Last Christmas – Wham! – 1984

Although I would not consider myself a great fan of his, I respected George Michael as an artist and performer. When we lost him this time last year, the legacy of Last Christmas instantly became bittersweet. Twelve months on, and the festive classic by Wham! feels even more poignant. If anything, the song is even bigger now than it ever was.

Although billed as a Wham! track, Last Christmas feels as much of a solo George Michael effort as any of the stuff he did once the group went their separate ways. It seems as though Andrew Ridgeley is just along for the paycheck and the night in the ski lodge.

It’s really Michael’s vocals and the sincerity of his delivery that prevents Last Christmas from descending into schmaltz, because the track (and the accompanying video) is so thick with syrup that it could rot your teeth after a single listen. But what’s a seasonal song without the need for a bucket?