While 1984 was amazing for pop music, the ‘84-’85 school year was a particularly rough one (not that dissimilar to 2016, though thankfully my schooldays are looonnggg gone) and “Careless Whisper” transports me back to a time of true misery, its inclusion on the junior high dance soundtrack when I sat at the cafeteria table watching the boy I crushed on and a good friend sway in time to the music = the cherry on the top of the shit sundae that was 8th grade. Preceding that moment of first heartbreak were months of relentless bullying by a mean girl and her little gaggle of acolytes because of my hair (new wave Simon LeBon-insipired) and attitude (fuck you, mean girl). I grew up in a really small town in rural Wisconsin. So small that my 8th grade class had a total of like 30 kids and our junior high consisted of half the upstairs hallway in the high school building, 3 classrooms for math, science, English and social studies. No escape or place to hide. (I eventually escaped completely by transferring at the end of the year to the big city school where life got infinitely better and I found myself being able to dance again.)

I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind the silver screen
And all its sad good-byes

I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool

Should’ve known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’ve been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There’s no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you’ll find

I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool

I should’ve known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’ve been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

Never without your love

Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it’s better this way
We’d hurt each other with the things we’d want to say

We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But no one’s gonna dance with me
Please stay

And I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool

Should’ve known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’ve been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you

(Now that you’re gone) Now that you’re gone
(Now that you’re gone) What I did’s so wrong, so wrong
That you had to leave me alone

The post Wham! Featuring George Michael “Careless Whisper” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

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?

The post Wham! “Fantastic” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.