Uncover the Sound: Inside the Scott Price Media Mainframe 

One of the most famous stories in pop music history is the grueling, perfectionist quest to record the saxophone solo for “Careless Whisper.” George Michael was famously exacting, and the journey to get that specific “noir” sound is legendary.

The Search for the “Right” Saxophone

George Michael already had the melody in his head. He actually wrote it while sitting at the back of a bus on his way to work as a DJ when he was only 17. However, when it came time to record it in 1984, he nearly drove his engineers and session musicians mad.

George reportedly rejected nine different saxophonists before finding the right tone. One player was even flown in from America only to be sent home after just two hours because the “vibe” wasn’t quite there. It wasn’t until Steve Gregory entered the studio that the magic happened, and even then, the recording was famously slowed down by a semitone to give it that haunting, deep character we all know today.

• The 9 Saxophonists: George Michael reportedly auditioned and rejected nine different saxophone players before finding the right one. He felt that none of them could capture the exact phrasing he heard in his head.
• The Jerry Wexler Version: He originally recorded the song in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with the legendary producer Jerry Wexler (who worked with Aretha Franklin). Despite Wexler’s pedigree, George hated the result. He thought the sax solo sounded too much like “a lounge act” and decided to scrap the entire high-budget session to re-record it himself in London.
• The Winning Solo: The final version we hear was played by Steve Gregory. Even then, it wasn’t easy. To get the specific “haunting” quality George wanted, Gregory had to play a slightly lower-pitched instrument (a tenor sax) but play it in a way that sounded like an alto, and the tape was eventually slowed down slightly to achieve that deep, silky tone.

The Bus Ride Inspiration

The “funny” part of the story is the contrast between the song’s sophisticated, millionaire-superstar vibe and its humble origins.

• George was a teenager working at a cinema and as a DJ at a local restaurant called Bel Air.
• The iconic melody came to him while he was handing over his fare to a bus driver. He had to keep humming it to himself for the rest of the journey so he wouldn’t forget it before he could get home to a keyboard.

George’s “Embarrassment”

Despite it being one of the most successful songs of all time, George Michael was often amused and a bit baffled by its popularity. He later admitted in his autobiography, Bare, that he felt a bit guilty about how much people loved it because he wrote it so quickly and “without any real emotional experience” to back up the lyrics.

Note: George Michael once remarked: “It’s ironic that a song I wrote when I was 17 and I didn’t even know that much about life and it ended up being the one people identified with the most.”

That Music Video Suit

A lighter piece of trivia involves the music video filmed in Miami. George Michael had to keep his hair perfectly feathered in the Florida humidity, which was a task in itself. He also later joked about the high-waisted “dad” trousers he wore in the video, which became a staple of 80s fashion despite looking like something he “stole from a much older man.”

Uncovering the sound of the music all over again is what drives us. For us, ‘Picture Lyrics’ is a way for us all to discover the story and ourselves through pictures.

As a sneak peek for what is to come, I’m thrilled to introduce you to a brand new destination: the Scott Price Media mainframe. This exclusive page serves as a gateway to the full experience including the full-size HD picture lyric, the deep-dive thesis behind the song, and a video to watch alongside the full lyrics.

Uncover the sound. Discover the story. Together.

Experience the full story on the Scott Price Media Mainframe