"Careless Whisper" is the final track of Wham!'s 1984 album Make It Big, but was actually credited to George Michael as his first single. This week's mix features covers from right around that time by Gloria Gaynor and Nancy Wilson as well as Michael's single version.
"Greatest Love Of All" was written by Philadelphia songwriter Linda Creed for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic "The Greatest" in which Ali played himself and the song was performed by George Benson. The most famous version was recorded several years later by Whitney Houston for her eponymous 1985 debut album. Creed wrote the lyrics while struggling with breast cancer and died just as Houston's version became a number one hit. This mix features Houston's version as well as a version recorded by Richie Havens shortly before his death.
One more song repeats this week, the full band and demo version of "Winter In", an outtake from Gene Clark's 1971 album White Light.
Big L's "Da Graveyard" from 1995 features Jay-Z, among a host of other guests, a year before Jay-Z had released his debut album.
The rest: a live version of "No Expectations" by The Rolling Stones from the film A Rock 'N Roll Circus, the bird call-enhanced "Lost Lover Blues" by Lottie Kimbrough and Winston Holmes, the ticket commercial-sampling "Call Ticketron" by Run The Jewels, Diana Dors' coy "A Kiss And A Cuddle", Charlie Parker's version of the standard "I'm In The Mood For Love", Jerry Butler's version of Carole King's "So Far Away", Otis Brown & The Delights with the proud "Southside Chicago", Chicago natives Common and Kanye West with "Southside", the atmospheric "Satan Is Her Name" by Steve King & The Echelons, Iron & Wine's cover of George Michael's "One More Try" and the hopeful "Hey Jude" by The Beatles.
No Expectations (live) The Rolling Stones
Lost Lover Blues Lottie Kimbrough and Winston Holmes
Winter In Gene Clark
Careless Whisper Gloria Gaynor
Call Ticketron Run The Jewels
A Kiss And A Cuddle Diana Dors
I'm In The Mood For Love Charlie Parker
Careless Whisper George Michael
Da Graveyard Big L ft. Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Jay-Z
So Far Away Jerry Butler
Southside Chicago Otis Brown & The Delights
Southside Common ft. Kanye West
Greatest Love Of All Whitney Houston
Careless Whisper Nancy Wilson
Satan Is Her Name Steve King & The Echelons
Winter In (demo) Gene Clark
Greatest Love Of All Richie Havens
One More Try Iron & Wine
Hey Jude The Beatles
