Careless Whisper
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| "Careless Whisper" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:Wham Careless Whisper.jpg | ||
| Single by George Michael Wham! | ||
| from the album Make It Big | ||
| Released | 1984 | |
| Format | 12", 7" | |
| Recorded | 1983 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 5:04 6:30 (Album Version) | |
| Label | Columbia Records | |
| Writer(s) | George Michael Andrew Ridgeley | |
| Producer(s) | George Michael | |
| Chart positions | ||
| ||
| George Michael Wham! singles chronology | ||
| "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" (1983) | "Careless Whisper" (1984) | "Freedom" (1984) |
| "Careless Whisper" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:Banana cw.jpg | ||
| Single by Bananarama | ||
| from the album Exotica | ||
| Released | February 2001 | |
| Format | 12" single, CD single | |
| Recorded | 2001 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Label | M6 Music (France only) | |
| Writer(s) | George Michael Andrew Ridgeley | |
| Producer(s) | Pascal Caubet | |
| Bananarama singles chronology | ||
| "Take Me to Your Heart" (1996) | "Careless Whisper" (2001) | "If" (2001) |
"Careless Whisper" is a song which was a worldwide number-one hit for George Michael in 1984 on Epic Records.
There was irony within the song as it was released as a solo George Michael single at a time when Wham! were at their height of popularity, yet unlike all the Wham! singles, it was co-written by Andrew Ridgeley, the other half of Wham!. They wrote it together as unknowns three years earlier when Michael was working as a cinema usher in Watford, England. In a June 2006 interview on Magic 105.4 radio, Michael said that he wrote it 'in his head' during work and that he recalls coming up with the sax riff whilst boarding a number 32 bus on the way home. Originally the riff had words but Michael declined to state them saying 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 Florida where he went to work with the legendary producer Jerry Wexler. Michael was unhappy with the version that was originally produced and decided to re-record the song, this time coming up with the version that was finally released. The Wexler version did however make the light of day, but only later on as a B-side. A mid-tempo ballad with a soulful production standard and a remarkable saxophone solo (played by Steve Gregory) , the song 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 there it was credited as "Wham! featuring George Michael".
The music video combines scenes of Michael singing the song in a darkened backdrop while holding ropes draped from the ceiling with a dramatic affair conducted by a character played by Michael which was "uncovered" by the wronged woman at the end of the second chorus. The song is about 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 a throwaway line in the second verse - "Time can never mend the careless whispers of a good friend".
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 - part of a duo, a solo artist and 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.
"Careless Whisper" is ranked number one on Billboard magazine's year-end chart for 1985.
Tamia covered this song for her self-titled debut album, released in 1998.
In 2001, UK act Bananarama covered the song for their Exotica album. It was released as a promo single with a music video shot in Barcelona, but was never commercially released as a single. Bananarama's Keren Woodward is Andrew Ridgeley's partner.
The song was later covered by Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright in several 2004 live performances.
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 a 2006 poll for a Channel 5 program "Britain's Favourite Break-up Songs", Careless Whisper was voted sixth.
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.
Contents |
[edit] Track Listing
[edit] 7": UK / Epic A4603
- "Careless Whisper" (5:04)
- "Careless Whisper" [Instrumental] (5:02)
[edit] 12": UK / Epic TA4603
- "Careless Whisper" [Extended Mix] (6:30)
- "Careless Whisper" [Instrumental] (5:02)
[edit] 12": UK / Epic QTA4603
- "Careless Whisper" [Extended Mix] (6:30)
- "Careless Whisper" [Special Version] (4:41)
- "Careless Whisper" [Instrumental] (5:02)
- "Special Version" produced by Jerry Wexler
| Preceded by: "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner | Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Wham!/George Michael version) February 16 1985 | Succeeded by: "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon |
| Preceded by: "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood | UK number one single August 12 1984 | Succeeded by: "I Just Called To Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder |
