Watch incredible moment George Michael teases ‘Last Christmas’ in previously unseen footage
12 December 2024, 15:17
‘Last Christmas’ was released in December 1984, but George teased its chorus while recording for Band Aid in November.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
2024 marks the anniversary of two of the world’s most famous Christmas singles, ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham! and Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’.
To celebrate both song’s anniversaries, both Andrew Ridgeley and Bob Geldof have been sharing many previously unknown tidbits of information about the making of their famous songs.
- The Story of... 'Last Christmas' by Wham! - as told by Andrew Ridgeley
- Bob Geldof reminisces about Band Aid 1984 and addresses Ed Sheeran comments: 'We'll work it out'
- Watch Wham!'s Andrew Ridgeley switch on Christmas on Smooth!
With both songs linked by George Michael as well as their year of release, it’s perhaps unsurprising that there has been some crossover in the new information which has been revealed over the last month.
The secrets of Wham's Last Christmas music video explained!
One exciting example comes from the screening of over an hour of previously unreleased behind-the-scenes footage from the ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ recording session, in which George teased the ‘Last Christmas’ almost a month prior to its release.
First shown on BBC Four, the Making of The Original ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ documentary is also available to watch in full on Live Aid’s YouTube channel.
- How George Michael transformed Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' with one note
- When George Michael secretly donated all royalties from 'Jesus to a Child' to ChildLine
In the new footage, George can be seen arriving at London’s Sam West Studios ready to record his lines for the famous charity single.
Bob Geldof reminisces about Band Aid 40 years on and addresses Ed Sheeran comments
Still somewhat shy after his and Andrew Ridgeley’s rise to pop stardom, after arriving for the recording George can be seen in the documentary telling Bob Geldof’s then-wife Paula Yates that he “always gets really shy when there’s loads and loads of other pop stars about.
- Bob Geldof facts: Singer's children, age and Live Aid concerts
- Wham's Andrew Ridgeley talks about hearing the 'Last Christmas' for the first time
“I just tend to clam up,” he explained, before joking: “But it’s been good, and no one’s come up and attacked me verbally yet or anything!”
George begins singing ‘Last Christmas’ to Paula just before the 30-minute mark.
He offered to tease the track to her after describing ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ as “really catchy” and therefore “a major threat” to Wham!’s own Christmas number one hopes with ‘Last Christmas’.
Band Aid - The Making Of The Original 'Do They Know It's Christmas?’ (New Documentary, 2024) [4K]
‘Last Christmas’ of course was famously beaten to Christmas number one by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure’s charity track, and shockingly only finally made it to the coveted top spot last year, 39 years after it was first released.
- Every Christmas number one single ever, ranked from worst to best
- George Michael fans launch new campaign to get 'Last Christmas' 2019's Christmas number one
But it sounds as if George would have been okay with the outcome of only second place in the 1984 Christmas charts, as he told Paula on Band Aid recording day that if Wham! Had beaten 'Do They Know It's Christmas', he’d have felt bad for depriving the charity of pole position.
“I don’t mind which gets it,” he added at the end of the interview. “Hopefully we’ll all get a bash!”
