I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

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]

"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" was recorded within two days at a recording studio in Detroit in May 1986,^[14] 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".^[15] According to Michael, he and Franklin recorded the song together, with ad-libs being recorded separately.^[16] 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."^[17]

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.^[18]

"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart,^[5] marking Franklin's first and only UK number-one hit.^[7]

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".^[19]

The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan^[20] and filmed in Detroit.^[21] 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.^[22]

• 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