Obviously George's final version is not simply better it's a masterpiece. What surprises me is to think that a boy of 20 had the strength to reject the version of a legendary producer like Wexler and go his own way. This song still gives me shivers after 40 years
The real question is why would jerry Wexler think this was any good. Doesn't take an expert to hear that this is just bad. Sounds like Wexler didn't care and put in a half hearted effort.
This is the first version of "Careless Whisper", produced by Jerry Wexler in 1983. George was unhappy with it, and re-produced the song for its 1984 release. This very first version was released as a b-side on the japanese maxi-single.
It's so interesting to hear this version. I also can totally understand why he didn't like this version. It's a bit cheesy sounding and it doesn't quite work.
And this proves how amazing George Michael was as a singer, writer and producer. Him producing this song gave it all the soul it has and is the reason it got so big in the first place. This song is fine, but George’s version is superb.
I think its the "what might have been-ness" about this version. Its beautiful in its own way, but there is something missing. Kind of like a sculpture sculpted without the sculptor's hand.
I think this track still would have been a hit but the version George ended up producing and releasing was a timeless masterpiece. That's when you know you've written a good song. When a guaranteed Top 20 Billboard spot and national radio play is just not quite good enough. "Let's do it again... I think we can do better."
Audio recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA, produced by legendary Atlantic Records soul producer Jerry Wexler in 1983. The video was filmed in Florida. When George re-recorded and produced it himself some months later in 1984, new film was shot in a studio and intercut with the original film from the first video. Here's how his PR people explained his "change in look," to obscure any interest in the original recording and to obfuscate it as much as possible: George filmed the parts with his longer hair first, then inconvenienced everyone-cast and crew-by going back to England from Florida just to get his hair cut. The magazines I was reading at the time called it "The Most Expensive Haircut in History." Of course now we know that the shorter-hair footage was shot many, many months before the final version of the video.
Wow... I was today years old when I learned about this version. I'm so grateful for the final cut that George Michael did himself!! I miss him so much! 😞
Since GM was unhappy with this version, this year of 2020 i'm feeling so happy when i heard it. And yes, i'm a 17 year old teen but i like it. #quarantineplaylist
You don’t need to be an adult to like old songs. The genre you grew up with is the one you’ll like the most. I’m also a teen but I like old songs, just because I grew up listen with it. My family was playing it the whole time.
@@takashi06228 That's awesome. I'm 60 and this genre was what everyone was listening to when I was in my 20's. It's so refreshing hearing todays generation liking this genre of music.
Kudos to you teenagers for expanding your listening range and openness to music from other decades. Keep digging the greats, there is so much more to explore.
Pretty much everyone that heard George and Andrew’s early demo of the song absolutely knew it was going to be a hit. So much so that they sat on it for a few years before it swung back into focus for completion. That’s the magic of a great song. When you hear it, you know it.
The ending is fantastic. it has that gospel feel to it. I find myself listening to this version more now that the final version has been ingrained in my head forever
Very different. Sounds like the vocals were overdubbed. GM's vocal performance on his 1984 version is so much more dynamic. Funny to see this original cut of the music video. Did the femme fatale in the sports car flip him off at the end too? Brutal.
For sure he did, because had he not, none of us would be here still talking about this song 38 years later. And listening to it, I think 90% of it was in the bass and guitar performance on the GM version.
Well, the '84 version expresses the melancholy of romance, a state of mind that is relatable through the ages. On the other hand, this '83 version seems to me that expresses the 80s depression while being 100% faithful to the 80s soul sound. This version doesn't have the dynamic to be the timeless masterpiece this song really is.
The Netflix documentary sent me on a quest. I simply had to hear the entire vapid version & it's really hard to believe this came out of Muscle Shoals. Had this been released Wham might've been doomed
No, Wham! wouldn't have been doomed and neither would GM's career - he wrote this song at 17, he wrote A Different Corner not much later, his talent wasn't going anywhere - yes, GM's version of this kickstarted his career but that career may have been different if GM wasn't the sort of the person to be so certain about his own talent and commitment to getting it right, the way he knew it should be. That's why his career was so stellar - He always knew when he wrote a good song, knew exactly how it should sound, how to get that sound and not accept anything less - like this weak version of his masterpiece.
Da quando ho scoperto questa canzone l'ho ascoltata almeno cento volte,ma non mi stanco mai d sentirla , è bellissima sentirla e vedere George che canta direttamente beautifull ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ grandissimo George ❤
The official version hits you right away with a more powerful saxophone, but this one has something sweeter and more melancholic in George's voice and in the final part, where the strings are heard much more and accompany the feeling of sadness that closes the song... I prefer this video to the official one because it explains better the story behind it. I would have kept it like this, rather than editing it with other clips of George Michael singing near some ropes on a dark background... This is a less elaborate, yet very delicate version. A diamond in the rough, in my opinion. And by the way, I also prefer this version of George, my beloved all-curls-and-girls George💖💖💖
Sherita Jones I was 3 years old in this version.... I heard it for the first time when I was 4 years old in 1984. Ever since I have been so in love with it.....
Admire GM for taking "Careless Whisper" and arranging and producing it himself , rather than taking this Jerry Wexler arrangement to market. This version of the song never would have been the world classic (no.1 in 25 countries) that it went on to become - as everyone points out, the instrumentals are cheesy, and the vocal effects are flat - George has added a fair bit of reverb/echo onto his voice in his own arrangement, which makes his voice sound so much richer. GM was only around 20 years old at the time - its amazing that 1) he had the balls to stand up to one of the legends of the music industry at such a young age, and 2) that he had incredible talent to do a better production job on the track than one of the industry's best respected producers at the time. What a talent!!
I honestly don't think so if it was released, it would've probably been a "slept-on" album track not getting the chance of spotlight until later on. If this mix was picked then many wouldn't discover George Michael. George knew what he was doing when making the final mix, the final mix is perfection & timeless. It's like in the case of Billie Jean and how MJ, Bruce & Quincy mixed that song 92 times before getting to it's final form, a hit has to have structure and base. There's a reason why so many hit songs are timeless because of their sonic value.
This would have fit right in on the Fantastic album. George's vocal performance is more in line with that debut album than it is with anything later. He even performed Careless Whisper on Wham!'s first tour, Club Fantastic, in 1983.
This is not bad at all....it still would have been a Hit!......but big up’s to George M. ....he knew as the performer it could better,and it def. was...Forever A Classic.....🎧🔥 He was 17 when he wrote this.....🔥
Aside from the audio, it’s also interesting to see the original video. I had always wondered why his hair was a different colour in the “story” sequences when he’d gone lighter for Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.
It starts weak....but keeps getting better and better to the extend that I actually like the ending better than George Michaels version. Overall I do like it.....
George and Andrew left for the United States with the Careless Whisper demo. Jerry Wexler and George produced this original version of the song. Back in England, George, unconvinced by the final result, decided to record his own version, including that famous saxophone riff. An excellent decision, as George's version is a masterpiece.
It's honestly amazing to think about...a twenty year old British kid gave his song to one of the most legendary producers of all time, a guy who helped guide the careers of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, but then redid the song and handily outperformed the legend. George amped up the drums and the guitar riff, gave the bassline a little more pop and sizzle, and laid down a stronger vocal. The results are night and day, though...it's a testament to just how talented George was. And he still gave a writing credit to Andrew, which has helped the guy live comfortably ever since. And that is a testament to how kind George was.
this is a version i would play in the background but the official version steals all of my attention. every ad lib, note change and sound of desperation and regret. and the strong sax, where i can’t help but move my head along like it‘s singing to me. in this version the sax line is pretty but in the official it is pretty AND at the same time hits you deeply
@@racheldan815 besides careless whisper there's also extra large black and white the first episode she plays the role of Mrs pillinger. if you find any other info on her let me know. on her obituary it doesn't have much info on the commercials and movies she appeared on
Being from Muscle Shoals, I would have to say for that time period George made the right decision but as some are posting, the original is beginning to sound better now that George's version seems trapped in that time period. I also guarantee you if you were listening to this as a completely finished product on an expensive sound system (as you've no doubt heard George's version on) instead of your crappy computer speakers, this would sound incredible as well, just different.
Originally I listened this version on my crappy handphone speaker it sounded meh..! After reading your comment, I bluetooh the sound to a better speaker with bass, and whoa... the difference it made.. and yes, some part of it is better. Can someone combine the best of both versions?
First time that I have heard this 36 years after it was recorded. I read about it in Andrews book. George was right, this is inferior to the version that was released as a single.
George Michael was right, this version is okay, but I love the version that was finally released. I'm glad George fixed it. I am also glad that Jerry's version was released as well and not just forgotten. I have absolutley loved this sing since I was a small kid. Thanks for posting
One difference, I think, is where the focus of the rhythm lies. In this version, there is a guitar doing that. George changed that to be mainly drums and percussion. Also, the way the voice sounds is much beter in Michael's version.
The strings at the end were a nice surprise. I don't hate this version. It's impossible to like it better than the familiar version, but it's very good in it's own ways.
the backup vocals werent developed either. some words are different if you listen close 'stay away" instead of "please stay" there was another stanza that was dropped from the beginning about "falling to the dancefloor" you can hear in his original demo in the biography on netflix. rip george.its sad he never liked this song...
As I listened to this, I thought, "cheesy, elevator Muzak version." Then I read the comments of others and read the same things. Really this version sounds like a background song from a Miami Vice episode. George was right not to release this version except as a B side on a foreign release.
George Michael's version is so much better. Must have been tough call, given GM was such a fan of Jerry Wexler and that he had to re-do it after spending a fortune on the Wexler's production and the video, but he was right. George Michael's version is so much better.
people are just so quick to judge in a tough way that version of Careless Whisper. Just because GM didn't like the way that it sounds doesn't mean it's awful ! come on its sounds different indeed but it's not that awful I like it though
This song is basically a sad song and this one sounds more saddened than official one which in my opinion they have converted into a romantic song by their mistake.
This version sounds like a rough demo. A simple drum pattern and the saxophone riff is also being played all over the ending lyrics so you can't hear them properly. I've heard part of the original demo for Careless Whisper without the saxophone, and part of the demos for the Wham songs Young Guns and Wham Rap.
The vocal doubling isn't tight enough on this version and it lacks the soul of the GM produced version. I can see why he thought that Wexler just didn't get what was in George's head. He was so in awe of this living legend of a producer but in the end he knew it wasn't right and made the changes to arrangement, lyrics and instrumentation that aligned with how he and Ridgeley originally wrote it.
Plus the drummer I don’t know if you know the history behind this version but what’s interesting is that it’s the drummer that’s ruining the track here. He’s ever so slightly ahead on the bear, and he’s pushing way ahead on the rolls. It renders the sax square and the vocals stiff.
It really comes alive from the second chorus on (and if I were George I would have wanted to keep the bass track from there onward); the problem is that nothing works until that point, imo, especially the wooden singing and the lack of snare/sidestick. But the organ was a misstep towards the end, no gospel its needed thanks very much! It's supposed tom be faded Butlins bossa-nova, which is what the released version stayed true to!
I can see why George wasn’t happy with this mix. It’s very dated and the drum machine is far too high in the mix. The fade out at the end is also a very passé way that was used in many songs by old style producers and required no thought at all. I can’t see there was much effort by Jerry put into this. How a legendary producer could get the mix so wrong is beyond me.
VERY NICE and the middle and ending are great. The vocals are alittle weak compared to the original and George's voice is better than its portrayed in this song.
Until now I never appreciated -- or even noticed -- the subtle Latin percussion in the regular version, which gives it a richness that this version lacks. This version sounds rather thin and empty by comparison. I do like the outro to this version, though.
I can see why George wasn’t happy with it as it was definitely not as sophisticated as his later masterpiece, the Alto sax sounds cheap compared to the much richer albeit speeded up Tenor and his vocal wasn’t quite as quiet polished or powerful however like it a lot, because it’s a more natural sound that captures George’s youthful exuberance, with far less tweaks and magic the modern studio can produce.
I like this version, it's less dated that the original. The bass and piano are better. The strings more realistic. It's a blacker sound. I could imagine Dionne Warwick singing this.
This version sucked and George knew it. The released version is definitely the timeless one. He was a mastermind of music. Although I do prefer this video version over the official.
Obviously George's final version is not simply better it's a masterpiece. What surprises me is to think that a boy of 20 had the strength to reject the version of a legendary producer like Wexler and go his own way. This song still gives me shivers after 40 years
I just said the same thing to my partner. To have that knowing and conviction at 20 is extraordinary. These two were rock solid as humans and friends.
Felt something was missing!
Kalpea versio Georgen loistavasta teoksesta ❤
The real question is why would jerry Wexler think this was any good. Doesn't take an expert to hear that this is just bad. Sounds like Wexler didn't care and put in a half hearted effort.
This is the first version of "Careless Whisper", produced by Jerry Wexler in 1983. George was unhappy with it, and re-produced the song for its 1984 release. This very first version was released as a b-side on the japanese maxi-single.
Thanks for sharing.. this is so original💜🤗
THE VIDEOCLIP IS DIFFERENT TOOOO how did you get this????
@@juliadelgadoortiz5484 this was the first video released, nowadays very hard to come by.
It's testament to George's talent that he was able to bring this song to a much higher level with his own production.
I can totally understand why George Michael didn’t like this
It's so interesting to hear this version. I also can totally understand why he didn't like this version. It's a bit cheesy sounding and it doesn't quite work.
Me too!!!
it sounds like karaoke
It sounds like "tinny" soap opera/Emmys..orchestral music. George's vocals are IMPECCABLE, as usual !! 🤴 🇬🇧
Metoo
And this proves how amazing George Michael was as a singer, writer and producer. Him producing this song gave it all the soul it has and is the reason it got so big in the first place. This song is fine, but George’s version is superb.
I'm glad George Michael took matters into his own hands.
So glad George re-recorded, touch of a genius
Agree. This version has no soul .
The final version is absolutely brilliant but there’s something about this one that makes me shiver
I think its the "what might have been-ness" about this version. Its beautiful in its own way, but there is something missing. Kind of like a sculpture sculpted without the sculptor's hand.
I think this track still would have been a hit but the version George ended up producing and releasing was a timeless masterpiece. That's when you know you've written a good song. When a guaranteed Top 20 Billboard spot and national radio play is just not quite good enough. "Let's do it again... I think we can do better."
This was interesting, but the George version is untouchable of course. Such an amazing production.
Audio recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA, produced by legendary Atlantic Records soul producer Jerry Wexler in 1983. The video was filmed in Florida. When George re-recorded and produced it himself some months later in 1984, new film was shot in a studio and intercut with the original film from the first video. Here's how his PR people explained his "change in look," to obscure any interest in the original recording and to obfuscate it as much as possible: George filmed the parts with his longer hair first, then inconvenienced everyone-cast and crew-by going back to England from Florida just to get his hair cut. The magazines I was reading at the time called it "The Most Expensive Haircut in History." Of course now we know that the shorter-hair footage was shot many, many months before the final version of the video.
Thanks for filling in some blanks there!
Melanie his middle sister was his hairdresser.
Wow... I was today years old when I learned about this version. I'm so grateful for the final cut that George Michael did himself!! I miss him so much! 😞
Since GM was unhappy with this version, this year of 2020 i'm feeling so happy when i heard it.
And yes, i'm a 17 year old teen but i like it. #quarantineplaylist
You don’t need to be an adult to like old songs. The genre you grew up with is the one you’ll like the most. I’m also a teen but I like old songs, just because I grew up listen with it. My family was playing it the whole time.
@@takashi06228 im 14 and i love old songs, song is just song it doesnt matter what are u listening
@@blitzboy9095 I totally agree.
@@takashi06228 That's awesome. I'm 60 and this genre was what everyone was listening to when I was in my 20's. It's so refreshing hearing todays generation liking this genre of music.
Kudos to you teenagers for expanding your listening range and openness to music from other decades. Keep digging the greats, there is so much more to explore.
Pretty much everyone that heard George and Andrew’s early demo of the song absolutely knew it was going to be a hit. So much so that they sat on it for a few years before it swung back into focus for completion. That’s the magic of a great song. When you hear it, you know it.
Si CZcams existiera en los 80s este sería el video mas visto de la historia.
And even the videoclip is different, what an amazing find!
Immortal song , Immortal artist .
Rest in Peace George Michael 🎤🌹💐.
The ending is fantastic. it has that gospel feel to it. I find myself listening to this version more now that the final version has been ingrained in my head forever
cool
i like the ending to the one released very haunting is is the beginning
Shows George Michael’s brilliance in his reproducing Careless Whisper to create the classy and forever loved song and video it is! ❤❤❤
Well, I love both versions. I miss you Georgios!💔
It’s not hard to see why George wasn’t too thrilled about Wexler’s mix. The reverb-drenched sax just reeks of the 70’s
so instead put the glossy 80's sax
@@cultfilmfreakreviews it's better to say george's version defined the 80's sax
And the percussion is madness, I definitely see why George reworked that.
Very different. Sounds like the vocals were overdubbed. GM's vocal performance on his 1984 version is so much more dynamic. Funny to see this original cut of the music video. Did the femme fatale in the sports car flip him off at the end too? Brutal.
Such an amazing song. This version is also made to perfection.
To each their own, but George Michael knew exactly what he was looking for...and this wasn't it.
OK damn I'm loving this version!!! The ending is incredible. Its got more innocence and I want it on CD now. Yes I still use CDs :)
😃lol, mee too
Although George made the right call in doing it his way, Wexler's fade-out ending -- the last 30 seconds -- is actually pretty incredible.
For sure he did, because had he not, none of us would be here still talking about this song 38 years later. And listening to it, I think 90% of it was in the bass and guitar performance on the GM version.
If they would have just kept that ending in the GM version...
@@michaeljasongaines2363 GM's reproduced stays consistent where Jerry Wexler's just keeps building until it lets rip at the end.
This is a masterpiece the more I listen to it
?? Just more strings and a gospel piano right in the last few seconds.
Even the mic choice isn’t right on this version. Whatever George ended up using for the final version was perfect.
Well, the '84 version expresses the melancholy of romance, a state of mind that is relatable through the ages. On the other hand, this '83 version seems to me that expresses the 80s depression while being 100% faithful to the 80s soul sound. This version doesn't have the dynamic to be the timeless masterpiece this song really is.
I think that this version has much more of a 70s sound to it. And the other one an 80s sound.
I quite like this version! They both have their qualities but I can see why George Michael wanted to change it. His version is higher quality
This sounds like a 70's track!
The Netflix documentary sent me on a quest. I simply had to hear the entire vapid version & it's really hard to believe this came out of Muscle Shoals. Had this been released Wham might've been doomed
Yes I had to bear this too . His voice is more subdued but still very very good
No, Wham! wouldn't have been doomed and neither would GM's career - he wrote this song at 17, he wrote A Different Corner not much later, his talent wasn't going anywhere - yes, GM's version of this kickstarted his career but that career may have been different if GM wasn't the sort of the person to be so certain about his own talent and commitment to getting it right, the way he knew it should be. That's why his career was so stellar - He always knew when he wrote a good song, knew exactly how it should sound, how to get that sound and not accept anything less - like this weak version of his masterpiece.
Sir Andrew Ridgeley delivers the "Dear George" note at 3:41 ! 😥 💔
I love both versions because of George’s voice . But the official version rocks with the Sax intro
Da quando ho scoperto questa canzone l'ho ascoltata almeno cento volte,ma non mi stanco mai d sentirla , è bellissima sentirla e vedere George che canta direttamente beautifull ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ grandissimo George ❤
The official version hits you right away with a more powerful saxophone, but this one has something sweeter and more melancholic in George's voice and in the final part, where the strings are heard much more and accompany the feeling of sadness that closes the song... I prefer this video to the official one because it explains better the story behind it. I would have kept it like this, rather than editing it with other clips of George Michael singing near some ropes on a dark background... This is a less elaborate, yet very delicate version. A diamond in the rough, in my opinion. And by the way, I also prefer this version of George, my beloved all-curls-and-girls George💖💖💖
This version is like background music in a restaurant or shopping mall feel to it.
Would have never been the hit it became if this stayed. Yikes…..
Yeah, because that’s not at all what the released version has become…
I was only in the 6th grade when this song came out and I still love it!😘
Sherita Jones I was 3 years old in this version.... I heard it for the first time when I was 4 years old in 1984. Ever since I have been so in love with it.....
Admire GM for taking "Careless Whisper" and arranging and producing it himself , rather than taking this Jerry Wexler arrangement to market. This version of the song never would have been the world classic (no.1 in 25 countries) that it went on to become - as everyone points out, the instrumentals are cheesy, and the vocal effects are flat - George has added a fair bit of reverb/echo onto his voice in his own arrangement, which makes his voice sound so much richer. GM was only around 20 years old at the time - its amazing that 1) he had the balls to stand up to one of the legends of the music industry at such a young age, and 2) that he had incredible talent to do a better production job on the track than one of the industry's best respected producers at the time. What a talent!!
And 3) Recognize a weak result from an intimidating, respected producer.
You just saved me having to write what I was about to. I agree 100%.
Fantastic song.
This is like watching footage of Back to the Future with erick stoltz instead of mike fox
Bona fide LOL there
This still sounds good and it would have still been a hit if was released but George's retouched version is perfection.
The last 30 secs should have been carried over.
I honestly don't think so if it was released, it would've probably been a "slept-on" album track not getting the chance of spotlight until later on. If this mix was picked then many wouldn't discover George Michael. George knew what he was doing when making the final mix, the final mix is perfection & timeless. It's like in the case of Billie Jean and how MJ, Bruce & Quincy mixed that song 92 times before getting to it's final form, a hit has to have structure and base. There's a reason why so many hit songs are timeless because of their sonic value.
The song builds up. Starting weaker that the final version, but in my opinion the end is stronger and had more drama feel in it.
Shows the masterpiece of GM
This would have fit right in on the Fantastic album. George's vocal performance is more in line with that debut album than it is with anything later. He even performed Careless Whisper on Wham!'s first tour, Club Fantastic, in 1983.
Oh I hope Andrew makes the recordings available
This is not bad at all....it still would have been a Hit!......but big up’s to George M. ....he knew as the performer it could better,and it def. was...Forever A Classic.....🎧🔥
He was 17 when he wrote this.....🔥
nice, never heard this version before...it sounds like a demo, but still nice
The best song of all time
Aside from the audio, it’s also interesting to see the original video. I had always wondered why his hair was a different colour in the “story” sequences when he’d gone lighter for Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.
It starts weak....but keeps getting better and better to the extend that I actually like the ending better than George Michaels version.
Overall I do like it.....
I agree with you 11 years later.
Yeah it’s very cool although it’s very overcompressed. No dynamics left here. But the idea very good
George and Andrew left for the United States with the Careless Whisper demo. Jerry Wexler and George produced this original version of the song. Back in England, George, unconvinced by the final result, decided to record his own version, including that famous saxophone riff. An excellent decision, as George's version is a masterpiece.
It's honestly amazing to think about...a twenty year old British kid gave his song to one of the most legendary producers of all time, a guy who helped guide the careers of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, but then redid the song and handily outperformed the legend. George amped up the drums and the guitar riff, gave the bassline a little more pop and sizzle, and laid down a stronger vocal. The results are night and day, though...it's a testament to just how talented George was.
And he still gave a writing credit to Andrew, which has helped the guy live comfortably ever since. And that is a testament to how kind George was.
the ending is really not bad, and George came back to pay the taxi fee 👍🏼
George knew this wasn’t the best it could be . That’s called having better ears then Wexler
this is a version i would play in the background but the official version steals all of my attention. every ad lib, note change and sound of desperation and regret. and the strong sax, where i can’t help but move my head along like it‘s singing to me. in this version the sax line is pretty but in the official it is pretty AND at the same time hits you deeply
Never have heard or seen this version before...Thanks for posting it....Maybe it will be re-released in the future in one of those "deluxe" editions.
Both are good and meant for different occasions or moods. You are wrong.
The synth in the released version makes the song
2:44 can hear the tinge of Smokey Robinson in his voice and to think they covered this together live.
we got to see more of Madeline Andrews Hodge in this version
Do you know the woman in black???i cant find her name
@@racheldan815 Madeline Andrews there's hardly any info on her on the web
@@ronyaugust4034 oh really? Thank you so much❤️ do you know any film or movie she played in???
OMG she passed away in 2012??? 😢😢😢
@@racheldan815 besides careless whisper there's also extra large black and white the first episode she plays the role of Mrs pillinger. if you find any other info on her let me know. on her obituary it doesn't have much info on the commercials and movies she appeared on
The more I hear it the more I like it
And the Miami building
Who says you can't improve perfect?
Love that Hammond!!
Being from Muscle Shoals, I would have to say for that time period George made the right decision but as some are posting, the original is beginning to sound better now that George's version seems trapped in that time period. I also guarantee you if you were listening to this as a completely finished product on an expensive sound system (as you've no doubt heard George's version on) instead of your crappy computer speakers, this would sound incredible as well, just different.
Ken Perk Well, I heard both on my crappy computer speakers
And NEITHER sounded good, right?
+Chad H. Nelson wow
Thanks for sharing this. I've included it in my 35th anniversary article on CW stevepafford.com/carelessw/
Originally I listened this version on my crappy handphone speaker it sounded meh..! After reading your comment, I bluetooh the sound to a better speaker with bass, and whoa... the difference it made.. and yes, some part of it is better. Can someone combine the best of both versions?
First time that I have heard this 36 years after it was recorded. I read about it in Andrews book. George was right, this is inferior to the version that was released as a single.
Muchimas Gracias Daniel por no dejarme sola
Love George ❤️
Muchas gracias saludos por parte de mi mamá y mi familia que son de bendición
Goes to show you how much that last 15% of polish goes into creating the perfection production.
Love the ending though
George Michael was right, this version is okay, but I love the version that was finally released. I'm glad George fixed it. I am also glad that Jerry's version was released as well and not just forgotten. I have absolutley loved this sing since I was a small kid. Thanks for posting
awesum
One difference, I think, is where the focus of the rhythm lies. In this version, there is a guitar doing that. George changed that to be mainly drums and percussion. Also, the way the voice sounds is much beter in Michael's version.
LOVE IT !!!!!!!!!
The strings at the end were a nice surprise. I don't hate this version. It's impossible to like it better than the familiar version, but it's very good in it's own ways.
the backup vocals werent developed either. some words are different if you listen close 'stay away" instead of "please stay" there was another stanza that was dropped from the beginning about "falling to the dancefloor" you can hear in his original demo in the biography on netflix. rip george.its sad he never liked this song...
This version looks like "lounge version" 😊 for Hotel lobby, I like It to😊
As I listened to this, I thought, "cheesy, elevator Muzak version." Then I read the comments of others and read the same things. Really this version sounds like a background song from a Miami Vice episode. George was right not to release this version except as a B side on a foreign release.
Feliz Cumpleaños Mi Unica Verdaderamente Nina Hermosa
George Michael's version is so much better. Must have been tough call, given GM was such a fan of Jerry Wexler and that he had to re-do it after spending a fortune on the Wexler's production and the video, but he was right. George Michael's version is so much better.
A great song is always a great song; like this one for exmple
people are just so quick to judge in a tough way that version of Careless Whisper. Just because GM didn't like the way that it sounds doesn't mean it's awful ! come on its sounds different indeed but it's not that awful I like it though
This song is basically a sad song and this one sounds more saddened than official one which in my opinion they have converted into a romantic song by their mistake.
This version sounds like a rough demo. A simple drum pattern and the saxophone riff is also being played all over the ending lyrics so you can't hear them properly. I've heard part of the original demo for Careless Whisper without the saxophone, and part of the demos for the Wham songs Young Guns and Wham Rap.
The middle finger at the end. 🤣😂🤣😂
The quality of the song is awesome!! Thanks for posting it!!
This video clip is better than the official but I prefer the official song
True I perefer George's version too and this version is good not as good as George's but in my opinion the endings are both good
The vocal doubling isn't tight enough on this version and it lacks the soul of the GM produced version. I can see why he thought that Wexler just didn't get what was in George's head. He was so in awe of this living legend of a producer but in the end he knew it wasn't right and made the changes to arrangement, lyrics and instrumentation that aligned with how he and Ridgeley originally wrote it.
Plus the drummer I don’t know if you know the history behind this version but what’s interesting is that it’s the drummer that’s ruining the track here.
He’s ever so slightly ahead on the bear, and he’s pushing way ahead on the rolls.
It renders the sax square and the vocals stiff.
It's a demo
@@lancev7909nope. Not a demo. A polished and final track. GM rejected it and made a new version
It really comes alive from the second chorus on (and if I were George I would have wanted to keep the bass track from there onward); the problem is that nothing works until that point, imo, especially the wooden singing and the lack of snare/sidestick. But the organ was a misstep towards the end, no gospel its needed thanks very much! It's supposed tom be faded Butlins bossa-nova, which is what the released version stayed true to!
Love It.
George Michaels actually hated this particular version, yet again... either one works for me.
We are very lucky that G M followed his instincts and didn´t fall for this..!
Good call on George to go with his gut to recut this. The final version had that extra punch that this version lacked.
I can see why George wasn’t happy with this mix. It’s very dated and the drum machine is far too high in the mix. The fade out at the end is also a very passé way that was used in many songs by old style producers and required no thought at all. I can’t see there was much effort by Jerry put into this. How a legendary producer could get the mix so wrong is beyond me.
VERY NICE and the middle and ending are great. The vocals are alittle weak compared to the original and George's voice is better than its portrayed in this song.
Until now I never appreciated -- or even noticed -- the subtle Latin percussion in the regular version, which gives it a richness that this version lacks. This version sounds rather thin and empty by comparison. I do like the outro to this version, though.
I can see why George wasn’t happy with it as it was definitely not as sophisticated as his later masterpiece, the Alto sax sounds cheap compared to the much richer albeit speeded up Tenor and his vocal wasn’t quite as quiet polished or powerful however like it a lot, because it’s a more natural sound that captures George’s youthful exuberance, with far less tweaks and magic the modern studio can produce.
I recognise Andrea Rirdgly as the cab driver!
what made the 1984 version richer n more layered were the bass and rhythm guitars. this one sounded so flat and dated!
Lead guitars *
Yes but this one really defines the type that it is a sad song but 1984 one was more like a romantic type.
Drum and sax sound are more sophisticated too.
Muchas gracias saludos por parte de mi mamá y todos ustedes y los quiero mucho y que dios los bendiga y los cuide mucho y porque no les falta nada
The careless whisper of a good friend
the more i hear it..the more honest it is next to the hit version?
the girl from the Corvette and on the boat was a Madelaine and she died of a cancer very young.
I ilke the orchestration in this version. Would have been a nice version for the Songs of the Last Century album.
I like this version, it's less dated that the original. The bass and piano are better. The strings more realistic. It's a blacker sound. I could imagine Dionne Warwick singing this.
Yes, it sure was less dated. The 84 version was for purely commercial reasons...
No it wasn't for commercial reasons, no politics involved George just thought this one was dry & sucked. Plain & simple! Sounds like Karaoke version.
Stand corrected on the commercial value... thanks, Music.
This version sucked and George knew it. The released version is definitely the timeless one. He was a mastermind of music. Although I do prefer this video version over the official.