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Careless Whisper was released in 1984 as a George Michael solo single while he was still in Wham, co written with Andrew Ridgeley. Its saxophone riff, played by Steve Gregory, became one of the most recognised pop melodies of the decade. Online, the riff took on a second life in the early 2010s through sexy sax prank videos and reaction edits, where it became shorthand for cheesy seduction. It remains a go to cue whenever a scene needs instant, knowingly over the top romance.
About this sound
The iconic saxophone riff from George Michael and Wham's Careless Whisper, used for romantic, awkward or overly dramatic slow motion moments.
This is the smooth saxophone intro from Careless Whisper, the 1984 hit by George Michael with Wham, instantly recognised from its slow, breathy melody. The nine second clip captures the riff looping in a sultry, slightly cheesy tone that signals romance before a single word is sung. Listeners hear it and immediately picture dim lights, slow turns to camera and exaggerated longing. That contrast is why it works so well as a joke, turning an ordinary glance or entrance into something deliberately overdramatic, seductive and impossible to take seriously for more than a second.
