From all of us here at CME, Happy Holidays! This Full Band Friday, while everyone else is “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” to Brenda Lee’s Christmas classic, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts for the first time in 2023, the CME House Band is getting festive by throwing it back to “Last Christmas”—well, actually, Christmas a few years back in 2021—when Wham!’s Christmas earworm finally inched it’s way up to No. 1 for the first time since it’s 1984 release! (Good luck getting this one out of your head!)
If you like this Full Band Fridays let us know in the comments and of course
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DID YOU KNOW?
The song was recorded in August 1984, at Advision Studios, London, England. George Michael wrote, performed, produced and played every single instrument on the track. With a LinnDrum drum machine, a Roland Juno-60 synth and sleigh bells, they began recording the song in the summer, Michael having "plastered [the studio] in Christmas decorations to set the mood". The only other people in the studio were engineer Chris Porter and two assistants, Paul Gommersal and Richard Moakes. According to Porter, lyrically "you've got the happiness of the rhythm track, but against that you've got the sadness of the unrequited love".
Full Band Fridays Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdJNAByAv7xP7kydkcIybad89zTknySi9
Gear Used:
Fender CS Limited Edition Roasted 1961 Strat Super Heavy Relic RW Sunburst
Fender Chris Stapleton Signature '62 Princeton
Walrus Audio Julia Analog Chorus/Vibrato V2
Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-112
Fender Custom Shop 1960 Jazz Bass Heavy Relic Super Dirty/Super Aged Dakota Red
Aguilar TLC Compressor
Aguilar Chorusaurus V2 Bass Chorus Pedal
Roland Jupiter-X 61-key Synthesizer
Gretsch Renown Maple 12/14/16/22
C&C 6.5 x 14 Maple/Gum Duco Snare
Zildjian K 15" Fat Hats
Zildjian K 18" Paper Thin Crash
Zildjian Armand 21" Ride
Recording Gear Used:
Universal Audio Apollo 8p
Universal Audio Apollo x8p
AEA R88 MkII Stereo Ribbon Microphone
Shure Beta 52A Supercardioid Dynamic Kick Drum Microphone
AEA N22 Active Ribbon Microphone
Shure SM57
Shure SM58
Songs Played:
00:00-05:11 "Last Christmas" Wham!
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Lyrics:
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Happy Christmas, I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying "I love you", I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Ooh
Oh, oh, baby
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice
My God, I thought you were someone to rely on
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover, but you tore me apart
Oh, oh now I've found a real love
You'll never fool me again
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special, special
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Special
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart (I gave you mine)
A man under cover but you tore him apart
Maybe next year I'll give it to someone
I'll give it to someone special
Special
So long