Spinning the Wheel

"Spinning the Wheel" is a song by George Michael. The song was co-written by Michael and Jon Douglas. It was performed by George Michael and released on Virgin Records in 1996. The song was the third single taken from Older and depicts the worry of a lover whose partner is sexually promiscuous during the period when AIDS was newly discovered and rampant in the West. It peaked at number 2 in the UK, kept off the top by the Spice Girls' "Wannabe". The single also peaked within the Top 10 in Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Scotland and Spain.

"Spinning the Wheel"
Single by George Michael
from the album Older
B-side
  • "You Know That I Want To"
  • "Safe"
Released19 August 1996
Recorded1995
Genre
Length6:22
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
  • George Michael
  • Jon Douglas
George Michael singles chronology
"Fastlove"
(1996)		 "Spinning the Wheel"
(1996)		 "Older"
(1997)
Music video
"Spinning the Wheel" on YouTube

"Spinning the Wheel" subsequently appeared on both of George Michael's compilations Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael and Twenty Five.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard complimented the Forthright-remix of "Spinning the Wheel" as a "hard-driving dance record". He said that the "sleek and jazzy interlude" from the Older album had been reconstructed "with a textured house music sound." He also complimented that Michael "breaks interesting new ground" and that the "sophistication of the original recording remains fully intact, though Forthright darkens the groove to complimentary effect".[1] Sarah Davis from Dotmusic picked the song as the album's "upbeat highlight", adding that it finds Michael "sending out warning signs to an errant partner: "Five o'clock in the morning, you ain't home ... I will not accept this as part of my life... I would rather be alone than watch you spinning the wheel for me"."[2] Swedish newspaper Göteborgs-Tidningen stated that it is "at least as good" as "Jesus to a Child" and "Fastlove".[3] Elysa Gardner from Los Angeles Times said that Michael "achieves a light jazz feel [on the song] that also makes for good background music".[4] Victoria Segal from NME noted its "brassy bleakness".[5] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In said that the singer "demonstrates 'tough love' on 'Spinning the Wheel' as he walks out on an adulterous woman."[6] Ed Morales for Vibe wrote that "the singular swing of the trip-hoppy" song "is compelling".[7]

Track listing
  • Asian/Australian/European/UK CD EP
  1. "Spinning the Wheel" (Radio Edit) – 4:57
  2. "You Know That I Want To" – 4:35
  3. "Safe" – 4:25
  4. "Spinning the Wheel" (Forthright Edit) – 4:41
  • Asian/Australian/European/UK CD "The Dance Mixes"
  1. "Spinning the Wheel" (Forthright Club Mix) – 8:11
  2. "Fastlove" (Forthright Edit) – 4:23
  3. "Spinning the Wheel" (Jon Douglas Remix) – 6:40

Charts and certifications

References
  1. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. 21 September 1996. p. 64. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  2. Davis, Sarah (15 April 1996). "GEORGE MICHAEL - OLDER". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 1 September 2000. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  3. Göteborgs-Tidningen. 19 August 1996.
  4. "MUSIC REVIEWS: "Older"". Lakeland Ledger. 25 May 1996. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. Segal, Victoria. "GEORGE MICHAEL – Ladies And Gentlemen - The Best of George Michael". NME. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  6. Waliszewski, Bob. "Older". Plugged In. Focus on the Family. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  7. "George Michael - Older". Vibe. 1 August 1996. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  8. "Australian-charts.com – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  10. "Ultratop.be – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  11. "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Spinning the Wheel" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  12. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9819." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  13. "Top 10 Denmark" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  15. "George Michael: Spinning the Wheel" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  16. "Offiziellecharts.de – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  17. "Top 10 Hungary" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  18. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 189 Vikuna 26.9. – 2.10. '96)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 27 September 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  19. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Spinning the Wheel EP". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  20. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13 no. 42. 19 October 1996. p. 18. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  21. "Nederlandse Top 40 – George Michael" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  22. "Dutchcharts.nl – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  23. "Charts.nz – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  24. "Notowanie nr770" (in Polish). LP3. 1 November 1996. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  25. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  26. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  27. "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  28. "Swisscharts.com – George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  29. "George Michael: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  30. "George Michael Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  31. "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  32. "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
  33. "British single certifications – George Michael – Spinning the Wheel". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
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