|
| Label = Columbia | Writer = George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley | Producer = George Michael | Chronology = Wham! singles | Last single = "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1984) | This single = "Careless Whisper" (1984) | Next single = "Freedom" (1984) | Misc = }} "Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael (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. It reached number one in nearly 25 countries, selling about six million copies worldwide. ==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 unknowns three years earlier in Watford, England.〔''The Complete Guide to the Music of George Michael & Wham!'' L Ellis… - 1998 - Music Sales Group〕 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, however, see the light of day, but only later on, as a (4:41) B-side "Special Version" on 12", released 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 〔''Bare'' by George Michael and Tony Parsons, Penguin Books, 1991. Page 112 ISBN 0-14-013235-X〕 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".〔 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."〔 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. On the subject of his personal opinion of the song, Michael has divulged it "was not an integral part of my emotional development" 〔''Bare'' by George Michael and Tony Parsons, Penguin Books, 1991. Page 166 ISBN 0-14-013235-X〕 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.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Careless Whisper」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|