Young Guns (Go for It)

Single infobox |
Name = Young Guns (Go For It!)


Artist = Wham!
from Album = Fantastic
Released = 1982
Format = 12", 7"
Recorded = 1982
Genre = Pop
Length = 5:11
Label = Innervision Records
Producer = Steve Brown, George Michael
Chart position =

• #3 (UK Singles Chart)
  Last single = -
  This single = "Young Guns (Go For It!)" (1982)
  Next single = "Wham! Rap" (1983)

  "Young Guns (Go For It!)" was a song by British pop duo Wham! which was released in 1982 on Innervision Records. It was written by George Michael, one half of the duo.

  The song was Wham!'s first hit, although it came with some help from the BBC music programme "Top Of The Pops", which invited Wham! on to the show as a last-minute replacement for another act which had pulled out. Wham! were just outside the Top 40 threshold of the UK singles chart at the time, which meant they had not climbed high enough in normal circumstances to get on the show, but they were recruited nonetheless as the highest-placed artistes still climbing the charts from outside the 40.

  Wham!, who opened the show, were complete unknowns when they were introduced, and became a national phenomenon immediately after, as much for George's appearance and the choreography as for the song itself. "Young Guns (Go For It)" entered the chart at #24 the following week, and eventually peaked at #3 in November 1982.

  George wrote the song about a teenage lad's worry that his best friend was getting too committed to a girl when he should have been enjoying his youth and the single life. It featured a middle eight aside in which the girl conversely tried to get her boyfriend to ditch the best friend, prompting a vocal battle, akin to a tug of war, between the girlfriend and the best friend which prompted the "go for it!" aspect of the song, as featured in the title.

  On "Top Of The Pops", Wham!'s highly-choreographed and energetic performance - made possible because artists mimed to their recordings - became one of the most memorable in the show's long history. George mimed the vocals to his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgely, who "acted" the part of the teenage bridegroom-in-waiting. They were flanked by backing singers Pepsi and Shirlie.

  The song was the first of four socially and politically motivated hits from Wham!'s debut album "Fantastic!". They went on to dominate the UK charts and have four #1 hits, before splitting at their height in 1986.

  One of the most talked about lines in the song is the spoken line "Caution pays". Since the line is played at a lower speed than originally recorded, most people have mistakenly thought that the line is "Abortion pays", which, ironically, would have fitted in with the overall theme of the song.

  Track listing

  7": Innervision / IVL A 2776 (UK)

  # "Young Guns (Go for It)" (3:40)
  # "Going for It" (3:40)

  12": Innervision / IVL A 13 2776 (UK)

  # "Young Guns (Go for It) [12" Version] " (5:10)
  # "Going for It" (3:40)

  * "Going for It" is an instrumental version of "Young Guns (Go for It)"

  Chart performance