World leaders singing
President Obama impressed crowds at the Apollo Theater yesterday by singing a few bars of Al Green’s "Let’s Stay Together": Only one line, but hey, credit for picking a tough song. But Obama’s hardly the only head of state known to burst into song from time to time. Hugo Chavez often slips into song on ...
President Obama impressed crowds at the Apollo Theater yesterday by singing a few bars of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together":
President Obama impressed crowds at the Apollo Theater yesterday by singing a few bars of Al Green’s "Let’s Stay Together":
Only one line, but hey, credit for picking a tough song. But Obama’s hardly the only head of state known to burst into song from time to time.
Hugo Chavez often slips into song on his weekly program Alo Presidente:
There was Vladimir Putin’s famous "Blueberry Hill" performance:
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper can do a decent Beatles cover with a little help from Yo-Yo Ma:
South African President Jacob Zuma periodically leads crowds in the old ANC fighting anthem, "Bring Me My Machine Gun":
Hu Jintao can get sentimental with an old folk song now and then:
Silvio Berlusconi began his career as a night club singer and still shows off now and then:
Haitian President Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly was a highly-successful carnival singer before going into politics:
Of course, they’ll all be put to shame if global music superstar Youssou N’Dour is successful in his bid for the presidency of Senegal.
Joshua Keating was an associate editor at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @joshuakeating
More from Foreign Policy

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense
If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War
Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.