USA
for Africa: We Are the World (1985) Bootleg
Betty, Mister D For
a very good cause, but only notable for Bette fans in that Bette really checked
her ego at the door. No solo spot...just blends in with the chorus. Also notable
for standing next to LaToya Jackson (who was wearing a headband). She got dissed,
but Bette was, is, a trouper. Harry
Belafonte originally wanted to put together a benefit concert featuring black
musicians to raise money for Africa. Ken Kragen (who became president of the originization
United Support of Artists for Afica) thought an American version of "Band
Aid" would be a better idea. Ken Kragen is an owner of a personal management
and television production company. One of his clients was Lionel Ritchie, so he
called him with the idea. Lionel's wife talked to Steve Wonder's wife and arranged
to line him up for the song. Quicy
Jones was lined up as the producer, and Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie were
the song writers. The recording took place on the night of the American Music
Awards, January 28th, 1985. This was the perfect way to assure that most of the
artists would all be free on a single date. The
instrumental tracks were recorded ahead of time and sent out to the interested
musicians. With each tape, he sent a letter that stated they should "check
their ego at the door." When they arrived in the studio, there was a piece
of tape on the floor for each person to stand on, arranged around six microphones
in a semi-circle. 800,000
copies arrived in stores on Tuesday, March 7th 1985. There were sold out by the
first weekend. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on March 23rd, at number 21. At
the time it was the highest debuting single since John Lennon's "Imagine"
and was number one in three weeks, which at the time was the fastest rising chart-topper
since Elton John's "Island Girl" in 1975. It was the eighth consecutive
year the Lionel Ritchie had written a number one song. It won Grammys in 1985
for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Dan
Aykroyd also sings on We Are the World. You can see him in the top row in the
video. Dan Aykroyd was in the Blues Brothers was a band before it was a SNL sketch
(and then a movie), hence he was a musician. VH-1's "Pop-UpVideo" states
he's there to represent the American film industry. Dan
Aykroyd Harry Belafonte Lindsey Buckingham Kim Carnes Ray Charles
Bob Dylan Sheila E. Bob Geldof Hall and Oates James Ingram
Jackie Jackson LaToya Jackson Marlon Jackson Michael Jackson Randy
Jackson Tito Jackson Al Jarreau Waylon Jennings "Pop-Up Video"
stated that he left the recording session due to a dispute over the lyrics.
Billy Joel Cyndi Lauper Huey Lewis and the News Kenny Logins Bette
Midler Willie Nelson Jeffery Osborne Steve Perry The Pointer
Sisters Lionel Richie Smokey Robinson Kenny Rogers Diana Ross
Paul Simon Bruce Springsteen Tina Turner Dionne Warwick Stevie
Wonder Michael Boddicker - Synthesizers, Programming Paulinho da Costa
- Percussion Louis Johnson - Bass Quincy Jones- Producer Michael Omartian
- Keyboards, Producer Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards John Robinson - Drums
"We Are
The World", U.S.A. for Africa There
comes a time when we need a certain call When the world must come together
as one There are people dying Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all We
can't go on pretending day by day That someone, somehow will soon make a change
We're all a part of God's great big family And the truth - you know love is
all we need (
CHORUS ) We
are the world, we are the children We are the ones who make a brighter day
so let's start giving There's a choice we're making We're saving our own
lives It's true we'll make a better day Just you and me Well,
send'em you your heart So they know that someone cares And their lives
will be stronger and free As God has shown us By turning stone to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand (
REPEAT CHORUS ) When
you're down and out There seems no hope at all But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall Well, well, well, let's realize That one change
can only come When we stand together as one (
REPEAT CHORUS AND FADE ) To
this day I just love to hear "We Are The World" - the melody is so simple
but beautifully arranged and produced by Daddy Q. Okay, so it woud not hit the
top 40 in the 90's, but re-produce it and replace the singers with those like
Puff Daddy, R. Kelly, Mariah Carey, Madonna, etc, and chances are it's going all
the way to the top! Here's
a list of the singers next to their lyric from the 1985 version. . .
There comes a time
when we heed a certain call (Lionel Richie) When the world must come together
as one (Lionel Richie & Stevie Wonder) There are people dying (Stevie
Wonder) Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life (Paul Simon) The greatest
gift of all (Paul Simon/Kenny Rogers) We
can't go on pretending day by day (Kenny Rogers) That someone, somehow will
soon make a change (James Ingram) We're all a part of God's great big family
(Tina Turner) And the truth (Billy Joel) You know love is all we need
(Tina Turner/Billy Joel) (
CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children We are the ones who make a brighter
day so let's start giving (Michael Jackson) There's a choice we're making
we're saving our own lives (Diana Ross) It's true we'll make a better day
just you and me (Michael Jackson/Diana Ross)
Well,
send'em you your heart so they know that someone cares (Dionne Warwick) And
their lives will be stronger and free (Dionne Warwick/Willie Nelson) As God
has shown us by turning stone to bread (Willie Nelson) And so we all must
lend a helping hand (Al Jarreau) (
REPEAT CHORUS ) We
are the world, we are the children (Bruce Springsteen) We are the ones who
make a brighter day so let's start giving (Kenny Logins) There's a choice
we're making we're saving our own lives (Steve Perry) It's true we'll make
a better day just you and me (Daryl Hall) When
you're down and out there seems no hope at all (Michael Jackson) But if you
just believe there's no way we can fall (Huey Lewis) Well, well, well, let's
realize that a change can only come (Cyndi Lauper) When we (Kim Carnes)
stand together as one (Kim Carnes/Cyndi Lauper/Huey Lewis) (REPEAT
CHORUS AND FADE ) (additional
ad-lib vox by Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, James
Ingram)
|