Careless Whisper

"Careless Whisper"
Song
B-side	"Careless Whisper" (Instrumental version)

"Careless Whisper"
Song

"Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by Wham!, released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song features a 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 twenty-five countries, selling about six million copies worldwide. It was Michael's first number one single as solo artist and ranks as one of the most successful songs of the 1980s. According to the United World Chart, the song is the 31st highest selling single of all time.

History

The song was first released as a solo George Michael single while he was part of the pop group Wham!. 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.

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. A mid-tempo ballad with a soulful production standard and a remarkable saxophone solo (played by Steve Gregory), the single 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, later going to the top of the charts in seventeen other countries, including the USA's Billboard Hot 100 in February 1985, although in the United States, it was credited as "Wham! featuring George Michael".

George Michael was still very much committed to Wham! and was quickly back at number one with the duo with the song "Freedom", before ending the year at the top as part of Band Aid, meaning that he had number one hits in 1984 as part of three different entities; as part of a duo, as a solo artist and as part of a charity ensemble.

Wham! split in 1986, two months after Michael released his second solo single, entitled "A Different Corner", which had again gone to number one in the UK. He went on to have a highly successful, controversial and multi award-winning solo career.

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. The title is actually from a line in the second verse: "Time can never mend the careless whispers of a good friend."

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.

Covers

In television

• The song was covered by Shayne Ward in British talent show The X Factor in 2005

• 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.

• In the sixth season of American Idol, top 24 contestant, Paul Kim, was eliminated after singing this song.

• In the Australian TV show Rockwiz it was done as a duet between Kate Miller Heidke and Paul Dempsey.

In others

• 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 Hideto Takarai aka Hyde (from L'Arc~En~Ciel fame) and the Taiwanese performer Teresa Teng.

• The Barenaked Ladies performed and recorded the song while on their 2007 "Ships and Dip" musical cruise.

• 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". [2]

• 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.

• 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.

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.

• In Mexico, Pedro Fernandez also has a Spanish cover version called "Absurda Confidencia."

• There is a hip-hop remix by Ken & Corey Gunz.

Pop Culture

• In Ecuador, the song's saxophone riff is often used as a reference to homosexual people; it was first used in the show known as Vivos.
• The song is featured on the video game Karaoke Revolution Volume 3.
• 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.

Track listings

7" single

1. "Careless Whisper" – 5:04
2. "Careless Whisper (Instrumental)" – 5:02

12" maxi

1. "Careless Whisper (Extended Mix)" – 6:23
2. "Careless Whisper (Special Version)" – 5:34
3. "Careless Whisper (Instrumental)" – 4:52

Credits

• Bass - Deon Estus
• Drums - Trevor Morrell
• Guitar - Hugh Burns
• Keyboards - Chris Cameron
• Percussion - Danny Cummings
• Photography - Tony McGee
• Producer, Arranged By - George Michael
• Written-By - Andrew Ridgeley , George Michael

Certifications and sales

Country	Certification	Date	Sales certified	Shipments/sales
Canada	Platinum	June 1, 1985	100,000
France	Silver	1985	200,000	585,000
UK	3 x Platinum
Japan				204,000
U.S.	Platinum	May 5, 1992	1,000,000

Charts

Chart (1984)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	1
Austrian Singles Chart	2
Canadian Singles Chart	1
Canadian RPM magazine charts	1
Dutch Top 40 Singles Chart	1
French SNEP Singles Chart	3
Germany Singles Chart	3
Irish Singles Chart	1
Israeli Singles Chart	3
Italian Singles Chart	1
Japanese Oricon Singles Chart	1
Japanese Oricon International Chart	1
Jordanian Singles Chart	1
Lebanese Singles Chart	1
Norwegian Singles Chart	2
Swedish Singles Chart	2
Swiss Singles Chart	1
UK Singles Chart	1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	1
U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40	1

External links

• Wham's "Careless Whisper" music video