Euro - M6 Interactions France
Released: 2001
UK chart position: Non UK Release

During 2000 Bananarama collaborated with french producer Pascal Caubet on their eight studio album Exotica. During this collaboration Pascal played a reworked backing tape of Careless Whisper to Bananarama who loved it. Originally the remake of Careless Whisper was meant to be a duet with a French rap artist Yannick, but the idea was eventually dropped. The track was originally slated as the first single to rpomote Exotica and a video was shot in Paris and two track promo CD singles were issued to garner interest in the single. Promotion for the single included several performances and interview on french television, as well as a TV advert promoting the single and album. Insufficient interest in the single inevitably lead to the single not being released.

Careless Whisper was originally a UK #1 single for George Michael released 23-Jul-1984. The song was one of the four tracks included on Wham!'s original demo tape from 1982 and co-written with Andrew Ridgeley. The song was felt to deviate too much from Wham's up-tempo pop sound and issued as the first solo single for George Michael. It ended up spending three weeks at #1 and earnt a platinum disc for sales. It has also been covered by Sarah Washington (1994) and Skin Deep.

"The first time we met him [Pascal], he played us some stuff that he'd done. He played us some backing tracks which we loved and we said 'Can we take that one home and we'd like to write a song over it?' and he said 'Well it's already a song.' We said 'What song?' and he said 'You know it.' We said 'No. No idea.' And when he said Careless Whisper we just thought 'Oh my God !' It was so different." (Keren, Exotic Night 5-Mar-2001)

"[Careless Whisper] became our first single. It's a stepping stone to highlight what we're gonna do next. George hasn't heard it. He's one of our best friends and we haven't played it to him." (Sara, Exotic Night 5-Mar-2001).

"I haven't even played it [Careless Whisper] to Andrew! I'm just too embarrassed." (Keren, Exotic Night 5-Mar-2001)

Written by: George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley
Produced by: Pascal Caubet
Published by: Warner Chappell Publishing
Copyright owned by: M6 Interactions / Krysty Music 2001.
Featured on: Exotica
Originally performed by: George Michael (1984)
Reincarnated by: Skin Deep, Sarah Washington (1994), Bananarama (2001)
Duration: 3:52