I'm Your Man (Wham! song)

Last updated

"I'm Your Man"
I'm Your Man.jpg
UK 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl picture sleeve (also used for most international releases)
Single by Wham!
from the album Music from the Edge of Heaven and The Final
B-side "Do It Right"
Released11 November 1985 [1]
Recorded1985
Genre
Length
  • 6:10 (album version)
  • 4:05 (single, video version)
Label
Songwriter(s) George Michael
Producer(s) George Michael
Wham! singles chronology
"Last Christmas" / "Everything She Wants"
(1984)
"I'm Your Man"
(1985)
"The Edge of Heaven"
(1986)
Music video
"I'm Your Man" on YouTube

"I'm Your Man" is a song by British pop duo Wham!, released in 1985 on Epic Records in the UK and most of the world, and Columbia Records in the US. It was written and produced by George Michael.

Contents

Background and writing

"I'm Your Man", according to Michael, was "pretty different to anything [Wham! has] ever done". According to Michael:

"'I'm Your Man' was written very quickly. The whole of the first verse and chorus came to me in five minutes on an internal flight in America [during the Whamamerica! tour]. [3]

History

"I'm Your Man" became Wham!'s third number one on the UK Singles Chart, [4] but did not feature on a studio album, and was essentially an isolated single which was only followed up by a re-issue of the previous year's Christmas hit, "Last Christmas". Already the signs were there that George, now bearded, was ready to move his career into an adult market. The song also reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, prevented from further chart movement by Rocky IV soundtrack single "Burning Heart" by Survivor and "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne and Friends. [5]

Within six months of "I'm Your Man", Wham! had announced their split. They had a fourth and final number one and released a farewell album, prior to a concert at Wembley Stadium, at which "I'm Your Man" was the last song Michael performed with partner Andrew Ridgeley.

An extended mix of the song was released on Wham!'s 1986 album Music from the Edge of Heaven (the U.S. version of their final album The Final ).

In 1996, the song was re-recorded by Michael in a funkier style. It appeared, credited to Michael solo, as a B-side on the "Fastlove" CD single (also being interpolated into an extended mix of "Fastlove") and, credited to Wham!, on The Best of Wham!: If You Were There... .

In 2012, comedian John Bishop mimed and danced to the song along with a "Mini Me" version of himself at the end of his tour DVD Rollercoaster.

Reception

Cash Box said that it "continues to show the group’s indebtedness to Motown grooves and girl group vocal arrangements." [6] Billboard agreed that it has Motown influence and is "handled with affection and accuracy." [7]

Music video

The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan. [8] The video is presented in black and white, set in the London club Marquee where Wham! are performing the song. An extended intro and outro has George and Andrew trying without success to sell tickets to passersby. George makes a phone call to his agent Simon Napier-Bell, complaining about having to sing at the Marquee. He is heard saying "Simon, don't cry" and finally hangs up on him with the words "we got a gig to play goodbye". During the video, film countdown numbers flash up at times, making the numbers 69 and 66. It also shows "SEX" in the countdown.

Track listing

All tracks are written by George Michael

7-inch: Epic / A 6716 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."I'm Your Man"4:05
2."Do It Right"4:05
12-inch: Epic / TA 6716 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."I'm Your Man" (Extended Stimulation)6:53
2."Do It Right"4:05
3."I'm Your Man" (A Cappella)4:17

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "I'm Your Man"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [41] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Lisa Moorish version

"I'm Your Man"
Single by Lisa Moorish
from the album I've Gotta Have It All
Released18 August 1995
Studio Sarm West (London) [43]
Genre Dance
Length3:48
Label Go! Discs
Songwriter(s) George Michael
Producer(s) Jon Douglas
Lisa Moorish singles chronology
"Just the Way It Is"
(1995)
"I'm Your Man"
(1995)
"Mr Friday Night"
(1995)

In 1995, Lisa Moorish covered "I'm Your Man" for her album I've Gotta Have It All, with Michael providing background vocals. Just like "Mr Friday Night", the cover was also a moderate success on the UK charts.

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "I'm Your Man"
Chart (1995)Peak
position
Europe (European Dance Radio) [44] 12
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [45] 49
UK Singles (OCC) [46] 24

Shane Richie version

"I'm Your Man"
Shane Richie I'm Your Man.JPG
Single by Shane Richie
Released24 November 2003 (2003-11-24) [47]
Length3:37
Label BMG
Songwriter(s) George Michael
Producer(s) Absolute

In 2003, actor and EastEnders star Shane Richie also covered the song as a fundraising single for the BBC charity Children in Need . Produced by Absolute, Richie's version of the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.

Track listings

UK CD single [48]

  1. "I'm Your Man" – 3:37
  2. "I'm Your Man" (Shanghai Surprize's East End Pop Mix) – 6:37
  3. "I'm Your Man" (video) – 3:37
  4. "The Making of the Video" – 1:59

UK DVD single [49]

  1. "I'm Your Man" (video)
  2. "I'm Your Man" (karaoke)
  3. "The Making of the Video"

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "I'm Your Man"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [56] Silver200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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