In 1987, two of the all-time soul greatest singers, Aretha Franklin and George Michael, joined forces for a one-off collaboration titled I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me). Unsurprisingly, it was a number one hit on charts around the globe, including the US Billboard Hot 100.
For Franklin, it was the first time she had been at the top of the charts since Respect was at number one 20 years earlier. It was also a big year for Michael who had just stepped out as a solo pop force from the teen-dream duo Wham!. Their incredible duet also proved to be a Grammy-winning performance, with the pair taking home the 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group.
It may seem an unusual pairing, but in an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2017, Aretha spoke about why she wanted to work with Michael, explaining that she actually was a fan of George’s vocals in Wham! "He had a very unique sound, very different from anything that was out there,” Franklin said. “When Clive [Davis] suggested we get together for I Knew You Were Waiting, I was all ready. It reminded me of Jerry Wexler.”
Relive the chart-topping with the official music video below!
Aretha Franklin & George Michael | ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’
ARETHA is a collection featuring 81 newly remastered tracks, including alternate versions of classic hits, demos, rarities, and stunning live tracks. Get ARETHA on CD and vinyl, here.
GET ARETHA FRANKLIN ALBUMS, HERE.
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