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Obama jokes of a tour with Al Green

Friday, 17 February 2012

Barack Obama has joked about going on tour with Al Green after singing one of his songs (AP)

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President Barack Obama has been joined by soul singer Reverend Al Green at a Democratic fundraiser, a month after the president launched into a brief, impromptu version of his hit Let's Stay Together at New York's Apollo Theatre.

Obama thanked Green, prompting a member of the audience to shout "Give us a verse!" The president declined to sing this time, telling about 70 campaign donors that he "took a chance at the Apollo and I'm not going to take a chance again".

"After re-election I might go on tour with the good reverend - be his opening act," Obama said. But he warned, "I don't want to lose any further votes because of my singing voice."

Obama's crooning - starting with the vibrato "I'' and finishing up with the line "so in love with you" - quickly went viral on the Internet following the New York City fundraiser. His campaign released a ring tone of the president's turn as a soul singer.

Prior to the president's remarks on Thursday, Green was overheard singing his classic song at the fundraiser in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighbourhood.