Madonna's "Like a Prayer" to Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams," diving into Cyndi Lauper's  "Time After Time," feeling Pat Benatar's strength in "Love is a Battlefield," and witnessing Aimee Mann's artistic evolution in "Voices Carry." Each of these stories has shown us different facets of what makes the 80s such a special era in music, and I can’t wait to unwrap more with you in season 2.

Today, we're wrapping up our season with what might be the most beloved, ubiquitous holiday song to come out of the 80s – Wham!'s "Last Christmas." And I feel like time has been a recurring theme in our season (especially when we talked about Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and my own song "Can't Stop Time") –   there's something particularly poignant about ending our season with a song that captures both the joy and melancholy of time passing, especially during the holiday season.

Before we dive in, since we’re on the topic of holiday music today, I have some festive news to share! My jazz-meets-80s duo Moonlighting has just released two free Christmas songs as our gift to you this holiday season. If you haven't checked out Moonlighting yet, we take beloved songs, some standards, some 80s classics, and reimagine them with a jazzy or synthy twist. You can find our Christmas releases on our Bandcamp and I’ll include a link in the show notes. It just feels right to share these holiday tracks with you as we dive into one of the most iconic Christmas songs of the 80s – Wham!'s "Last Christmas." Maybe next year we’ll add to the plethora of covers of this song…

The story behind "Last Christmas" is almost like a holiday movie itself. Picture this: it's 1983, and George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley are visiting George's parents' house. They're just hanging out, watching TV, having what seems like a completely ordinary day. Then, something extraordinary happens. George suddenly disappears upstairs to his childhood bedroom – the same room where he and Andrew used to spend hours as kids making their own radio shows and jingles, dreaming of future stardom.

Andrew Ridgeley tells the story best. He says, "When he came back down, such was his excitement, it was as if he had discovered gold which, in a sense, he had." George took Andrew up to that childhood bedroom, where he still kept a keyboard and recording equipment for capturing those sparks of inspiration. And there, in the same room where they'd played at being radio DJs as kids, George played the introduction and chorus melody of what would become "Last Christmas."

Andrew describes it as "a moment of wonder," saying that "George had performed musical alchemy, distilling the essence of Christmas into music." The addition of lyrics about betrayed love was, in Andrew's words, "a masterstroke." In about an hour, George Michael had created what would become one of the most enduring Christmas songs of all time.

More magic happened at London's Advision studios in August 1984. Picture this: it's the height of summer, but the studio assistant has decorated the space with paper chains and Christmas lights to set the mood. At just 21 years old, George Michael was already taking complete control of his artistic vision. He wrote, produced, and – here's the fascinating part – painstakingly played every single instrument on the track himself. Not even Andrew was allowed in the studio that day; just George, his engineer, Chris Porter and two assistants.

Porter remembers wanting to play the sleigh bells himself, but George insisted on doing everything, including sleigh bell duty. And when I say everything, I mean everything – armed with just a LinnDrum drum machine, a Roland Juno-60 synth, and those Christmas sleigh bells, George crafted the entire song. Porter recalls it was actually quite a laborious process since George "wasn't a musician" and "had no training on instruments at all," often playing the keyboards with just two or three fingers. But that determination to do it his way would become a hallmark of his career.

What's particularly brilliant about "Last Christmas" is how it manages to be both simple and sophisticated at the same time. The backing music is intentionally understated – it's actually one of those pop songs that uses the same chords for both the verse and chorus. But as Porter pointed out in an interview with The Guardian, this was completely intentional. George wanted listeners to focus on his voice and the melody, not get distracted by complex musicianship.

The music video shoot is another fun story. It was filmed in late November at a Swiss resort called Saas-Fee, with friends and family members making up most of the cast. Model Kathy Hill, who played the ex-girlfriend in the video, remembers it as a pretty relaxed affair – though George himself was notably more focused than the rest, often stepping away from the festivities to check shots. It's also notable as the last time we see George Michael clean-shaven in a video – after this, he sported his iconic beard in the video for "Everything She Wants" and kept that look for the rest of his career.

Let’s touch on this song’s UK chart journey. Released in December 1984, "Last Christmas" was kept from the number one spot by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" – which George Michael also sang on. In fact, right after filming the "Last Christmas" video in Switzerland, he headed straight to the Band Aid recording session, joining other 80s icons like Sting, Boy George, Phil Collins, and Bono. For over three decades after that, "Last Christmas" held the distinction of being the highest-selling UK single to never reach number one. But finally, in January 2021, 37 years after its release, it claimed its long-awaited spot at the top of the charts.

There's a bittersweet note to this song's legacy, as George Michael passed away on Christmas Day 2016. But his music continues to touch new generations. In fact, before his passing, he gave his blessing to a unique project: the 2019 movie "Last Christmas." The film came about when producer David Livingstone pitched the concept to George Michael, who agreed with one interesting condition – he wanted Emma Thompson to be involved in writing it. Thompson ended up co-authoring both the story and screenplay, and even took on a supporting role in the film.

I've shared with you the highlights of the story behind "Last Christmas" – now I'd like to offer three takeaways that stood out to me from our deep dive.

First, let's talk about the power of our environment when it comes to our creativity – in this case, a nostalgic and familiar place. George Michael wrote this pivotal song in his childhood bedroom, the same room where he and Andrew used to play at making radio shows. Sometimes our most powerful creative moments come when we return to spaces that hold special meaning for us. This reminds me of when we talked about Cyndi Lauper drawing inspiration from everyday objects like her alarm clock earlier this season – I think that sometimes we feel like we need to have a new experience, or be in a new space to find inspiration, and I definitely think that newness and novelty are tools we can use; but in reality, creativity can sometimes flourish in the comfort of familiar surroundings. Where are the spaces or maybe even objects in your life that might hold untapped creative potential?

Second, let's talk about having complete conviction in your vision. At just 21 years old, George Michael insisted on playing every single instrument on "Last Christmas" himself, even though he had no formal musical training. As his engineer Chris Porter shared, George would painstakingly work out parts with just a few fingers on the keyboard, but he knew exactly what he wanted and would not compromise. Like when we talked about Madonna's spiritual confidence in our first episode, this kind of unwavering belief in your vision – even when it can lead to misunderstanding or criticism – can lead to something truly authentic and timeless.

Finally, let's consider how simplicity can serve sophistication. George deliberately kept the musical backing simple so the emotional depth of his voice and lyrics could shine through. We've seen this theme throughout our season – whether it's Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart finding power in a simple beat for "Sweet Dreams," or Cyndi Lauper letting raw emotion drive "Time After Time." Sometimes the most impactful art comes not from complexity, but from knowing exactly what to strip away to let your truth shine through.

As we wrap up both this episode and our first season, I'm struck by how each song we've explored has shown us different aspects of what makes great art: Madonna's spiritual confidence, Eurythmics' resilience, Cyndi Lauper's emotional honesty, Pat Benatar's strength, Aimee Mann's evolution, and now George Michael's remarkable ability to trust his creative instincts to create something truly timeless..

"Last Christmas" is the perfect song to end our season with because it embodies so much of what we've learned about creativity itself. Sometimes the most powerful art comes from familiar places, like a childhood bedroom filled with memories. Sometimes it comes from having complete conviction in your vision, and sometimes that means doing everything yourself. And sometimes it comes from knowing exactly what to strip away, letting the heart of your message shine through. George Michael did all of this at just 21 years old, creating a song that captures both the sparkle of the season and the complexity of human emotion, proving that when we stay true to our creative vision, magic can happen.

In my opinion, the best holiday songs balance joy with a touch of melancholy – they acknowledge that time passes, things change, but certain feelings remain constant. "Last Christmas" embodies that for me – and that's what I love about both holiday songs and 80s music. They have this ability to transport us back in time to a distinct era while still feeling completely relevant today. And the stories behind them do the same, offering us fascinating and practical takeaways for our creative practice.

As we head into the holiday season and look forward to a new year of stories and songs, I hope you'll carry these lessons with you. Whether you're creating art, taking steps towards a dream, or simply trying to bring more creative expression into your life, remember that your voice matters, your vision matters. Sometimes the best gifts we can give ourselves are the time, space, and courage to create… and the patience to let our work find its moment.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey through some of the most iconic songs of the 80s. Your support and enthusiasm have made this first season truly special. Don't worry – we'll be back in the new year with more stories, more inspiration, and more 80s magic.

Until then, keep the holiday spirit alive, the music playing, and remember – whether you're celebrating or reflecting this holiday season, the 80s will always be there for you. This is your host, Seersha, signing off for 2024. Shine bright and love on your friends!

And that's a wrap on our holiday special and the final episode of Season 1! I hope you feel inspired, moved, and maybe even a little nostalgic after diving deep into the story behind Wham!'s "Last Christmas."

Thank you for being part of this incredible first season. Stay tuned for Season 2 coming in 2025!

And of course, a big thank you to our production team for making this all possible:

Written and Produced by: Seersha Theme Music by: Seersha and Richard James Smith

For more information, or to suggest a song or topic you'd love us to explore in Season 2, DM me on social media @seershamusic or find me online at www.seershamusic.com.

Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a totally rad new year!