The Edge of Heaven

{{Infobox song

| name = The Edge of Heaven

| cover = The Edge of Heaven.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Wham!

| album = The Final {{noitalic|and}} Music from the Edge of Heaven

| B-side = {{flatlist|

"Wham Rap '86" (UK)
"Blue (Live in China)" (various)
"Where Did Your Heart Go?" (Japan)
"Battlestations" (various)

}}

| released = {{start date|1986|6|9|df=y}}{{cite magazine|date=7 June 1986|title=New Singles|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1986/Music-Week-1986-06-07.pdf|magazine=Music Week|page=6|access-date=16 August 2024}}

| recorded = March 1986

| studio = Sarm West (London){{cite magazine |last=Buskin |first=Richard |date=March 2013 |title=Classic Tracks: George Michael 'Faith' |url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-george-michael-faith |magazine=Sound on Sound |access-date=22 January 2025}}

| genre =

Dance-pop
disco{{cite book |chapter= Wham!|last= Berger|first= Arion|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |year=2004 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |page= 868}}

| length = 4:34

| label = Epic

| writer = George Michael

| producer = George Michael

| prev_title = I'm Your Man

| prev_year = 1985

| next_title = Where Did Your Heart Go?

| next_year = 1986

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|cCqEyJc-wdk|"The Edge of Heaven"}}}}

}}

"The Edge of Heaven" is a song by English pop duo Wham!, released on Epic Records in 1986. It was written and produced by George Michael, one half of the duo, and was promoted in advance as Wham!'s farewell single.

History

With the known desire of George Michael to move into a more adult market, Wham! had announced in early 1986 that Michael and his musical partner Andrew Ridgeley would go their separate ways after a farewell single, album and concert. The album was called The Final and the concert was held in front of 72,000 fans at London's Wembley Stadium on 28 June 1986.{{cite web |url=http://www.tours.yogsbackyard.co.uk/home.php |title=Tours Menu |publisher=Tours.yogsbackyard.co.uk |access-date=30 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912030459/http://www.tours.yogsbackyard.co.uk/home.php |archive-date=12 September 2012 |df=dmy-all }}

Prior to the official release date of the single, the song had been performed during their 1985 Whamamerica! tour.[https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/wham/1985/veterans-stadium-philadelphia-pa-33dc2049.html Wham!] - Whamamerica! setlist 1985

The single, a five-minute tale of emotional and physical frustration within a relationship, featured a guest appearance by the duo's friend Elton John on piano. The song became Wham!'s fourth No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 463}} and their final US top-ten hit.

Michael said the lyrics to the song were "deliberately and overtly sexual, especially the first verse". The reason for this, he said, was he thought no one would care "because no one listens to a Wham! lyric. It had got to that stage."Bare by George Michael and Tony Parsons, Penguin Books, 1991, page 170 {{ISBN|0-14-013235-X}}

Epic released a double record set in the UK, with an updated version of Wham!'s early signature song "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)" on the flip of disc one, and two new songs—"Battlestations" and a cover of the Was (Not Was) song "Where Did Your Heart Go?"—on the flip-side of the second disc. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" was later given an equal billing and reached the UK Top 40 as a result.

In the United States, "The Edge of Heaven" was backed with a live version of "Blue" from Wham!'s tour of China. "Where Did Your Heart Go?" was released separately as the fourth and final single from Music from the Edge of Heaven (the shortened American version of The Final), and charted at number 50.

Reception

Cash Box said that "The live-wire, uptempo track moves along at a "Wake Me Up Before You GoGo" pace."{{cite magazine|title=Single Releases|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-06-28.pdf|date=28 June 1986|accessdate=2022-08-04|page=9}}

Music video

The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan and filmed at stage 1, Twickenham Film Studios on 5 June 1986.[https://books.google.com/books?id=tjEbaesdxpgC&q=music+video+the+edge+of+heaven+twickenham+wham! George Michael: the making of a superstar] - Bruce Dessau. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1989{{Citation |title=Wham! - The Edge of Heaven (Official Video) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCqEyJc-wdk |language=en |access-date=2022-05-01}} It features a performance in front of a crowd and is filmed in black and white.[http://www.george.michael.szm.com/Esection/E1986no1.html The Last Wham! Interview EVER] - "Number One" by Debbi Voller, 28 June 1986{{cite web|url=http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=29654|title=mvdbase.com - Wham! - "The edge of Heaven"|work=Music Video DataBase|last=Garcia|first=Alex S|access-date=31 October 2015}} It features a brief early appearance by Danny John-Jules, emerging from the audience to dance alongside Michael onstage, as well as appearances by David Austin on guitar and Deon Estus on bass.

Track listing

{{track listing

| all_writing = George Michael except where indicated

| headline = 7-inch: Epic / A FIN 1 (UK)

| title1 = The Edge of Heaven

| length1 = 4:37

| title2 = Wham Rap '86

| writer2 = G. Michael, A. Ridgeley

| length2 = 6:33

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 7-inch: Columbia / 38-06182 (US)

| title1 = The Edge of Heaven

| length1 = 4:37

| title2 = Blue

| note2 = Live in China

| length2 = 5:18

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 2×7-inch: Epic / FIN 1 (UK) – Limited edition double 7-inch pack

| title1 = The Edge of Heaven

| length1 = 4:37

| title2 = Wham Rap '86

| writer2 = G. Michael, A. Ridgeley

| length2 = 6:33

| title3 = Battlestations

| length3 = 5:25

| title4 = Where Did Your Heart Go?

| writer4 = D. Was, D. Was

| length4 = 5:43

}}

{{track listing

| headline = 12-inch: Epic / FIN T1 (UK)

| title1 = Battlestations

| length1 = 5:25

| title2 = Where Did Your Heart Go?

| writer2 = D. Was, D. Was

| length2 = 5:43

| title3 = The Edge of Heaven

| length3 = 4:37

| title4 = Wham Rap '86

| writer4 = G. Michael, A. Ridgeley

| length4 = 6:33

}}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book \| title = Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 \| author = David Kent \| isbn = 0-646-11917-6 \| year = 1993 \| publisher = Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. \| authorlink = David Kent (historian)}} \|2
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" \|+Weekly chart performance for "The Edge of Heaven" !Chart (1986) !Peak position
{{single chart\|Austria\|11\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Flanders\|1\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Bolivia (UPI){{cite magazine\|title=Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica\|magazine=La Opinión (Los Angeles)\|date=October 27, 1986\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6k5cAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15&dq=Las+canciones+m%C3%A1s+populares+en+Latinoam%C3%A9rica&article_id=1225,5846862&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiEjdfc8JeLAxXVHEQIHdhHKQ04FBDoAXoECAkQAw#v=onepage&q=Las%20canciones%20m%C3%A1s%20populares%20en%20Latinoam%C3%A9rica&f=false\|access-date=January 28, 2025\|via=Google Books}} \|4
{{single chart\|Canadatopsingles\|10\|chartid=0719\|accessdate=10 June 2022\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Europe (European Hot 100 Singles){{cite web\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-07-19.pdf\|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles\|work=Music & Media\|access-date=26 June 2021}} \|1
scope="row"\|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book \|url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=280\|first=Timo \|last=Pennanen \|year=2021 \|title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 \|section=Wham!\|page=280\|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava \|location=Helsinki\|access-date=9 June 2022}} \| 3
{{single chart\|France\|22\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Greece (Music & Media){{cite magazine\|title=Top 3 in Europe\|magazine=Music & Media\|date=13 September 1986\|volume=3\|issue=36\|page=18\|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-09-13.pdf\|oclc=29800226\|url-status=live\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308061524/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1986/M&M-1986-09-13.pdf\|archive-date=8 March 2021\|access-date=5 February 2022\|via=World Radio History}} \| 1
scope="row"\|Iceland (RÚV){{cite web\|url=http://www.ruv.is/persona/wham\|publisher=RÚV\|title= Wham! Chart History\| access-date=7 November 2018}} \|2
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|1\|artist=Wham!\|song=Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"\|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite web\|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php\|title=Classifiche\|work=Musica e dischi\|language=it}} Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Wham!". \|2
{{single chart\|Dutch40\|1\|year=1986\|week=28\|accessdate=31 December 2017\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Dutch100\|1\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Norway\|2\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|3\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Sweden\|10\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Switzerland\|4\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|UK\|1\|artist=Wham!\|date=19860628\|accessdate=10 June 2022\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|10\|artist=Wham!\|accessdate=24 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|Billboardadultcontemporary\|22\|artist=Wham!\|accessdate=24 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart\|West Germany\|4\|artist=Wham!\|song=The Edge of Heaven\|songid=1461\|accessdate=6 March 2016\|rowheader=true}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" \|+Year-end chart performance for "The Edge of Heaven" !Chart (1986) !Position
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine\|url=https://i.imgur.com/F7ais40.jpg\|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1986\|magazine=Kent Music Report\|issue=650\|date=December 1986\|via=Imgur\|access-date= 24 January 2023}} \|style="text-align:center;"\|57
scope="row"\|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web\|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1986\|title=Jaaroverzichten 1986\|publisher=Ultratop\|language=nl\|access-date=20 May 2020}} \|style="text-align:center;"\|11
{{singlechart\|Canadatopsingles\|92\|chartid=0760\|accessdate=10 June 2022\|rowheader=true\|refname="CANYE86"}}
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web\|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986\|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986\|publisher=Dutch Top 40\|language=nl\|access-date=20 May 2020}} \|style="text-align:center;"\|10
scope="row"\|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web\|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1986&cat=s\|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986\|website=dutchcharts.nl\|language=nl\|access-date=20 May 2020}} \|style="text-align:center;"\|17
scope="row"\|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web\|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1986\|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986\|website=hitparade.ch\|language=de\|access-date=20 May 2020}} \|style="text-align:center;"\|26
scope="row"\|West Germany (Media Control){{cite web\|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1986\|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1986\|publisher=GfK Entertainment\|language=de\|access-date=20 May 2020}} \|style="text-align:center;"\|33

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"

|+Year-end chart performance for "The Edge of Heaven"

!Chart (1986)

!Position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite magazine|url=https://i.imgur.com/F7ais40.jpg|title=National Top 100 Singles for 1986|magazine=Kent Music Report|issue=650|date=December 1986|via=Imgur|access-date= 24 January 2023}}

|style="text-align:center;"|57

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1986|title=Jaaroverzichten 1986|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=20 May 2020}}

|style="text-align:center;"|11

{{singlechart|Canadatopsingles|92|chartid=0760|accessdate=10 June 2022|rowheader=true|refname="CANYE86"}}

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1986|title=Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986|publisher=Dutch Top 40|language=nl|access-date=20 May 2020}}

|style="text-align:center;"|10

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1986&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1986|website=dutchcharts.nl|language=nl|access-date=20 May 2020}}

|style="text-align:center;"|17

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1986|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1986|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=20 May 2020}}

|style="text-align:center;"|26

scope="row"|West Germany (Media Control){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1986|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1986|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=20 May 2020}}

|style="text-align:center;"|33

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "The Edge of Heaven"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Wham!|title=The Edge of Heaven|award=Silver|relyear=1986|certyear=1986|id=6905-272-1|note=The Edge of Heaven/Where Did Your Heart Go|salesamount=519,894|salesref={{cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/analysis/read/george-michael-on-the-charts/067107|title=George Michael on the charts|date=11 January 2017|work=Music Week|publisher=Intent Media|accessdate=16 August 2024}}}}

References

External links

[{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t928073|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic.com entry for "The Edge of Heaven"]

Category:1985 songs

Category:1986 singles

Category:Black-and-white music videos

Category:Columbia Records singles

Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles

Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles

Category:Music videos directed by Andy Morahan

Category:Song recordings produced by George Michael

Category:Songs written by George Michael

Category:UK singles chart number-one singles

Category:Wham! songs