Young Guns (Go For It)

7" : Innervision IVL A2766

12" : Innervision IVL 13 2766

CHARTED : 16 OCT 1982

HIGHEST CHART POSITION : 3

Number of Weeks : 17

FRONT COVER

"There's somethin' 'bout that boy I don't like"

Hitting the shops in September, Young Guns (Go For It) made the Top 75 in mid October, and rose to #48 the next week, before slipping back down to #52.

Then the BBC music programme Top Of The Pops 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 artists 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. 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, who "acted" the part of the teenage bridegroom-in-waiting. They were flanked by backing singers Dee C.Lee and Shirlie Holliman.
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.
The song was the first of four socially and politically motivated hits from Wham!'s debut album Fantastic. The backing vocals on the single had an American accent, as George explained : "I just think white rap voices sound stupid. If I did it any other way, it would sound like a Barron Knights record. We're trying to be satiric, not comic".
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, it has been mistakenly thought that the line is "abortion pays".

7" single

A. Young Guns (Go For It !) — 3:40

B. Going For It ! — 4:49

12" maxi

A. Young Guns (Go For It !) (extended version) — 5:10
B. Going For It ! — 4:50

12" maxi (U.S)

A. Young Guns (Go For It !) (extended version) — 6:53
B. Wham! Rap (Enjoy What You Do) — 6:35 

Lead vocal : George Michael

Drums : Graham Broad

Bass : Brad Lang

Guitars : Robert Ahwai / Andrew Ridgeley

Keyboards : Anne Dudley

Percussion : Louis Jardin

Horns : A. Mackintosh / J. Healey / B. Ezard

Backing vocals : Linda Hayes / Josie James / D.C. Lee / Shirley Holliman

12" FRONT COVER (U.K)

12" BACK COVER (U.K)

12" FRONT COVER (U.S)

12" BACK COVER (U.S)

7" FRONT COVER (JAPAN)

7" BACK COVER (JAPAN)

YOUNG GUNS (GO FOR IT)

(George Michael)

Produced by Steve Brown / George Michael

Hey sucker (what the hell's got into you ?)

Hey sucker (now there's nothing you can do)

Well I hadn't seen your face around town awhile

So I greeted you, with a knowing smile

When I saw that girl upon your arm

I knew she won your heart with a fatal charm

I said "Soul Boy, let's hit the town !"

I said "Soul Boy, what's with the frown ?"

But in return, all you could say was

"Hi George, meet my fiancee"

Young Guns having some fun

Crazy ladies keep 'em on the run

Wise guys realize there's danger in emotional ties

See me, single and free

No tears, no fears, what I want to be

One, two, take a look at you

Death by matrimony!

Hey sucker (what the hell's got into you ?)

Hey sucker (now there's nothing you can do)

A married man? You're out of your head

Sleepless nights, on an H.P. bed

A daddy by the time you're twenty-one

If your happy with a nappy then you're in for fun

But you're here

And you're there

Well there's guys like you just everywhere

Looking back on the good old days ?

Well this young gun says CAUTION PAYS !

I remember when he such fun and everthing was fine

I remember when we use to have a good time

Partners in crime

Tell me that's all in the past and I will gladly walk away

Tell me that you're happy now

Turning my back

Nothing to say !

"Hey tell this jerk to take a hike

There's somethin' 'bout that boy I don't like"

"Well sugar he don't mean the things he said"

"Just get him outta my way, 'cause I'm seeing red

We got plans to make, we got things to buy

And you're wasting time on some creepy guy"

"Hey shut up chick, that's a friend of mine,

Just watch your mouth babe, you're out of line"

OoooooH !

GET BACK

HANDS OFF

GO FOR IT !