In 1984, a chickie ballad called “Careless Whisper” dominated the radio, featuring a sexy (but unimaginative) sax solo and George Michael’s “I’m about to cry–my voice is about to break” delivery. It was also one of the few (two, actually) Wham! songs that Michael co-wrote with Andrew Ridgeley. You remember the two of them, right?

I remember seeing them on the cover of Star magazine, with one of them wearing a wedding dress.  None of that stopped the song from becoming a monster hit, though.  As soon as those opening lines began . . . “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 the silver screen, and all it’s sad goodbyes” . . . women (and men) all over the world starting wetting themselves from various orifices. A gay duo performing a song that is about as gay as humanly possible.

And although you claim not to like it, people as cool as Beth Ditto and Ben Folds have made it their own.  Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Rufus Wainwright and Ben Folds’ version

The Gossip’s version

My Morning Jacket’s version

Seether’s version (live):