Wham! “Fantastic” 1983, Innervision Records, US edition, released during the brief time they were known as Wham!UK in the US because of a naming conflict. I needed a serious mood booster today so this debut album of ridiculously upbeat new wave/post-disco pop will hopefully do the trick. Fantastic made it to #1 on the UK charts, buoyed by the the inclusion of the ‘82 single “Young Guns (Go For It!),” which eventually hit #3 on the UK charts after Wham!’s appearance on Top of the Pops. Also released as singles: “Bad Boys” (#2 on the UK charts and the first Wham! single to chart in the US at #60), the funk-inspired disco track “Club Tropicana” (#4 in the UK) and my favorite track from Fantastic “Wham Rap (Enjoy What You Do).” “Wham Rap” is so unbelievably silly and amazing. George Michael, in a delightfully white British way, “raps” about the joy of living life, regardless of money and politics. I’m already starting to smile.

You got soul on the dole
You’re gonna have a good time
Down on the line
You got soul on the dole
You’re gonna have a good time
Down on the line

I said get
Get
Get on down
I said get
Get
Get on down
I said get
Get get on down
I said get
Get
Get on down

Hey everybody take a look at me,
I’ve got street credibility,
I may not have a job,
But I have a good time,
With the boys that I meet “down on the line”

I said D. H. S. S.
Man the rhythm that they’re givin’
Is the very best

I said b one b two
Make the claims
On your name
All you have to do

Well…
Folks can be a drag
If work ain’t your bag
And when you let them know
You’re more dead then alive
In a nine to five
Then they say you’d got to go

And…
Get yourselves a job
Or get out of this house
Get yourself a job
Are you a man or a mouse
A finger in each ear
You pretend not to hear
Gotta get some space
Get out of this place

[Chorus:] Wham!
Bam!
I am!
A man!
Job or no job
You can’t tell me that I’m not
Do!
You!
Enjoy what you do?
If not
Just stop!
Don’t stay there and rot!

In the streets
In the cars
On the underground
If you listen real hard
You can hear the sound
Of a million people
Switching off for work
Well listen Mr. Average
You’re a jerk

Not me
You can’t hold me down
Not me
I’m gonna fool around
Gonna have some fun
Look out for number one
You can dig your grave
I’m staying young!

[Chorus]

If you’re a pub man
Or a club man
Maybe a jet black guy
With a hip hi-fi
A white cool cat
With a trilby hat
Maybe leather and studs
Is where you’re at
Make the most of everyday
Don’t let hard times
Stand in your way
Give a wham
Give a bam
But don’t give a damn
‘Cos the benefit gang
Are gonna pay

Now reach up high and touch your soul
The boys from Wham! will help you reach that goal
It’s gonna break your mama’s heart (so sad)
It’s gonna break your daddy’s heart (too bad)
Just throw the dice and take my advice
‘Cos I know that you’re smart
Can you dig this thing? (Yeah!)
Are you gonna get down? (Yeah!)
Say Wham! WHAM!
Say Bam! BAM!

Do you want to work? – no
Are you gonna have fun? – yeah
Said one, two, three, rap, c’mon everybody,
Don’t need this crap!
Enjoy what you do?
Everybody say wham! – wham!
Everybody say wham! bam! – wham! bam!
Enjoy what you do?