WHAM ! (Enjoy What You Do): Bad Boys

7" : Innervision A 3143

12" : Innervision TA 3143
7" Picture Disc : Innervision WA 3143

CHARTED : 14 MAY 83

HIGHEST CHART POSITION : 2

Number of Weeks : 15

FRONT COVER

Photography Chris Craymer / Artwork Stylo Rouge

"I'm big enough to break down the door"

Bad Boys was an energetic but endearing tale of a rebellious teenage lad's struggle against his parents who are concerned about his late-night activities. Although George wrote and sang it from the teenager's perspective (he was himself only 19 when he composed it and the character refers to being that age in the song), he also penned a middle eight in which the "parents" (George putting on more "adult" voices) aired their concerns, which included late nights and cigarettes and ultimately asking "Why do you have to be so cruel ?"

It was the third single to be taken from Wham!'s debut album, Fantastic, and reached #2 in the UK singles chart, going on to become the 26th best selling single of 1983. At the time, Wham! was projecting a hard, politically-motivated image, with Bad Boys one of a number of songs projecting a stance of mood and youthful independence. The single was also released in the United States, peaking at #60. It was the duo's first time on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, although they were listed as Wham!-UK.

Bad Boys became the biggest hit from the debut album, although it would be usurped by Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go from the album Make It Big in 1984, which became the first of four UK #1 singles the duo would enjoy. George quickly denounced Bad Boys as a song he hated, stating it was "like an albatross round my neck". The song was famously omitted from the 1997 compilation album If You Were There (The Best of Wham), despite the album including tracks that weren't even released as singles.