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"Careless Whisper"
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
#1 (UK Singles Chart) #1 (US Billboard Hot 100) #1 (AUS Singles Chart)
George Michael Wham! singles chronology
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1983)	"Careless Whisper" (1984)	"Freedom" (1984)

"Careless Whisper" is a song which was a worldwide number-one hit for George Michael in 1984. The song was recorded on Epic Records.

There was irony about the song, as it was released as a solo George Michael single at a time when the group that Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were the two main members of, Wham!, was at its height of popularity. Yet unlike all the Wham! singles, it was co-written by Ridgeley. 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 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 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 version Wexler produced did, however, make 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 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 of 1985, although in the United States, it was credited as "Wham! Featuring George Michael".

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 from a 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.

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

Preceded by "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner	Billboard Hot 100 number one single (Wham!/George Michael version) February 16, 1985- March 2, 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

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 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, got eliminated after singing this song.

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

"Careless Whisper"
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)

• Wham - Make It Big - (1984) 6:30
• Wham - Final - (1994) 5:02
• 2Play (2005)
• Bananarama (2001) - Exotica album, released in 2001
• Brian McKnight (2007)
• Boston Pops Orchestra composed by John Williams
• Columbia Ballroom Orchestra (1994)
• Dave Koz (1999)
• David & the High Spirit (2003)
• Del (2004)
• DJ Irene (2003)
• Farhad Besharati (2006)
• George Michael (1998)
• Gloria Gaynor
• Harlemm Lee (2003)
• Hit Crew (2006)
• James Douglas (2003)
• Jazztown Trio (2001)
• Julian Marsh (1998)
• Julio Iglesias (2006)
• Jordan Knight (2006)
• Katelyn Tarver (2006)
• Kenny G (2004)
• Kymeria (2005)
• Paul Mauriat
• Richard Clayderman (2004)
• Richard Clayderman & James Last
• Roger Williams
• Roxy Pain (2007)
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1998)
• Sarah Washington
• Sax Brothers (2003)
• Shayne Ward
• Simion Luca (1998)
• Skip Martin (2006)
• Tamia (1998)- self-titled debut album, released in 1998.
• The Countdown Singers (2004)
• The Northstar Orchestra (2000)
• The Shadows (2006)
• The Twilight Orchestra (2000)
• Thomas Jules (2005)
• Tim Branom (2006)
• Tim Hecker (2003)
• Top 4 (2005)