"Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael (credited to Wham! featuring George Michael in the USA), released by Epic Records in the UK, 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.

Unlike all the Wham! singles (except "Wham Rap!"), it was co-written by Andrew Ridgeley, the other member of the duo. The two had written 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.

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.

The officially released single, a mid-tempo ballad with soulful production and a remarkable saxophone solo by Steve Gregory, 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, 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 with "Do They Know It's Christmas." The song also topped the charts in 17 other countries, including the BillboardHot 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.

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

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. It was taped on location in Miami during June 1984 and features such locales as Coconut Grove and Watson Island. However, it does not give credit to the young women (among others Lisa Stahl) who also starred in the video.

"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 the Cover To Cover Tourand the Rock In Rio Tour. George Michael would often perform "Careless Whisper" with an extended version of the ending, which is apparently his preferred version.

The song has been covered by many other artists, including 2Play (2005), Bananarama (2001) on Exoticaalbum, Brian McKnight (2007), Kenny G featuring McKnight (2004) for Kenny's At Last...The Duets Album, Boston Pops Orchestra composed by John Williams, Columbia Ballroom Orchestra (1994), Dave Koz featuring R&B artist Montell Jordan taking the vocal lead (1999) on the album The Dance, David & the High Spirit (2003), Del (2004), Delight (2001), DJ Irene (2003), Farhad Besharati (2006), George Michael (1998), Gloria Gaynor, Harlemm Lee (2003), Hit Crew (2006), James Douglas (2003), Julio Iglesias (2006), Jordan Knight (2006), Katelyn Tarver (2006), Kenny G (2004), Kymeria (2005), Paul Mauriat, Richard Clayderman (2004) in an instrumental version, Richard Clayderman and James Last, Roger Williams, Roxy Pain (2007), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1998), Sarah Washington, The Sax Brothers (2003), Simion Luca (1998), Skip Martin (2006), Slinkee Minx (2004) [side A on "Closer" single], The Shadows (2006), Barry Manilow (2008) Tereza Kerndlovaand 3!Oh3 Ft : Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter & Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low

" Careless Whisper " · "A Different Corner" · "I Want Your Sex" · "Hard Day" · "Faith" · "Father Figure" · "One More Try" · "Monkey" · "Kissing a Fool" · "Praying for Time" · "Waiting for That Day" · "Mother's Pride" · "Freedom! '90" · "Heal the Pain" · "Cowboys and Angels" · "Too Funky" · "Killer" / "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" · "Jesus to a Child" · "Fastlove" · "Spinning the Wheel" · "Older / I Can't Make You Love Me" · "Star People '97" · "You Have Been Loved / The Strangest Thing '97" · "Outside" · "Freeek!" · "Shoot the Dog" · "Amazing" · "Flawless (Go to the City)" · "Round Here" · "John and Elvis Are Dead" · "An Easier Affair" · "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)"