On the off chance you’re not familiar, “Carpool Karaoke” is one of the most popular segments on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” Here’s how the famous schtick works: Corden invites the musical guests on his show to drive around Los Angeles with him. While they’re in the car (and being recorded), Corden jokes with the celebrities and sings along to some of their top hits.
Way back when, Michael was the first musical guest to appear in Corden’s car. If you haven’t seen the video of the two, watch it below! We have to warn you, though, this video will bring back all the feels and we suggest you have a box of tissues nearby.
Corden sent out a tweet about Michael’s tragic passing on Dec. 25, paying tribute to one of his idols.
I've loved George Michael for as long as I can remember. He was an absolute inspiration. Always ahead of his time.
— James Corden (@JKCorden) December 25, 2016
Check out some other facts you may not know about the late, great George Michael below.
1. His full name was Giorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou.
George Michael rolls off the tongue a little bit easier!
2. George Michael was only 17 when he wrote “Careless Whisper.”
The inspiration came to him as he was taking the bus to his job as an usher at a movie theater.
3. He contributed background vocals to Elton John.
Michael sang in Elton John’s 1985 successes “Nikita” and “Wrap Her Up”.
4. He was almost a part of Queen.
He was once considered to replace Queen’s lead Freddie Mercury.
5. Wham! was the first Western pop group to tour in China.
This tour generated worldwide media coverage in 1985.
6. He released three albums as a member of Wham!, and five as a solo artist.
And we can’t decide which album we like best!
7. The song “I Want Your Sex” was banned by numerous radio stations in the U.K. and U.S.
The song was banned because of its sexually-explicit lyrics. Some radio stations replaced the word “sex” with “love.”
8. Throughout his career, he won 21 music awards.
And a total of 49 nominations!
9. Russian President and billionaire Vladimir Putin paid him $3 million for an hour-long concert.
The concert was part of a New Year’s Eve party in Moscow in 2007.
10. There have been over 400 covers of “Last Christmas” since its release in 1984.
I think we can all agree George Michael’s version is the best.
Rest in peace, George Michael. Thank you for blessing us with your beautiful voice and talent.
[h/t: The Huffington Post]
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
