Jump to content

Careless Whisper: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Rescuing 9 sources and tagging 0 as dead. #IABot (v1.2.7.1)
Line 118: Line 118:
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|-
|Austrian Singles Chart<ref>"Careless Whisper", Austrian Singles Chart [http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s Austriancharts.at] (Retrieved 11 December 2007)</ref>
|Austrian Singles Chart<ref>"Careless Whisper", Austrian Singles Chart [http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s Austriancharts.at] {{wayback|url=http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s |date=20081204074643 |df=y }} (Retrieved 11 December 2007)</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|-
Line 127: Line 127:
| style="text-align:center;"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|-
|[[Media Control Charts|Germany Singles Chart]]<ref>German Singles Chart [http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php Charts-surfer.de] (Retrieved 30 July 2008)</ref>
|[[Media Control Charts|Germany Singles Chart]]<ref>German Singles Chart [http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php Charts-surfer.de] {{webcite|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5hbo7TA5o?url=http://www.charts-surfer.de/musiksearch.php |date=20090617222452 |dateformat=dmy }} (Retrieved 30 July 2008)</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|-
|[[Irish Singles Chart]]<ref>Irish Singles Chart [http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement Irishcharts.ie] (Retrieved 17 April 2008)</ref>
|[[Irish Singles Chart]]<ref>Irish Singles Chart [http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement Irishcharts.ie] {{webcite|url=http://www.webcitation.org/5hFf8iFDu?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishcharts.ie%2Fsearch%2Fplacement |date=20090603000000 |dateformat=dmy }} (Retrieved 17 April 2008)</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|-
Line 136: Line 136:
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|-
|Japanese [[Oricon]] Singles Chart<ref>[http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~ms-db/oricon/oricon%20single%2085.htm Japanese Oricon Year-end Singles Chart of 1985] (Retrieved 1 August 2008)</ref>
|Japanese [[Oricon]] Singles Chart<ref>[http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~ms-db/oricon/oricon%20single%2085.htm Japanese Oricon Year-end Singles Chart of 1985] {{wayback|url=http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~ms-db/oricon/oricon%20single%2085.htm |date=20080622015134 |df=y }} (Retrieved 1 August 2008)</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|4
| style="text-align:center;"|4
|-
|-
|Japanese Oricon International Chart<ref>[http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/JPP1.htm List of number-one singles on the Japanese Oricon International Chart (1968-2000)]</ref>
|Japanese Oricon International Chart<ref>[http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/JPP1.htm List of number-one singles on the Japanese Oricon International Chart (1968-2000)] {{wayback|url=http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/JPP1.htm |date=20150421200743 |df=y }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|-
|New Zealand Singles Chart<ref>[http://www.charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s]</ref>
|New Zealand Singles Chart<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret%3DGeorge+Michael%26titel%3DCareless+Whisper%26cat%3Ds |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2015-05-04 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304142536/http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s |archivedate=4 March 2015 |df=dmy }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|3
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|-
|Norwegian Singles Chart<ref>"Careless Whisper", Norwegian Singles Chart [http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s Norwegiancharts.com] (Retrieved 11 December 2007)</ref>
|Norwegian Singles Chart<ref>"Careless Whisper", Norwegian Singles Chart [http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s Norwegiancharts.com] {{wayback|url=http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s |date=20090113224404 |df=y }} (Retrieved 11 December 2007)</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|-
Line 155: Line 155:
| style="text-align:center;"|2
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|-
|Swiss Singles Chart<ref>"Careless Whisper", Swiss Singles Chart [http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s Hitparade.ch] (Retrieved 11 December 2007)</ref>
|Swiss Singles Chart<ref>"Careless Whisper", Swiss Singles Chart [http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s Hitparade.ch] {{wayback|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=George+Michael&titel=Careless+Whisper&cat=s |date=20071122005302 |df=y }} (Retrieved 11 December 2007)</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|1
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|-
Line 198: Line 198:
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|title=Careless Whisper|artist=Wham|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1985|accessdate=27 June 2012|salesamount=100,000}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|title=Careless Whisper|artist=Wham|award=Platinum|relyear=1984|certyear=1985|accessdate=27 June 2012|salesamount=100,000}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|title=Careless Whisper|artist=George Michael|award=Silver|relyear=1984|certyear=1985|recent=false|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/S_Certif_Argent.php?debut=414 |title=Les Singles en Argent :|publisher=Infodisc.fr|language=French|accessdate=27 June 2012}}</ref>|salesamount=585,000}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|type=single|title=Careless Whisper|artist=George Michael|award=Silver|relyear=1984|certyear=1985|recent=false|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infodisc.fr/S_Certif_Argent.php?debut=414 |title=Les Singles en Argent : |publisher=Infodisc.fr |language=French |accessdate=27 June 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224025806/http://www.infodisc.fr/S_Certif_Argent.php?debut=414 |archivedate=24 February 2014 |df=dmy }}</ref>|salesamount=585,000}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|title=Careless Whisper|artist=George Michael|award=Gold|relyear=1984|certyear=1984|accessdate=12 January 2015|autocat=yes}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|type=single|title=Careless Whisper|artist=George Michael|award=Gold|relyear=1984|certyear=1984|accessdate=12 January 2015|autocat=yes}}
|-
|-

Revision as of 03:55, 15 November 2016

This article is about the song by George Michael. For the song by the Sugababes, see Never Gonna Dance Again (song).

"Careless Whisper"
Song

"Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael (Sometimes credited to "Wham! featuring George Michael" in Japan, Canada and the United States), released by Epic Records in the United Kingdom, 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 and on both sides of the Pacific. It reached number one in nearly 25 countries, selling about six million copies worldwide.[1]

Background

Unlike most of the other Wham! singles (except "Wham Rap!" and "Club Tropicana"), it was co-written by Andrew Ridgeley, the other member of the duo. The two had written it together as developing artists three years earlier in Watford, England.[2]

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 producer Jerry Wexler at 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, was released later in the year, as a (4:41) B-side "Special Version" on 12" in the UK and Japan.

The record label Innervision were going to put out the Jerry Wexler version of Careless Whisper after the Club Fantastic Megamix as far back as 1983. Dick Leahy stated in George Michael's autobiography[3] that while he couldn't stop the release of the Club Fantastic Megamix, he could stop the release of this single on the basis that as a publisher they "have the right to grant the first license of the recording of a tune of which he controls the copyright".[3] He couldn't do anything about the Club Fantastic Megamix because it was already released material. He said: "We knew how big that song could be so it was necessary to upset a few people to stop it."[3]

The officially released single, a mid-tempo sentimental ballad with a saxophone solo by Steve Gregory, was issued in August 1984, entering the UK singles chart at number 12. 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's "Do They Know It's Christmas." The song also topped the charts in 25 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 2016 the song was used in the film Deadpool.[4]

On the subject of his personal opinion of the song, Michael said in 1991 that it "was not an integral part of my emotional development"[5] which he found sad because of the song meaning so much to so many people. He went on to say: "It disappoints me that you can write a lyric very flippantly—and not a particularly good lyric—and it can mean so much to so many people. That's disillusioning for a writer."[5]

Music video

The music video (which uses the shorter single version) shows the guilt felt by a man (portrayed by Michael) over an affair, and his acknowledgement that his partner was always going to find out. It was filmed on location in Miami during June 1984 and features such locales as Coconut Grove and Watson Island. The final part of the video shows Michael leaning out of a balcony at the last floor of Miami's Grove Towers.[6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley

7": Epic / A 4603 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Careless Whisper" (Single Edit)5:04
2."Careless Whisper" (Instrumental)5:02
12": Epic / TA4603 (UK)
No.TitleLength
1."Careless Whisper" (Extended Mix)6:31
2."Careless Whisper" (Instrumental)5:02
12": Columbia / 44-05170 (US)
No.TitleLength
1."Careless Whisper" (Extended Mix)6:20
2."Careless Whisper" (Instrumental)4:52
12" Maxi: Epic / QTA 4603 (UK) - Special Edition
No.TitleLength
1."Careless Whisper" (Extended Mix)6:31
2."Careless Whisper" (Jerry Wexler Special Version)5:34
3."Careless Whisper" (Condensed Instrumental Version)4:52
  • Note: The Extended Mix is identical to the album version from Make It Big.

Credits and personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[24] Platinum 100,000^
France (SNEP)[26] Silver 585,000[25]
Italy (FIMI)[27] Gold 25,000*
Japan (RIAJ) 204,000[28]
Netherlands (NVPI)[29] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[31] Platinum 1,450,000[30]
United States (RIAA)[32] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions

The song "Careless Whisper" has been covered by other artists, presented here in chronological order:

See also

References

  1. ^ "George Michael: 50 years in numbers". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. 25 June 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  2. ^ The Complete Guide to the Music of George Michael & Wham! L Ellis… - 1998 - Music Sales Group
  3. ^ a b c Bare by George Michael and Tony Parsons, Penguin Books, 1991. Page 112 ISBN 0-14-013235-X
  4. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/deadpool-is-the-most-unique-superhero-film-in-years-here-is-why-you-need-to-see-it-a6873296.html
  5. ^ a b Bare by George Michael and Tony Parsons, Penguin Books, 1991. Page 166 ISBN 0-14-013235-X
  6. ^ Grove Towers from Google's streetview
  7. ^ "Australian Top 50 Chart Week Ending 23rd September, 1984". ARIA. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Careless Whisper", Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at Template:Wayback (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  9. ^ "De Nederlandse Top 40, week 36, 1984". Retrieved 27 February 2008.
  10. ^ "Careless Whisper", French SNEP Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  11. ^ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de Template:Webcite (Retrieved 30 July 2008)
  12. ^ Irish Singles Chart Irishcharts.ie Template:Webcite (Retrieved 17 April 2008)
  13. ^ Hit parade Italia (Retrieved 31 May 2008)
  14. ^ Japanese Oricon Year-end Singles Chart of 1985 Template:Wayback (Retrieved 1 August 2008)
  15. ^ List of number-one singles on the Japanese Oricon International Chart (1968-2000) Template:Wayback
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2015. Retrieved 2015-05-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ "Careless Whisper", Norwegian Singles Chart Norwegiancharts.com Template:Wayback (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  18. ^ "Careless Whisper", South African Chart [1] (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  19. ^ "Careless Whisper", Swedish Singles Chart Swedishcharts.com (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  20. ^ "Careless Whisper", Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch Template:Wayback (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  21. ^ "Careless Whisper", UK Singles Chart BBC.co.uk (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  22. ^ Lwin, Nanda. Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide (2000). Mississauga, Ont.: Music Data Canada
  23. ^ a b Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved 11 December 2007)
  24. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Wham – Careless Whisper". Music Canada. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  25. ^ "Les Singles en Argent :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "French single certifications – George Michael – Careless Whisper" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  27. ^ "Italian single certifications – George Michael – Careless Whisper" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 January 2015. Select "1984" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Careless Whisper" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  28. ^ "List of best-selling international singles in Japan". JP&KIYO. 2002.
  29. ^ "Dutch single certifications – George Michael – Careless Whisper" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 27 June 2012. Enter Careless Whisper in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1984 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  30. ^ Ami Sedghi (4 November 2012). "UK's million-selling singles: the full list". Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  31. ^ "British single certifications – George Michael – Careless Whisper". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Careless Whisper in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  32. ^ "American single certifications – Wham – Careless Whisper". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
  33. ^ "Joyride overview". Allmusic.com.
  34. ^ "Edward Valentine - Careless Whisper - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  35. ^ "Samples by Empress Latoyah". whosampled.com. Retrieved 11 November 2016.

External links

Preceded by UK number one single
18 August 1984
(for three weeks) 		Succeeded by

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Careless_Whisper&oldid=749591458"