The week of February 16, 1985, gave us a classic pop hit, with Wham!’s ‘Careless Whisper’ spending its first of three weeks at #1.
The song was credited in the U.S. to “Wham! featuring George Michael” and in the UK to Michael as a solo artist, but it appeared on the duo’s sophomore album, Make It Big, and was released as that record’s second single. Interestingly, it was the only song on that album co-written by Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, yet it was the one attributed to Michael as a solo performer.
Michael and Ridgeley knew that George was on the precipice of a solo career and agreed this would be a good song to launch it. That was mighty understanding of Ridgeley, who must have known he was on his way to being a footnote, but I guess he cashed in on the royalties.
And those royalties were ample. Buoyed by that gorgeously cheesy sax solo, which took on a life of its own, ‘Careless Whisper’ became the top song of 1985 and one of the best-selling singles of all time.
I feel so unsure
As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As the music dies, something in your eyes
Calls to mind a silver screen and all its sad goodbyes[Chorus]
I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’d been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh
[Verse 2]
Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind, ignorance is kind
There’s no comfort in the truth, pain is all you’ll find
[Chorus]
I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend (Shoulda known better, yeah)
And waste the chance that I’d been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh
[Post-Chorus]
Never without your love
[Verse 3]
Tonight, the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it’s better this way
We’d hurt each other with the things we want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now, who’s gonna dance with me?
Please stay
[Chorus]
And I’m never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it’s easy to pretend
I know you’re not a fool
I should have known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I’d been given
So I’m never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh
[Outro]
(Now that you’re gone) Now that you’re gone
(Now that you’re gone) Was what I did so wrong, so wrong
That you had to leave me alone?
Meet Me In Montauk 
George Michael was such a talent who we lost far too soon.