Celebrating 40 years of the timeless classic Careless Whisper by George Michael

1984 has always been one of those memorable years, and essentially in the world of music, it marks 40 years since the release of one of the most romantic ballads ever, Careless Whisper by the late George Michael.

Growing up, I was always surrounded by George’s wonderful music. He shaped the music that I enjoy and listen to today, and gave me so much joy in listening to his hits from Wham!, Older and many more. It’s no surprise that I simply adore Careless Whisper.

As George Michael’s team prepare to celebrate the song this summer, I thought it would be a good idea to share my own relationship with the song and why it means so much to me, both musically and lyrically. For a song that released without the Internet, it’s amazing to hear that it has had over 1 billion Spotify listens and over 1.2 million views on YouTube! So why is Careless Whisper so very popular?

If you’re anything like me, once you hear a good song, you play it on loop. Careless Whisper has a vibrant and free flowing music arrangement that catches your attention with the very first saxophone note. I can play this wonderful rift composed by George on my piano, and it still sounds good, because each note is pure perfection and carefully thought out.

I’m always amazed that George wrote the song at the age of 17. Such mature emotions of cheating and heartbreak, (which he unlikely would have even experienced at that age), yet he managed to capture the emotions so well in the lyrics. I do believe that Careless Whisper cemented George’s career as a singer-songwriter.

Now when I realised the full track is actually almost 11 minutes long, I was blown away! Yes, you can find the full extended version of Careless Whisper at YouTube and if you enjoy listening to the song as much as I do, I highly recommend checking out the extended version. If you’ve only heard the radio edits, you’ll be pleasantly surprised I’m leaving the link below.

This particular song was introduced to me by my dear Mum, who is also a massive fan of George. I remember being so impressed by the saxophone intro, and I just loved the sound of his voice immediately. When I play it on the piano, I always aim to add the same emotions in every note (piano recording coming soon).

Let’s take a trip down memory lane and celebrate one of the greatest love songs of all time. Thank you for the music George. We love you and miss you.

Written by Jem Girl at the Piano