We are the World
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Transcript We are the World
USA for Africa
Song
sung by supergoup USA
for Africa in 1985
Written by Michael Jackson and
Lionel Ritchie
Produced by Quincy Jones and
Michael Omartian
Sales
are over 20 million
copies
One of fewer than 30 singles
to have sold more than 10
millions copies world wide
After
“Do They Know It’s
Christmas” Harry Belafonte
came up with idea for a
benefit single also for African
famine relief
Historic
event brought
together some of the most
famous artists in the music
industry at the time
Recorded
January 28, 1985
Released on March 7, 1985
Topped
music charts around
the world
Fastest selling American pop
single in history
Fans
enjoyed hearing racially
and musically diverse
recording artists singing
together on one track
Won
Grammy Awards, American
Music Award, and a People’s
Choice Award
Music video, home video, special
edition magazine, books,
posters, shirts
Raised over $63 million from
promotional items
Harry
Belefonte wanted to
have money raised by United
Support of Artists for Africa
(USA for Africa)
He also wanted to set aside
money to help eliminate
hunger in the U.S. also
They
started with Kenny
Rogers and Lionel Ritchie on
the list of artists
Added Stevie Wonder for more
“name value”
Richie
contacted Michael
Jackson- Jackson had just
released Thriller
Jackson said he wanted to
work on writing the song as
well as singing
It
was top secret that they
were going to record the
song- they could not let the
location out or else the artists
would not have participated
Night
of the American Music
Award ceremony
45 of America’s top musicians
participated
50 artists had to be turned
away
Sign
posted: Please check
your egos at the door
Stevie Wonder greeted
everyone and told them that if
it was not recorded in one take
that he and Ray Charles would
drive everyone home
They
changed a part of the lyrics
after several hours of recordingand at that point Waylon
Jennings left the studio
The lyrics were changed to a line
in Swahili and he said no “good
ole boy” every sang in Swahili
Recording
started around
10:30 pm and finished around
8 am
Opens
with Lionel Richie, Stevie
Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny
Rogers, James Ingram, Tina
Turner, and Billy Joel singing the
first verse
Michael
Jackson and Diana
Ross sang together next
Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson,
Al Jarreau sang second verse
Bruce Springsteen, Kenny
Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall
sing second chorus
Michael
Jackson, Huey Lewis,
Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes next
Bob Dylan and Ray Charles
sang a full chorus
Stevie Wonder and Bruce
Springsteen sang a duet
Ray Charles and James Ingram
adlib at times
Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul
Simon, Kenny Rogers, James
Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel,
Michael Jackson, Diana Ross,
Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al
Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen,
Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl
Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper,
Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan, Ray
Charles
Dan Aykroyd, Harry Belafonte,
Lindsey Buckingham, Mario
Cipollina, Johnny Colla, Sheila E, Bob
Geldof, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes,
Sean Hopper, Jackie Jackson, La
Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson,
Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Waylon
Jennings, Bette Midler, John Oates,
Jeffrey Osborne, Anita Pointer, June
Pointer, Ruth Pointer, Smokey
Robinson
Record
became the fastest
selling American pop single in
history
Became the best selling single
of the year
Song became the biggest
single of the 1980s
Biggest
selling single in both
US and pop music history
First single to be multi
platinum
20 million sales of the single
Record
of the Year
Song of the Year
Best Pop Performance by a
Duo or Group with Vocal
Best Music Video
Cargo
jets carrying food,
medicine, clothing
Stopped in New York, picked
up high protein biscuits, high
protein vitamines, medicine,
tents, blankets, and
refrigeration equipment
Harry
Belafonte- visited Sudan
that same month
Since its release- the song has
raised over $63 million for
humanitarian causes
90%
of money to go to birth
control, food production,
African relief
10% to domestic hunger and
homeless programs in the uS
Recovery
and development
projects were launched
(agriculture, fishing, water
management, manufacturing,
reforestation)
Helped in Mozambique, Senegal,
Chad, Mauritania, Burkina Faso,
and Mali
Performed
together at Live Aid
At Bill Clinton’s inaugural
celebration there was a
performance (1993) with Clinton,
Chelsea, and Hillary all singing it
with many performers (Kenny
Rogers, Diana Ross, Michael
Jackson, etc)