Even after the death of George Michael, his work and especially his songs remain to remind us of his life and greatness. His still most famous song “Last Christmas” was published in 1994. It happened right before the separation of the group Wham, at the time when George Michael was thinking about keeping with the career as a solo singer. But not only did he found himself on a crossed road on a professional plan, but in his private life as well. His homosexuality remained as an unknown fact for the public, therefore he had been obligated to live a fake life. That’s exactly what his most famous song speaks about.
Not even fourteen years later did he speak about his sexual orientation. At that time the 21 year old boy George Michael wrote and published the song “Last Christmas”. That’s something he did on his own. He even insisted on playing all the instruments of the composition alone, even though this was not his strongest side. If you hear the song and pay attention on the bells, well, he’s the one playing them.
Michael’s musical engineer, Chris Porter, was one of the few people who got the permission to record the song in the studio. In 2017 he revealed that the process of recording this master-piece lasted way longer than usual because the famous singer barely knew how to play keyboards. Even after knowing this, he insisted in participating in every single part and instrument of the song.
He wrote the song on his own in the room he grew up at while his band mate, Andrew Ridgeley, would watch TV on the lower floor of the same house.
After publishing the song it was sold in more than two billion copies. It got replayed and re-singed that many times as well. In the period between 2012 and 2016 “Las Christmas” was among the top three power played Christmas songs in England. That very song never stops earning money. It earns about 460.000 euros each year. According to the latest researches, the last year it earned about 390.000 euros.
However, Michael ended up in a court because of this song. Barry Manillo considers it very similar to the song “Can’t smile without you”. The case was closed with no winner after the court have decided that the accords and the whole melody are very similar to plenty of songs from the Pop music style.
Even though the song have never reached the very first place, it is the power sold song that remained on the top lists for such a long period of time. That’s all thanks to Michael, at least in 1984.
After finishing the recording of this song, Michael recorded more Christmas songs together with Bono and Sting. In Sarm West Studios in London they have recorded the famous one “Do they know it’s Christmas”. It was published on third of December and it reached the second position on the top list.
Nowadays, even after his death, the song “Last Christmas” is not only the best one done and played by Michael, but one of the most beautiful and quality Christmas songs of all times.
