"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" is a song released by American singer
Aretha Franklin and English singer
George Michael as a duet in 1987.[3] The song was a number one hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.[4]Billboard listed "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" as Franklin's all-time biggest
Hot 100 single.[5] The song was Franklin's biggest hit on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart, reaching number two.[6][7] The song was
written by
Simon Climie and
Dennis Morgan and produced by
Narada Michael Walden.[8] Franklin and Michael won a 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)".[9][10]
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".[11][12] According to Michael, he originally approached both
Michael Jackson and
Stevie Wonder respectively, before Franklin.[13]
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.[14]
Reception and chart performance
The song was a one-off project that helped Michael achieve his ambition to sing with one of his favorite artists, and it reached number one on both the
UK Singles Chart and
Billboard Hot 100.[4] The song was Franklin's first and only UK number-one hit.[15]
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".[16]
Music video
The official music video for the song was directed by
Andy Morahan[17] and was filmed in
Detroit.[18] It begins with George Michael and two bodyguards entering a dark room. There is a large viewing screen on the wall showing Aretha Franklin preparing for George 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.[19]