Twenty-five years ago a group of publicity-seeking musical celebrities recorded “We Are The World” as much to feed their egos as to feed the children of Africa.
Now a new generation of publicity-seeking celebrities has re-recorded the song to benefit Haiti. Among the “new” performers were Akon, Jason Mraz, Bono, Wyclef Jean, Carlos Santana, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Toni Braxton and Lady Gaga.
The Associated Press reports the ego-driven details:
The session was all the talk at Sunday night’s Grammy festivities. Music producer RedOne said being asked to participate was “the biggest honor a musician can ever do.”
“Having Quincy, our father of music … and Lionel Richie asking me to contribute and help, I said of course, because this is not about me,” he said. “It’s about Haiti.”
Written by Michael Jackson and Richie, the original “We Are the World” thundered up the charts when it was released on the radio and in record stores in March 1985.
An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of Jan. 28, 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper.
The original “We Are The World” raised $63 million to end famine in Africa. Twenty-five years later Africa is still starving. The new version will probably raise a billion dollars, but Haiti will be just as poverty stricken in twenty-five years as it is today. Yet we’ll be forced to listen to this cringe-inducing song thousands of times in the next few months.
If we haven’t made it clear enough yet, we hate that damn song. Absolutely hate it. It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard. If they really wanted to torture prisoners in Gitmo, they should have played “We Are The World” for them.
Forget saving Haiti. Save us from this song.
Source: Associated Press
