George Michael‘s classic 1984 hit Careless Whisper is to be reissued to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Having topped the charts in 25 countries worldwide, the song – which originally featured on Wham!‘s second album ‘Make It Big’ but was released under the singer-songwriter’s name – has so far sold over 1.5 million copies alone.

Celebrating its latest milestone, the new EP comes from George Michael Entertainment and Sony Music and includes a previously-unreleased live recording from New York City’s Madison Square Garden in 2008.

It marked his first performance in the city after a 17-year hiatus.

Also included on the EP – out October 18 and available to pre-order here – are newly mastered versions of the original single, alongside an extended mix and instrumental.

A representative for George Michael Entertainment said: “As we celebrate 40 years of Careless Whisper, we are proud to share something truly special with George’s millions of fans around the world.

“This EP is a heartfelt ‘thank you’ from us to you for your unwavering support and love. We are truly grateful. Thank you.”

Alongside the announcement of the release, a clip was shared on George Michael’s social media pages showing him discussing the origin of the song.

“I remember saying to Andrew [Ridgeley, Wham! bandmate] one day when we were walking home from school, we were bunking off, and I remember we’d written Careless Whisper,” he said. “We’d finished it about a week before in a basement flat in Peckham.

“I remember saying to Andrew ‘I’ve no idea who will do it, whether it’ll be us or not, but this is a hit. This is a Number One record for someone.’”

“It’s interesting, I had an absolute confidence then and it took about three or four albums before I realised that maybe I was as good a singer as I was a writer.”