80s Christmas songs

80s Song of the Day: Last Christmas by Wham!

/ Janet / Leave a comment

Last Christmas by Wham! was released on December 10, 1984, on a double-A side with the single Everything She Wants, from the Make It Big album. Two years after its release as a single, Last Christmas appeared on two Wham! album releases – The Final, a compilation album released in the United Kingdom; and Music from the Edge of Heaven, considered the duo’s third studio album, released in North America and Japan.

In the United Kingdom, Last Christmas reached No. 2 on the UK Singles chart, behind Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? to which George Michael contributed vocals. Wham! donated all of their Last Christmas/Everything She Wants royalties to famine in Ethiopia, which sales of Do They Know It’s Christmas? benefited as well.

Last Christmas is the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach No. 1.

 

 

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Ultimate 80s Christmas Grooves Mixtape: Side A

/ Janet / 1 Comment

We’re feeling festive here at Eighties Grooves, and what better way to get into the holiday spirit than with Christmas songs from our favorite decade? So grab a pair of leg warmers and a cup of hot chocolate, and check out side A of the Ultimate 80s Christmas Grooves mixtape.

1. Christmas Time by Bryan Adams

christmas-time

Christmas Time by Bryan Adams is one of my favorites from the 1980s. The single was released on clear, green vinyl in 1985, with Reggae Christmas as the B side – another great 80s Christmas song. If we’re strictly going by music videos, you can’t beat the one for Reggae Christmas, filmed in the MTV studios with special guest Pee-Wee Herman.

2. Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid

What can I say about the gold standard, be-all end-all of 80s Christmas songs? This song meant so much to me that I still remember buying the 12″ version in Sam Goody while Christmas shopping with my mom at the local mall – and I still have that same record I bought 32 years ago. I also still remember the excitement of watching the song’s music video and seeing footage of all my favorite artists arriving to record the song together.

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