Careless Whisper was released by George Michael in 1984 and became one of the defining pop songs of the decade, largely thanks to its unmistakable saxophone melody. The opening riff has since travelled far beyond the original track, becoming shorthand online for romance, seduction and over-the-top drama. Short clips of the sax line are now reused in memes, reaction videos and edits, where a few notes are enough to set a scene without any lyrics. Its lasting familiarity is why the sound still works decades later.