Peak
1
Weeks
20
Score
3,698
Chart Year
1985
Like most Wham! songs, this was written by George Michael. He told ASCAP in Action in 1985: "It's the only song I've written that successfully came from a backing track first." He went on to explain that he wrote the drum pattern and found a synthesizer that he liked one night, and then the following morning he wrote the vocal part in his hotel room. "Because it was thrown together that way, I never looked at it as a single 'til everybody started saying it was great," said Michael. Wham! was known for lightweight pop, but this song has a serious theme, which foreshadowed George Michael's solo work. He explained the meaning of the song to Dick Clark on his syndicated radio countdown show. Said Michael: "It's a lyric about a man who is six or eight months into a marriage which obviously isn't going well. He's faced with the 'happy' news of an arriving baby. So he's in that situation where he can't back out. (The song) talks about the situation (in which) many men find themselves, working really hard to support a family… and see it as a kind of trap. It's a situation I've seen. It's not the kind of thing I usually write about. Our lyrics are usually a lot closer to the kind of pop lightweight lyric we enjoy, but it's a departure, and I think it worked." When this song topped the Hot 100, Wham! became the first group since the Bee Gees to have three #1 singles from the same album. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Careless Whisper" were the previous chart-toppers from Make It Big. While George Michael dismissed much of Wham's material once he began his solo career, he remained proud of this song. Along with "I'm Your Man," it was one of two songs from Wham's repertoire that he continued to perform on solo tours. He later referred to it as his favorite Wham! song. >> This was used in the 2020 miniseries I Know This Much Is True in the first episode "One." It also appeared in the TV shows Private Practice ("A Step Too Far" - 2011) and Everybody Hates Chris ("Everybody Hates Bad Boys" - 2008).
Somebody told me Boy everything she wants is everything she sees I guess I must have loved you Because I said you were the perfect girl for me, baby And now we're six months older And everything you want and everything you see Is out of reach not good enough I don't know what the hell you want from me [Chorus] Somebody tell me (won't you tell me) Why I work so hard for you (To give you money, work to give you money) Some people work for a living Some people work for fun Girl I just work for you They told me marriage was give and take Well you've shown me you can take You've got some giving to do And now you tell me that your having my baby I'll tell you that I'm happy if you want me to But one step further and my back will break If my best isn't good enough Then how can it be good enough for two I can't work any harder than I do [Chorus] Oh why do I do the things I do I'd tell you if I knew My God, I don't even think that I love you (Won't you tell me) (To give you money, work to give you money) How could you settle For a boy like me When all I could see Was the end of the week All the things we sign And the things we buy Ain't gonna keep us together It's just a matter of time My situation Never changes Walking in and out of that door Like a stranger For the wages I give you all You say you want more And all I could see Was the end of the week All the things we sign And the things we buy Ain't gonna keep us together Girl it's just a matter of time [Chorus: x2] Somebody tell me
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 23, 1985 | 60 | 66 |
| 2 | Mar 30, 1985 | 46 | 80 |
| 3 | Apr 6, 1985 | 38 | 88 |
| 4 | Apr 13, 1985 | 30 | 96 |
| 5 | Apr 20, 1985 | 19 | 107 |
| 6 | Apr 27, 1985 | 16 | 110 |
| 7 | May 4, 1985 | 11 | 115 |
| 8 | May 11, 1985 | 8 | 118 |
| 9 | May 18, 1985 | 4 | 122 |
| 10 | May 25, 1985 | 1 | 125 |
| 11 | Jun 1, 1985 | 1 | 125 |
| 12 | Jun 8, 1985 | 2 | 124 |
| 13 | Jun 15, 1985 | 8 | 118 |
| 14 | Jun 22, 1985 | 13 | 113 |
| 15 | Jun 29, 1985 | 21 | 105 |
| 16 | Jul 6, 1985 | 39 | 87 |
| 17 | Jul 13, 1985 | 48 | 78 |
| 18 | Jul 20, 1985 | 67 | 59 |
| 19 | Jul 27, 1985 | 75 | 51 |
| 20 | Aug 3, 1985 | 94 | 32 |