{{Album|Tipo album=Singolo
|Titolo = ''Careless Whisper''
|Nome Artista = George Michael (UK); Wham! featuring George Michael (U.S.A.)
|Data = 1984
|Copertina =
|Dimensione copertina =
|Album = Make it Big
|Etichetta = Epic Records (UK); Columbia Records (U.S.A.)
|Produttore = George Michael
|Durata = 5 min : 04 sec
|Formati = 7", 12"
|Genere Musicale = Ballad
|Registrato = 1984
|Note = Lato B: versione strumentale. "Careless Whisper" fu registrata inizialmente da un diverso produttore, e quella prima versione venne utilizzata per le riprese della prima versione del video; insoddisfatti del risultato, il duo decise di riregistrarlo e di auto-produrlo, rigirando il video con la nuova versione: è questa seconda versione ad aver raggiunto il successo mondiale nel 1984/1985.
|Numero dischi di platino =
|Numero dischi d'oro =
|singolo precedente = 1984)
|singolo successivo = 1984)
}}

'''Careless Whisper''' è stato un brano di successo, che ha raggiunto i primi posti nelle classifiche di tutto il mondo, per George Michael, nel 1984, con l'etichetta Epic Records.

Ironicamente, questa canzone venne pubblicata come singolo del solo George Michael, in un momento in cui gli Wham! erano ai loro massimi, e tuttavia a differenza di tutti gli altri singoli degli Wham! (precedenti e successivi), era stata scritta insieme ad Andrew Ridgeley, l'altra metà degli Wham!. I due l'avevano scritta insieme tre anni prima, quando George lavorava come usciere in un cinema a Watford, in Inghilterra.

La canzone, una ballata di media velocità, prodotta secondo uno dei tradizionali standard soul e contenente, negli incisi, un assolo di sassofono che è rimasto nella storia della musica, fu pubblicata nell'agosto del 1984, entrando nella classifica dei singoli inglesi (UK Singles Chart) al 12° posto. Dopo due settimane, era al primo, ponendo così termine alla permanenza di Two Tribes dei Frankie Goes To Hollywood, che durava da nove settimane. Rimase al primo posto per tre settimane, portandosi in seguito in vetta alle classifiche in altre 17 nazioni, inclusa la Billboard Hot 100 statunitense, nel febbraio 1985, sebbene qui (dove il due fu conosciuto nel suo primo periodo come Wham! UK, per distinguersi da una band americana omonima), il singolo venne accreditato agli Wham! featuring George Michael.

Il videoclip combina le scene di George che canta la canzone su uno sfondo scuro, tenendosi a delle corde che scendono dal soffitto, con il progredire di una drammatica storia d'amore interpretata da George che, alla fine del secondo ritornello, viene "scoperto" dalla donna tradita. La canzone parla della colpa che sente un uomo relativamente a una storia d'amore clandestina, e della consapevolezza che la sua partner l'avrebbe sempre scoperto. Il titolo deriva da una parte del secondo verso - "time can never mend the careless whispers of a good friend" ('il tempo non potrà mai curare i sussurri trascurati di un buon amico'), dove compare però nella forma plurale.

{{Single infobox | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs -->
| Name           = Careless Whisper
| Cover          = Wham Careless Whisper.jpg
| Artist         = George Michael<br>/Wham!
| from Album     = Make It Big
| Recorded       = 1984
| Format         = 12" maxi<br>7" single
| Released       = U.K.)</small><br/>U.S.)</small>
| Genre          = Pop, R&B
| Length         = 5:04<br>6:30 <small>(album version)</small>
| Label          = Columbia Records
| Writer         = George Michael<br>Andrew Ridgeley
| Producer       = George Michael
| Certification  =  2x BPI)</small>
| Chronology     = George Michael<br>/Wham singles
| Last single    = "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go"<br/>(1984)
| This single    = "'''Careless Whisper'''"<br/>(1984)
| Next single    = "Freedom"<br/>(1984)
| Misc =
{{Extra tracklisting
| Album          = Twenty Five
| Type           = compilation
| prev_track     = "An Easier Affair"
| prev_no        = 15)<br/>(Disc 1
| this_track     = "Careless Whisper"
| track_no       = 1
| next_track     = "Last Christmas"
| next_no        = 2
{{Extra album cover
| Upper caption  = Alternate covers
| Background     = khaki
| Cover          = Careless Whisper UK single.jpg
| Lower caption  = UK 7-Inch single cover
}}
{{Audiosample
  | Upper caption = Audio sample
  | Name = Careless Whisper
  | Audio file= Careless Whisper.ogg
}}
}}
}}
{{Infobox Single 
| Name           = Careless Whisper
| Cover          = Wham Careless Whisper.jpg
| Artist         = George Michael<br/>Wham!
| from Album     = Make It Big
| B-side         = "Careless Whisper" (Instrumental version)
| Released       = UK:1984<br/>U.S.:1985
| Format         = 12", 7"
| Recorded       = 1984
| Genre          = Pop
| Length         = 5:04<br>6:30 <small>(Album Version)</small>
| Label          = Columbia Records
| Writer         = George Michael<br>Andrew Ridgeley
| Producer       = George Michael
| Certification  = 2x Platinum <small>(RIAA)</small> 
| Last single    = 
| This single    = 
| Next single    = 
}}
{{Infobox Single |  
| Name           = Careless Whisper 
| Cover          = 
| Artist         = Bananarama 
| from Album     = Exotica 
| B-side         =  
| Released       = February 2001 
| Format         = 12" single, CD single 
| Recorded       = 2001 
| Genre          = Pop 
| Length         =  
| Label          = M6 Music <small>(France only)</small> 
| Writer         = George Michael<br>Andrew Ridgeley 
| Producer       = Pascal Caubet 
| Chart position =  
| Last single    = "Take Me to Your Heart"<br>(1996) 
| This single    = "'''Careless Whisper'''"<br>(2001) 
| Next single    = "If"<br>(2001) 
}} 

"'''Careless Whisper'''" was a worldwide number-one hit song for George Michael in 1984. It was released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan and other countries, and Columbia Records in North America. It features a very distinctive saxophone riff, and has been recorded by a number of artists since its first release.

"'''Careless Whisper'''" reached number one in nearly twenty five countries, selling about six million copies worldwide. Although the song became Michael's first number one single as solo artist, "Careless Whisper" ranked as one of the most successful songs of the 1980s. According to the United World Chart, The song is 31st highest selling singles of all time.<ref>"Tracks", ALL TIME CHART [http://www.mediatraffic.de/alltime-track-chart.htm mediatraffic.de] </ref>

==History==
The song was first released as a solo George Michael single, while he was part of the pop group 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 - 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. 

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 Cover To Cover Tour and Rock In Rio. 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 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 ''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.

*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.