Sweet Jane 61 Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 By Sarah Kaufman Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, February 8, 2006 There were ballerinas and cavaliers, Broadway singers and a country crooner, but it took the Rev. Al Green to really get the party started at the White House on Monday night. The soul man turned soul saver worked his magic on the East Room crowd, gathered to honor the Dance Theatre of Harlem and its famed founder, Arthur Mitchell. Al Green shared a laugh with the president at the White House dinner and performance Monday by Dance Theatre of Harlem, which will air on PBS this summer. ("I-I-I-I, I'm so in love with you," Green rasped in his signature falsetto, arcing back like a bow about to launch its arrow. Of course, there were many in the audience of 80 or so who could sing Green's enduring hit "Let's Stay Together" in their sleep. But was one of them President Bush? Green put him to the test. "Ooh, loving you forever," Green purred, "is what I -- " Suddenly, he thrust the microphone right up to the lips of the surprised president, who recovered enough to mouth something back. Whatever it was could not be heard, but Green was more than satisfied. "He said 'Nee-eee-eeed!' " squealed the amazed hitmaster, hitting even higher notes than he'd been singing. "He did! He said 'Neeeeed!' " After laughter and applause for the president's grace note, the set then became a singalong -- was that Karl Rove joining in? -- and then a dance-along, after Mitchell, a former star of the New York City Ballet, pulled Laura Bush up onstage. President Bush, apparently pumped up after parrying to Green's thrust, followed suit, taking with him Shirley Massey, wife of Walter Massey, president of Morehouse College. "We got the president up onstage!" exclaimed Mitchell afterward. Not a man who ordinarily likes to share the spotlight, Mitchell nevertheless gave Bush points for effort, if not for style. "He did really well," Mitchell said. "He was tapping his foot, and . . . moving. You know." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Laurie_ Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Of course, there were many in the audience of 80 or so who could sing Green's enduring hit "Let's Stay Together" in their sleep. But was one of them President Bush? Green put him to the test. "Ooh, loving you forever," Green purred, "is what I -- " Suddenly, he thrust the microphone right up to the lips of the surprised president, who recovered enough to mouth something back hehehe...way to go Al! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Don Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 I guess that Bush was, paraphrasing the words of Adam Ant, pretending that he was Al Green, Al Green… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Laurie_ Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenacious_Peaches Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 I guess that Bush was, paraphrasing the words of Adam Ant, pretending that he was Al Green, Al Green… Don, that is too, too funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 George Bush and Al Green. That's like Ozzy Osborne jamming with John Tesh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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