Careless Whisper
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
If your answer's kind
If there's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find

Should've known better, yeah

Oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Mm-mm

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 a silver screen
And all its sad goodbyes

I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh

Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
If your answer's kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find

I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should've known better than to cheat a friend (should've known better, yeah)
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh

Never without your love

Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say

We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now who's gonna dance with me?
Please stay

And I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh

(Now that you're gone) now that you're gone




(Now that you're gone) was what I did so wrong, so wrong
That you had to leave me alone?

Overall Meaning

The song "Careless Whisper" by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley is a ballad about a man who has cheated on his partner with a mutual friend, but regrets his actions deeply. The lyrics describe the singer's feelings of guilt and shame for cheating on his lover and hurting his friend. The opening lines of the song make it clear that time cannot heal the hurt caused by the betrayal. The singer realizes that he should have known better than to cheat on a friend and waste a chance to be with someone he loved. The chorus repeats the lines, "I'm never gonna dance again/Guilty feet have got no rhythm" to emphasize his remorse for what he has done.


The lyrics describe the singer's sadness and regret as he remembers how he had danced with his lover before betraying them. As he leads his lover to the dance floor, the music dies, and he is reminded of how he danced with his friend before cheating on them. He admits that he will never dance with his lover in the same way again. He wishes that he had never hurt his friend and that they could still dance together. The final lines of the song express his sadness that his friend has left him alone.


Overall, the song is a powerful reflection on the consequences of cheating on a friend and the feelings of regret and sadness that can result.


Line by Line Meaning

Time can never mend
No amount of time can repair the damage caused


The careless whispers of a good friend
The secrets revealed by a friend who doesn't know the weight of their words


To the heart and mind
Both emotionally and mentally


If your answer's kind
If you answer honestly and kindly


If there's no comfort in the truth
When the truth only causes pain


Pain is all you'll find
The consequence of the harsh truth revealed


Should've known better, yeah
I made a mistake and I know it


I feel so unsure
Doubtful and uncertain


As I take your hand and lead you to the dance floor
As I invite you to join me in life's journey


As the music dies
As life comes to an end


Something in your eyes
The way you look at me


Calls to mind a silver screen
Reminds me of romantic movies


And all its sad goodbyes
Sorrowful endings as the credits roll


I'm never gonna dance again
I've lost my confidence after my mistake


Guilty feet have got no rhythm
I can't dance or move forward because of my remorse


Though it's easy to pretend
Putting on a facade is effortless


I know you're not a fool
You are wise enough to see through my disguise


I should've known better than to cheat a friend
I regret betraying a loyal companion


And waste the chance that I'd been given
I squandered the opportunity to have something special


So I'm never gonna dance again
I can't recover what was lost


The way I danced with you, oh
The way things used to be


Tonight the music seems so loud
Everything seems more overwhelming without you


I wish that we could lose this crowd
I wish we could be alone with nobody else around


Maybe it's better this way
Perhaps it's for the best


We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say
We would only cause each other more pain if we spoke our minds


We could have been so good together
We could have had something wonderful


We could have lived this dance forever
We could have made this experience last


But now who's gonna dance with me?
Who will join me from now on?


Please stay
I want you to be with me


(Now that you're gone) now that you're gone
Now that you've left me


(Now that you're gone) was what I did so wrong, so wrong
What did I do to make you go?


That you had to leave me alone?
Why did you have to go away and leave me by myself?




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Andrew J. Ridgeley, George Michael

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@unemployicus

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 a silver screen
And all its sad good-byes
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh
Time can never mend
The careless whispers of a good friend
To the heart and mind
Ignorance is kind
There's no comfort in the truth
Pain is all you'll find
I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should've known better than to cheat a friend (should've known better, yeah)
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh
Never without your love
Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things we'd want to say
We could have been so good together
We could have lived this dance forever
But now, who's gonna dance with me?
Please stay
And I'm never gonna dance again
Guilty feet have got no rhythm
Though it's easy to pretend
I know you're not a fool
I should've known better than to cheat a friend
And waste the chance that I'd been given
So I'm never gonna dance again
The way I danced with you, oh
now that you're gone
(Now that you're gone) was what I did so wrong, so wrong
That you had to leave me alone?



All comments from YouTube:

@peachykeen1409

The funny thing is, is that this song is about cheating on someone and regretting it.
Everyone's interpretation : the romance song

@jaycinthmassey2354

Exactly

@Setsotama

It's the saxophone. The instrument of the giggity

@mikasolae

Lol 😂

@kamziekat

Oh my gosh, me and my boyfriend kissed to this song yesterday while having a picnic. Now I'm sitting in my room, watching it and I'm like, hol up, is this guy a cheater? And welp, I got my answer. I can't believe we kissed to thisXD.

@kamziekat

and I looked up romance songs to joke around and this comes up.

56 More Replies...

@KSF-fc1tc

Song : sad
Melody : seductive & romantic

@user-tt2mh3bb9e

I think that the point, and also why George Michael insisted that the saxophone be prefected to create a very romantic yet sorrowful vibe.

@joshuatobanus3223

I know right haha. Been thinking about this for a long time.

@m.boirabaev6401

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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