Despite being one of the world's most famous "romantic" songs, "Careless Whisper" is actually a .

The story behind "Careless Whisper" is one of teenage guilt, a legendary saxophone riff composed on a bus, and a songwriter who was actually quite dismissive of his own masterpiece. The Inspiration

Michael famously came up with the iconic saxophone melody while handing over his fare to a bus driver on his way to a DJing job at the Bel Air restaurant .

The song’s title and second verse refer to how his girlfriend eventually found out about his infidelity through a friend's "careless whispers".