"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" is a song by American singer Aretha Franklin and English singer George Michael, released on January 19, 1987, by Arista Records in the United States and Canada as the second single from Franklin's thirty-first studio album, Aretha (1986). Written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan and produced by Narada Michael Walden, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and marked Franklin's second and last number one single in the US. The song was Franklin's biggest hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reaching number two. In the rest of the world, Michael's label Epic Records released the song as a non-album single, and it reached number one on the UK singles chart, Franklin's only number one placing in the United Kingdom.
"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" earned Franklin and Michael the 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. In 2018, Billboard magazine listed the song as Franklin's all-time biggest Hot 100 single.
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Background and recording
In 1984, Michael was approached to write and produce a song for Franklin for an unspecified soundtrack album; however, his busy schedule with Wham! made it impossible for him to do so at the time. Michael was also anxious that writing for one of his favourite artists could be too nerve-wracking (considering himself to be unworthy) and that for Franklin to sing a song he had written would be "ludicrous". According to Michael, he originally approached both Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder respectively, before Franklin.
"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" was recorded within two days at a recording studio in Detroit in May 1986, in-between the release of "A Different Corner" (Michael's second solo single) and Wham!'s farewell concert, which was held on 28 June that year. Michael's former agent and manager Rob Kahane recalled in Michael's autobiography Bare that Franklin was "belting out this song, just belting it out". According to Michael, he and Franklin recorded the song together, with ad-libs being recorded separately. He recalled "just freaking out" behind the microphone. "I'm on the other side of the mic from Aretha Franklin, and she's treating me like an equal—obviously I'm not, but she was treating me with such respect."
Following Michael's death in December 2016, Franklin recalled the following about the recording of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)":
The first time I heard George was with Wham! and I liked it then. He had a very unique sound, very different from anything that was out there. When Clive [Davis], [Franklin's producer and label boss] suggested we get together for "I Knew You Were Waiting", I was all ready. It reminded me of [working with producer] Jerry Wexler. We'd go in the studio and cut songs. If we were happy with what we recorded, Jerry would say, "Let's wait until tomorrow. If we feel the same way [then] that we do now, maybe we have a hit." "I Knew You Were Waiting" had that. Musically, it does not grow old.
Reception and chart performance
"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, marking Franklin's first and only UK number-one hit.
In his book titled Dynamic Duets: The Best Pop Collaborations from 1955 to 1999, author Bob Leszczak described "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" as a "joyous and uplifting duet".
Music video
The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan and filmed in Detroit. It begins with Michael and two bodyguards entering a dark room. There is a large viewing screen on the wall showing Franklin preparing for Michael. Over the course of the video, each of the singers is shown performing the song both in front of the screen and on it. During the second verse, footage from both Franklin's and Michael's earlier careers is shown on the screen. As the second chorus ends, Michael joins Franklin on the stage, and footage of earlier famous duet pairs—Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Sonny and Cher, Ike and Tina Turner, and others—are shown on the viewing screen while Michael and Franklin sing the song's bridge. At the end of the video, Franklin winks at the camera.
Personnel
Aretha Franklin – lead vocals
George Michael – lead vocals
Walter Afanasieff – synthesizers, Moog synth bass, programming
Corrado Rustici – Charvel MIDI guitar synthesizer
Randy Jackson – bass guitar
Narada Michael Walden – drums
Preston Glass – drum programming, percussion
Gigi Gonaway – tambourine, percussion
Jerry Hey – string arrangement
Kitty Beethoven – backing vocals
Kevin Dorsey – backing vocals
Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals
Jennifer Hall – backing vocals
Myrna Matthews – backing vocals
Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals
Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals