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"Careless Whisper"
Single by George Michael
from the album Make It Big
B-side	"Careless Whisper" (Instrumental version)
Released	July 24, 1984 (1984-07-24) (U.K.) February 1, 1985 (1985-02-01) (U.S.)
Format	12" maxi 7" single
Recorded	1984
Genre	Pop, R&B
Length	5:04 (Single Version) 6:30 (Album version)
Label	Columbia Records
Writer(s)	George Michael Andrew Ridgeley
Producer	George Michael
Certification	Platinum (RIAA, BPI)
Wham! singles (USA) chronology
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1984) "Careless Whisper" (1984) "Freedom" (1984)
Make It Big track listing "Credit Card Baby" (7) "Careless Whisper" (8) — Twenty Five track listing "An Easier Affair" (15) (Disc 1) "Careless Whisper" (1) "Last Christmas" (2) Alternate covers USA 7-Inch single cover Audio sample file info · help

"Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael (credited to Wham! featuring George Michael in the USA), released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time (the song is included on Wham!'s album Make it Big). The song features a prominent saxophone riff, and has been covered by a number of artists since its first release. It was released as a single and became a huge commercial success on both sides of the Atlantic. It reached number one in nearly 25 countries, selling about six million copies worldwide.

History

Unlike all the Wham! singles (except "Wham Rap!"), it was co-written by Andrew Ridgeley, the other member of the duo. The two had written it together as unknowns three years earlier, when Michael was working as a cinema usher in Watford, England. In a June 2006 interview on London radio station Magic 105.4, Michael said that he wrote it "in his head" during work and that he recalls coming up with the saxophone riff whilst boarding a number 32 bus on the way home. Originally the riff had words, but Michael declined to state them, saying that they were very poor lyrics.^{[citation needed]}

The song went through at least two rounds of production. The first was during a trip Michael made to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he went to work with the legendary producer Jerry Wexler at the venerable Muscle Shoals Studio. Michael was unhappy with the version that was originally produced and decided to re-record and produce the song himself, this time coming up with the version that was finally released. The version Wexler produced did, however, see the light of day, but only later on, as a (4:41) B-side "Special Version" on 12", released in England.

The officially released single, a mid-tempo ballad with soulful production and a remarkable saxophone solo by Steve Gregory, was issued in August 1984, entering the UK singles chart at number twelve. Within two weeks, it was at number one, ending a nine-week run at the top for "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It stayed at number one for three weeks, going on to become the fifth best-selling single of 1984 in the United Kingdom; it was outsold only by the two Frankie Goes to Hollywood tracks "Two Tribes" and "Relax," Stevie Wonder with "I Just Called to Say I Love You" and Band Aid with "Do They Know It's Christmas." The song also topped the charts in 17 other countries, including the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in February 1985 under the credit "Wham! featuring George Michael"; spending three weeks at the top in America, the song was later named Billboard's number-one song of 1985.

In a 2006 poll for a programme Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs, "Careless Whisper" was voted sixth.

Music video

The music video shows the guilt felt by a man over an affair, and his acknowledgement that his partner was always going to find out. It was taped on location in Miami during June 1984 and features such locales as Coconut Grove and Watson Island. However, it does not give credit to the young women (among others Lisa Stahl^[1][2]) who also starred in the video.

Live performances

"Careless Whisper" was generally the closing act for concerts on the 25 Live tour, and less often in the Faith Tour concerts, usually performed live in many concerts tours like the Cover To Cover Tour and the Rock In Rio Tour. George Michael would often perform "Careless Whisper" with an extended version of the ending, which is apparently his preferred version.

Cover versions

Recorded

• A hi-NRG/eurodance cover of the song by Sarah Washington was released through Almighty Records in 1993.
• A cover version of "Careless Whisper" by Tamia appears on her debut self-titled album, Tamia. A second recording by Tamia appeared on the soundtrack album to the 1998 movie A Night at the Roxbury.
• Israeli singer David D'Or covered the song in a January 2005 clubby, English electronic house vinyl 12" single on the 3 Lanka and Hed Arzi labels, produced and mixed by DJ Amiad, with remixes by Future Funk and Michi Lange. [4]^[3] The track attracted international interest.^[3]
• A version by Willy Mason appears on the 2007 compilation album, The Saturday Sessions: The Dermot O'Leary Show.
• Gossip covered the song in 2007 for the album Radio 1 Established 1967, a collection of covers recorded for the 40th year anniversary of BBC Radio 1.
• Quebec City acoustic cover band The Lost Fingers recorded a cover of the song for their 2008 album Lost In The 80s.
• Irish singer Edward J. Valentine released a version that reached number 47 for 1 week in the Irish music charts in 2008. Mike Mulvihill of "The Power Hour" hailed it as "a song that defines this generation" and that this cover was "unrivalled". [5]
• American crunk pop band 3OH!3 covered this song with Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low and Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter.
• Seether covered the song in 2009. It was released as a single on February 9, 2009. Their version has reached #63 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the top five on Mainstream and Modern Rock charts and the combined Rock Songs chart. In his review for Billboard, Bram Teitelman said, "the song is a mostly faithful take on the original, with guitars subbing for the saxophone intro before greeting a Staind-meets-Nickelback grunge dynamic. Younger rock fans who don't know George Michael from Boy George will love the song".^[4]
• In Mexico, Pedro Fernández also has a Spanish cover version called "Absurda Confidencia."

The song has been covered by many other artists, including 2Play (2005), Bananarama (2001) on Exotica album, Brian McKnight (2007), Kenny G featuring McKnight (2004) for Kenny's At Last...The Duets Album, Boston Pops Orchestra composed by John Williams, Columbia Ballroom Orchestra (1994), Dave Koz featuring R&B artist Montell Jordan taking the vocal lead (1999) on the album The Dance, David & the High Spirit (2003), Del (2004), Delight (2001)^[5], DJ Irene (2003), Farhad Besharati (2006), George Michael (1998), Gloria Gaynor, Harlemm Lee (2003), Hit Crew (2006), James Douglas (2003), Julio Iglesias (2006), Jordan Knight (2006), Katelyn Tarver (2006), Kenny G (2004), Kymeria (2005), Paul Mauriat, Richard Clayderman (2004) in an instrumental version, Richard Clayderman and James Last, Roger Williams, Roxy Pain (2007), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1998), Sarah Washington, The Sax Brothers (2003), Simion Luca (1998), Skip Martin (2006), Slinkee Minx (2004) [side A on "Closer" single], The Shadows (2006), Barry Manilow (2008) Tereza Kerndlovaand 3!Oh3 Ft : Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter & Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low

Live cover performances

• The song was covered by Shayne Ward in British talent show The X Factor in 2005 and by Danyl Johnson in 2009.
• In the first season of Singapore Idol, the song was sung by Patrick Khoo, who literally whispered it. He did not pass the audition.
• In the fourth season of Canadian Idol, the song was sung by runner up Craig Sharpe of Upper Island Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador. Zach Werner, one of the Canadian Idol judges, has noted Craig's vocal similarity to George Michael on numerous occasions.
• The song has been performed twice on American Idol, by Jamar in Season 1 and Paul Kim in Season 6.
• In the Australian TV show Rockwiz it was done as a duet between Kate Miller Heidke and Paul Dempsey.
• The song was later covered by Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright in several 2004 live performances.
• The Gossip recently performed a cover of "Careless Whisper" on the UK's Radio 1 Live Lounge, which they began with a verse from Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone"
• It has also been covered live by the Japanese rock singer Hyde (from L'Arc-en-Ciel fame) and the Taiwanese performer Teresa Teng.
• Barenaked Ladies performed and recorded the song while on their 2007 "Ships and Dip" musical cruise. They also recorded a live performanced of the song, which was released to their fan club.
• In an acoustic concert in Shanghai (March 13, 2008), Incubus covered the song. Brandon Boyd sang a portion of the song, accompanied by temporary bassist Mike Einziger (Mike played bass for several songs, not all). Ben Kenney was absent from the show, as he was recuperating from an upset stomach.
• Singer Drew Stevyns performed Seether's cover of this song on the fourth season of America's Got Talent.
• The X Factor contestant Danyl Johnson covered this song, getting positive reviews from the judges.
• My Morning Jacket covered this song during their 2006 New Year's Eve show at The Fillmore in San Francisco.

Appearances in other media

• In the episode "The Great Eekscape" of Eek The Cat, Bill Clinton played a sample of the song with his saxophone when Sharky went to the White House.
• The song is featured on the video games Karaoke Revolution Volume 3 and Singstar.
• Degrassi: The Next Generation, which is known for naming its episodes after songs from the 1980s, has an episode named after this song. In it, a character is beginning to question his heterosexuality.
• Jesse: In an episode, Jesse comments on Diego's dancing with "I guess guilty feet really ain't got no rhythm", referring to a line from this song.
• The song is featured in the 2000 Miss Universe Evening Gown Competition.
• In the seventh season of Friends, Chandler's ex-girlfriend Janice has invited herself to the wedding of Chandler and Monica, unaware that she is an unwanted guest. Janice asks the couple what song they would like her to sing at the wedding, Lady in Red or Careless Whisper.
• In the Philippines, this song gained notoriety after a home-made video, showing celebrities Dr. Hayden Kho and Katrina Halili singing this song and dancing scantily clad, was uploaded to Youtube.
• Tatum O'Neal and Nick Kosovich danced a Rumba in Season 2 of Dancing with the Stars

Track listings

7" single

1. "Careless Whisper" — 5:04
2. "Careless Whisper" (instrumental) — 5:02

12" maxi

1. "Careless Whisper" (album version) — 6:30
2. "Careless Whisper" (special version) — 5:34
3. "Careless Whisper" (instrumental) — 4:52

Personnel

• Saxophone - Steve Gregory
• Bass - Deon Estus
• Drums - Trevor Morrell
• Guitar - Hugh Burns
• Keyboards - Chris Cameron
• Percussion - Danny Cummings
• Photography - Tony McGee
• Producer/Arranger - George Michael
• Composer - Andrew Ridgeley , George Michael

Certifications and sales

Charts

References

External links

• Wham's "Careless Whisper" music video