Spinning the Wheel

"Spinning the Wheel" is a song by English singer-songwriter George Michael. The song was co-written and co-produced by Michael and Jon Douglas. It was released on Virgin Records as the third single from Michael's third studio album, Older (1996), 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.[2] The song peaked at number two in the United Kingdom, kept off the top by the Spice Girls' "Wannabe". The single also peaked within the top 10 in Denmark, Hungary, Italy, and Spain where it spent 3 consecutive weeks at #1.

"Spinning the Wheel"
Single by George Michael
from the album Older
B-side
  • "You Know That I Want To"
  • "Safe"
Released19 August 1996 (1996-08-19)[1]
Genre
Length6:22
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
  • George Michael
  • Jon Douglas
Producer(s)
  • George Michael
  • Jon Douglas
George Michael singles chronology
"Fastlove"
(1996)		 "Spinning the Wheel"
(1996)		 "Older" / "I Can't Make You Love Me"
(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 praised the Forthright-remix of "Spinning the Wheel" as a "hard-driving dance record", noting that the "sleek and jazzy interlude" from the Older album had been reconstructed "with a textured house music sound." He also complimented Michael for breaking "interesting new ground", and that the sophistication of the original recording "remains fully intact, though Forthright darkens the groove to complimentary effect".[3] Sarah Davis from Dotmusic picked it 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".[4]

Swedish newspaper Göteborgs-Tidningen stated that it is "at least as good" as "Jesus to a Child" and "Fastlove".[5] Elysa Gardner from Los Angeles Times said that Michael "achieves a light jazz feel [on the song] that also makes for good background music".[6] A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, adding that this "balladic" follow-up to two number ones, "could just hit the spot again."[7] Victoria Segal from NME noted its "brassy bleakness".[8] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In said that the singer "demonstrates 'tough love' on 'Spinning the Wheel' as he walks out on an adulterous woman."[9] Ed Morales for Vibe wrote that "the singular swing of the trip-hoppy" song "is compelling".[10]

Music video

A black-and-white music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Vaughan Arnell and Anthea Benton.[11] It features Michael performing with a band in a club and was later published on Michael's official YouTube channel in September 2010. The video has amassed more than 7,8 million views as of August 2023.[12]

Track listings
  • Asian, Australian, European, and 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, and 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

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 17 August 1996. p. 35. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  2. "George Michael on open relationships". Attitude. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  3. Flick, Larry (21 September 1996). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 64. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  4. Davis, Sarah (15 April 1996). "GEORGE MICHAEL - OLDER". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 1 September 2000. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  5. Göteborgs-Tidningen. 19 August 1996.
  6. Gardner, Elysa (25 May 1996). "MUSIC REVIEWS: "Older"". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  7. "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 27 July 1996. p. 10. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  8. Segal, Victoria. "GEORGE MICHAEL – Ladies And Gentlemen - The Best of George Michael". NME. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  9. Waliszewski, Bob. "Older". Plugged In. Focus on the Family. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  10. Morales, Ed (1 August 1996). "George Michael - Older". Vibe. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  11. "George Michael: Spinning The Wheel". IMDb. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  12. "George Michael - Spinning The Wheel (Official Video)". YouTube. 28 September 2010. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  13. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  14. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  15. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  16. "George Michael – Spinning the Wheel" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  17. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9819." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  18. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 38. 21 September 1996. p. 19. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  19. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 37. 14 September 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  20. "George Michael: Spinning the Wheel" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  21. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  22. "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.
  23. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Spinning the Wheel EP". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  24. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 42. 19 October 1996. p. 18. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  25. "Nederlandse Top 40 – George Michael" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  26. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P." (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  27. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  28. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  29. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  30. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  31. "George Michael – The Spinning the Wheel E.P.". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  32. "George Michael: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  33. "George Michael Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  34. "Árslistinn 1996". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 2 January 1997. p. 16. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  35. "Top 100 Singles 1996". Music Week. 18 January 1997. p. 25.
  36. "British single certifications – George Michael – Spinning the Wheel". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
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