President Obama surprised and thrilled an audience of about 1,400 at the Apollo Theater Thursday night when he crooned a line from Al Green’s classic soul ballad “Let’s Stay Together.”

“I… [I’m] so in love with you,” he sang, grinning ear to ear.

"Those guys didn't think I would do it. I told you I was going to do it," Obama said, pointing off stage. "Don't worry Rev, I cannot sing like you, but I just wanted to show my appreciation.”

The president also noted that “Sandman did not come out,” referring to the late Howard “Sandman” Sims, the vaudeville tap dancer who would comically boot bad acts off stage during Amateur Night at the Apollo.

The event, which featured performances by musicians Al Green and India.Arie, was one of four fundraisers that Obama attended in New York City Thursday night.

At a dinner hosted earlier by filmmaker Spike Lee, the president expressed confidence that “we’re going to win this thing” based on the values of everybody getting a fair shake, paying their fair share and playing by the same rules.

“But we can’t take it for granted. There are going to be a lot of headwinds. The economy is still in tough shape for a lot of people,” he cautioned. “And I am, as the most visible elected official in the land, rightly held more responsible than anybody else for things I control and for things I don’t control. And that means that we’re going to have to go out there and actively make the case.”

It won’t always be glamorous and fun, he added, “But things that are worthwhile are always hard. And change is hard, but you should take confidence from the last three years that change is possible.”

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(Photo: KEVIN LAMARQUE/Reuters /Landov)