Watch George Michael and Smokey Robinson light up 'Careless Whisper' at the Apollo in 1985

George Michael and Smokey Robinson sing "Careless Whisper" in 1985
(Image credit: YouTube)

If, 31 years ago, you'd predicted that at the end of 2016, Smokey Robinson would be alive, George Michael would be dead, and Bill Cosby would be disgraced, nobody would have believed you. (If you'd thrown in that America elected Donald Trump president to replace a black man who was 24 in 1985, you'd have been sent to an asylum.) But on May 5, 1985, the 21-year-old lead singer of Wham! — who died on Christmas — took the stage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem to sing his band's hot record, "Careless Whisper," with Robinson, for the Apollo's 50th anniversary/renovation show. Maybe because it was the Apollo, where the crowd is famously unforgiving, Michael brought his A-game. Watch below. Peter Weber

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.