Make It Big



Make It Big is the second studio album from British pop duo Wham!, released in 1984. It was recorded at Studio Miraval in Southern France to escape the press and enable George Michael to work peacefully and mixed at Good Earth Studios in London and Marcadet Studios in Paris. In comparison to their earlier work, the duo had more control over the album's production, as George Michael became the sole credited producer, a position he would subsequently hold on all future releases until the group split in 1986. The album was a critical and commercial success, hitting number one in both the UK and the US and spawning four singles, all topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Outside the US, "Careless Whisper" was credited as a George Michael solo effort upon its release as a single, while "Everything She Wants" was released as a double A-side with "Last Christmas" which would later appear on the following album Music from the Edge of Heaven.

It was certified 6× Platinum in the US within weeks of the album's tenth anniversary.

Critical reception
Make it Big received positive reviews. Christopher Connelly from Rolling Stone wrote, "George Michael's music is an unabashed rehash of Motown", adding "Make It Big almost flawless pop record, a record that does exactly what it wants to and has a great deal of fun doing it." Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic writes, "They succeeded on a grander scale than they ever could have imagined, conquering the world and elsewhere with this effervescent set of giddy new wave pop-soul, thereby making George Michael a superstar and consigning Andrew Ridgeley to the confines of Trivial Pursuit."

Track listing
All songs written and composed by George Michael, except where noted.

Side one
 * 1) "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" – 3:50
 * 2) "Everything She Wants" – 5:01
 * 3) "Heartbeat" – 4:42
 * 4) "Like a Baby" – 4:12

Side two
 * 1) "Freedom" – 5:05
 * 2) "If You Were There" (The Isley Brothers) – 3:38
 * 3) "Credit Card Baby" – 5:08
 * 4) "Careless Whisper" (Michael, Andrew Ridgeley) – 6:30

Personnel

 * George Michael – lead vocals, background vocals, keyboards
 * Andrew Ridgeley – guitar, background vocals
 * Hugh Burns – guitar
 * Deon Estus – bass guitar
 * Trevor Morrell – drums
 * Tommy Eyre – keyboards
 * Andy Richards – keyboards
 * Anne Dudley – keyboards
 * Danny Cummings – percussion
 * Colin Graham – trumpet
 * David Baptiste – saxophone
 * Steve Gregory – saxophone
 * Pepsi & Shirlie – background vocals

Certifications
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