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*Jazz-instrumental band State Of The Heart covered it on their Holiday album, Christmas Moods (this version was an instrumental).
*Jazz-instrumental band State Of The Heart covered it on their Holiday album, Christmas Moods (this version was an instrumental).
*Russian pop-group Strelki covered song as "С Новым годом" ("Happy New Year") in 1998
*Russian pop-group Strelki covered song as "С Новым годом" ("Happy New Year") in 1998
*[[Spice girls]]
*[[Super Junior-K.R.Y.]] performed "Last Christmas" in Special Winter Concert Japan 2012.
*[[Super Junior-K.R.Y.]] performed "Last Christmas" in Special Winter Concert Japan 2012.
*[[Kim Tae-yeon]] from [[Girls' Generation]]
*[[Kim Tae-yeon]] from [[Girls' Generation]]

Revision as of 06:08, 8 April 2015

For the Doctor Who episode, see Last Christmas (Doctor Who).
"Last Christmas"
Song

"Last Christmas" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1984, on a double A-side with "Everything She Wants". Originally written and produced by George Michael, it has been covered by many artists since its original release.

Wham! (original) version

Chart and sales performances (UK)

Wham! had been a dominant force in the UK Singles Chart in 1984 and news that they were planning a Christmas single meant that a battle for the coveted Christmas number one spot in the UK seemed set to be between Wham! and the year's other big act, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, who had achieved a third number one in early December with "The Power of Love". The Band Aid project helmed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, however, produced the number one single "Do They Know It's Christmas?". Wham!'s offering peaked at number two for much of the period, although George's involvement in Band Aid meant that Wham! still had an input. Wham! subsequently topped the monies raised by Band Aid by donating all of their "Last Christmas/Everything She Wants" royalties to the Ethiopian famine appeal.

In subsequent years, the song managed to reach the middle echelons of the UK singles chart on a regular basis:

  • 1984: No. 2 (13 wks)(backed with Everything She Wants)
  • 1985: No. 6 (7 wks)
  • 1986: No. 45 (4 wks)
  • 2007: No. 14 (5 wks)
  • 2008: No. 26 (5 wks)
  • 2009: No. 34 (4 wks)
  • 2010: No. 57 (4 wks)
  • 2011: No. 26 (4 wks)
  • 2012: No. 34 (4 wks)
  • 2013: No. 36 (4 wks)
  • 2014: No. 28 (3 wks) (as of 27 December 2014)

The single sold well over a million copies and became the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach number one.

Chart and sales performances (Rest of the world)

The song gradually sold in Japan and became the best-selling single that did not reach that country's top-10 chart, selling more than 600,000 copies and peaking on the chart at number twelve in 1992.

In 2009, the song re-entered the Spanish Lista de Canciones (singles chart) at number nine.

The song also re-entered the Billboard Holiday Chart on a regular basis.

In 2013 it was the most streamed single on Christmas Day (in the UK) according to Spotify. [1]

In Germany, the song is the most successful Christmas single of all time, having spent 106 weeks on the German Singles Chart and attained a peak position of number four. It has charted every year since 1997.[2] In January 2008, the song fell from number four to sixty-four there, also making it the biggest fall out of the top ten on the singles chart.[3]

In the Netherlands, the song never reached number one, peaking at number 2 in January, 1985 behind Band Aid. In the Dutch Singles Top 100 (one of three charts in the Netherlands that claims to be the "official" chart, but it's the only one that is not broadcast and remains unpublished except on its own official web page), the song has now entered on 16 different occasions, including every year since 2006. Its highest position after 1984 was number 5 during the 2007 Christmas season.[4]

In the Dutch Mega Top 50, which was first published in 1993, the song re-appeared in 1997, 2000, 2007, 2008 and 2013.

Music video

The video to "Last Christmas" shows George Michael and partner Andrew Ridgeley accompanying girlfriends to see friends at an unspecified ski resort—although the cable-car that can be seen in two shots is from Saas-Fee, Switzerland. It becomes clear early on that the character of Ridgeley's girlfriend (played by model Kathy Hill) was previously in a relationship with Michael, and that the song is aimed at her. She can easily be spotted throughout the video by the fact that she's usually wearing red, while everyone else is wearing more muted colors.

There is a brief flashback to "Last Christmas" showing Michael's character presenting her with a jewelled brooch. In the present time, Ridgeley is wearing the brooch, suggesting that the girl gave the same gift to her new love after her and Michael parted ways. On numerous occasions Michael presents a thoughtful, confused expression, suggesting his conflicting emotions.

Her seeming indifference to Ridgeley's open displays of affection makes the viewer wonder if Ridgeley's heart is the next to be broken. However, at the end of the video everyone leaves properly "paired off," so perhaps it's being suggested that Michael has worked out his conflicts and confusion and now realizes he is after all with the right girl.

The video also featured the duo's erstwhile backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie and Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp, the boyfriend and future husband of Shirlie Holliman. The video also marks the last filmed appearance of a cleanshaven Michael, as he sported a beard (which he has had since then) in the video for "Everything She Wants".

Track listings

Charts and certifications

Other recordings

Whigfield version

"Last Christmas"
Song

In the UK the following single planned after "Close to You" was "Big Time", however, it was suggested that Whigfield should record a version of "Last Christmas" to go with the release of "Big Time", as a double A-side single. The single was also released as a double A-side single in Germany with "Close to You". In other countries "Last Christmas" was released on its own with various remixes. The single reached #21 in the UK, which was Whigfield's final release on Systematic Records. It also features on various Special Edition versions of her debut album Whigfield and also on Whigfield II. The EP was released 10 November 1995 in Australia. A UK single was released on 3 December 1995.

Official versions

  1. "Last Christmas" (Major version)
  2. "Last Christmas" (Minor version)
  3. "Last Christmas" (Major Mild EQ version)
  4. "Last Christmas" (K David version)
  5. "Last Christmas" (David version)
  6. "Last Christmas" (MBRG version)
  7. "Last Christmas" (MBRG radio edit)

Charts

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[25] 38
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[26] 12
Ireland (IRMA) 24
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 34
Spain (AFYVE)[28] 4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[29] 53
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 21

Billie version

"Last Christmas"
Song

Billie originally recorded a cover of the song as a B-Side of her single "She Wants You". It was released as CD single in limited areas of Europe, and did not chart in any country. The single was also released as a promotional Vinyl Single in the UK, limited to 500 copies and therefore could not chart there.

Track listings

European CD single
  1. "Last Christmas"
  2. "She Wants You" (album version)
  3. "She Wants You" (Sharp Ballrom Remix)
UK promo vinyl
  1. "Last Christmas" (edit)
  2. "She Wants You" (radio edit)

Jimmy Eat World version

"Last Christmas"
Song

Last Christmas was released as a single by Jimmy Eat World in 2001, following the band's breakthrough hit album Bleed American. The B-Side was a cover of "Firestarter," by The Prodigy.

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Last Christmas (Wham! cover)"4:00
2."Firestarter (The Prodigy cover)"6:29

Hilary Duff

Listed as the first track off of her debut album, Santa Claus Lane.

Charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon)[30] 133
Chart (2012) Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon)[31] 68

Ashley Tisdale

"Last Christmas"
Song

"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2006 for Warner Bros. Records by Ashley Tisdale. The song was released to US radios on 11 November 2006 and as a digital download on 21 November 2006. This song was the first single released by Ashley Tisdale in her deal with Warner Bros. Records and became her official first holiday single. Tisdale performed the single in 2007 on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockefeller Center, and in 2009 in the Citadel Outlets of Los Angeles, California. The song was one of the B-Sides in the European CD singles of Tisdale's first single "Be Good to Me" and Tisdale's second single "He Said She Said", from the album Headstrong.[34] The song has been included on several compilation albums, including A Very Special Christmas Vol.7 and A Disney Channel Holiday.

Track listings

Digital download[33]
  1. "Last Christmas" (single version) - 3:55

Charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Holiday/Seasonal Digital Songs[35] 39
Chart (2011) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Holiday/Seasonal Songs[35] 47

Crazy Frog

"Last Christmas"
Song

"Last Christmas" was covered in 2006 by Crazy Frog and released as a Christmas single. In Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and France, "Last Christmas" was released 12 months before in other countries.

Track listings

CD single
  1. "Last Christmas" (radio edit)
  2. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
  3. "Last Christmas" (club mix)
  4. "Nellie the Elephant"
  5. "Last Christmas" (video)

Charts

Chart (2006) Peak
position
Australian Singles Chart[36] 30
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[36] 19
Belgian (Wallonia) Singles Chart[36] 6
Dutch Singles Chart[36] 48
French Singles Chart[36] 19
Irish Singles Chart[37] 16
New Zealand Singles Chart[36] 19
UK Singles Chart[37] 16

Cascada version

"Last Christmas"
Song

"Last Christmas" was recorded in 2007 by Cascada. It was released on iTunes in November 2007. The single had only a digital release but 6 days later it was released on the single "What Hurts the Most" which was the first single from their second album.

In the UK, despite it being a B-side track, the song is regularly played throughout music channels during the festive season. The two official music videos got more than 45 million views on YouTube.

It was released as part of their Christmas album, It's Christmas Time.

iTunes download
  • "Last Christmas" – 3:52

Charts

Chart (2007) Peak
position
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS 83
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[38] 63
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[39] 111*
UK Dance (OCC)[40] 22

* Based on downloads alone, but did chart at #10, as it was the B-side to "What Hurts the Most".

Alcazar version

"Last Christmas"
Song

The song was covered by Alcazar as the sixth single to be released from their third studio album Disco Defenders. The single was only released digitally in Germany. It was included as a bonus track on the Swedish special edition version of Disco Defenders, released on 18 November 2009.[41]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single.

Track listings

Digital download[42]

  1. "Last Christmas"
  2. "One Two Three Four"

Joe McElderry version

"Last Christmas"
Song

British solo singer Joe McElderry covered the song in 2011. This version was released as a single on 19 December 2011,[43] an EP was also released digitally in Ireland on 4 November 2011, and in the UK on 7 November 2011. Joe McElderry's version is taken from his third studio album, Classic Christmas, released 28 November 2011. 7th Heaven Remix & Production have done a remix for the song.

A short music video was made using footage which was filmed for the Classic Christmas's album advert, it features McElderry outside in the snow, collecting logs and taking them to a large house preparing for a Christmas party, a similar video was made for McElderry's version of "O Come All Ye Faithful". The advert and both videos were directed by Steve Lucker.[44]

Track listings

EP 1[45]

  1. "Last Christmas" – 4:18
  2. "Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful)" – 3:07
  3. "Silent Night" – 3:28

7th Heaven Remixes[46]

  1. "Last Christmas" (7th Heaven Remix) – 6:54
  2. "Last Christmas" (7th Heaven Remix Edit) – 3:47

Ariana Grande version

"Last Christmas"
Song

"Last Christmas" is a song by American recording artist Ariana Grande.The song serves as the lead single from Grande's Christmas Kisses EP. It was released on 19 November 2013 in the iTunes store.[47]

Track listing

  • Digital download[48]
  1. "Last Christmas" – 3:24

Charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[49] 73
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[50] 59
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[51] 92
US Billboard Hot 100[52] 96
US Holiday 100 (Billboard)[53] 32

Other cover versions

References

  1. ^ "Wham's 'Last Christmas' is 2013's most-streamed festive song". Digital Spy. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  2. ^ ""Last Christmas" erfolgreichster Weihnachtssong aller Zeiten - media control". Media-control.de. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  3. ^ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche". musicline.de. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  4. ^ DutchCharts.nl
  5. ^ Kent, David (editor) (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Last Christmas" by Wham!, in various singles charts Hitparade.ch (Retrieved 29 July 2008)
  7. ^ "Track Top-40 - Hitlisten.nu". IFPI Denmark. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  8. ^ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved 17 July 2008)
  9. ^ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. Retrieved 9 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  10. ^ "Hungarian Singles Chart – Top 10 lista" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  11. ^ Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 29 July 2008)
  12. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  13. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Dance Top 50. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  14. ^ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved 29 July 2008)
  15. ^ a b c Billboard allmusic.com (Retrieved 29 July 2008)
  16. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  17. ^ "Danish single certifications – Wham – Last Christmas". IFPI Danmark.
  18. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Wham; 'Last Christmas')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  19. ^ "Ελληνικό Chart – Top 50 Singles" (in Greek). IFPI Greece.
  20. ^ "Italian single certifications – Wham – Last Christmas" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Last Christmas" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  21. ^ "List of best-selling international singles in Japan". JP&KIYO. 2002.
  22. ^ Lane, Daniel (27 June 2013). "Daft Punk's Get Lucky becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  23. ^ id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
  24. ^ Grein, Paul (27 November 2013). "Chart Watch: Lorde Wins A Squeaker". Chart Watch. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  25. ^ "Whigfield – Last Christmas" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  26. ^ "Whigfield: Last Christmas" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  27. ^ "Whigfield – Last Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  28. ^ "Billboard". Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  29. ^ "Whigfield – Last Christmas". Singles Top 100.
  30. ^ http://gaonchart.co.kr/digital_chart/download.php?nationGbn=E&current_week=50&current_year=2011&chart_Time=week
  31. ^ http://gaonchart.co.kr/digital_chart/mobile.php?chartCode=S2020&current_week=50&current_year=2012&chart_Time=week
  32. ^ "Last Christmas (DMD Single): Ashley Tisdale: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  33. ^ a b "Amazon.com: Last Christmas (DMD Single): Ashley Tisdale: MP3 Downloads". Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  34. ^ Amazon.com. "He Said She Said (European Single)". Amazon. Retrieved 20 July 2008.
  35. ^ a b "Billboard.biz: Ashley Tisdale". Billboard. Retrieved 5 September 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ a b c d e f "Last Christmas" by Crazy Frog, in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved 16 December 2007)
  37. ^ a b "Last Christmas" by Crazy Frog, in various singles charts Acharts.us (Retrieved 21 July 2008)
  38. ^ "Cascada – Last Christmas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  39. ^ "Chart Log UK". Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  40. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  41. ^ Disco Defenders - Special Edition
  42. ^ "Last Christmas". Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  43. ^ Joe McElderry announces new album 'Classic Christmas' Digital Spy. Retrieved on 31 October 2011.
  44. ^ Behind The Scenes at Joe's Classic Christmas Winter Wonderland! Decca Records on YouTube. Retrieved on 21 December 2011.
  45. ^ Joe McElderry - Last Christmas iTunes Store. Retrieved on 7 November 2011.
  46. ^ Joe McElderry - Last Christmas (7th Heaven Remixes) iTunes Store. Retrieved on 11 December 2011.
  47. ^ "Last Christmas – Single by Ariana Grande". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 19 November 2013. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  48. ^ "Connecting to the iTunes Store". Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  49. ^ "Ariana Grande Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  50. ^ "Discografie Ariana Grande". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 June 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  51. ^ Zywietz, Tobias. "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update – 30.11.2013 (wk47)". zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved 7 June 2014. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |work= at position 1 (help)
  52. ^ "Ariana Grande Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  53. ^ "Ariana Grande - Chart History: Holiday 100". Billboard. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  54. ^ "Last Christmas – Single by The Collective". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  55. ^ Trust, Gary (16 June 2010). "'Glee': A Record-Setting Freshman Year". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
  56. ^ "Last Christmas". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  57. ^ "Last Christmas (JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT) SUPER-RARE AUDIO CLIP". YouTube. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  58. ^ "Happy Holidays from Ohbijou!". ohbijou.com. 2009. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  59. ^ http://www.musica.co.za/cd/id/6009143488335/Various_Artists-Idols_Top_10_Christmas_Album Retrieved 15 October 2013
  60. ^ 2011 Winter SMTown - The Warmest Gift on iTunes 13 December 2011. Retrieved 2012-05-08
  61. ^ http://www.rock.co.za/legends/2000plus/santa.html Retrieved 15 October 2013
  62. ^ "Muziek | Myspace Music". Music.myspace.com. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
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