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We Are The World - (1985)


Mike

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Remember this video? I don't believe there has ever been an assembly of this many stars for one video for a cause.

Profits from the sale of the video were contributed to the charitable organization USA for Africa.

Dan Aykroyd

Harry Belafonte

Lindsey Buckingham

Kim Carnes

Ray Charles

Bob Dylan

Sheila E.

Jane Fonda

Bob Geldof

Daryl Hall

Dan Hill

James Ingram

Jackie Jackson

LaToya Jackson

Marlon Jackson

Michael Jackson

Randy Jackson

Tito Jackson

Al Jarreau

Waylon Jennings

Billy Joel

Cyndi Lauper

Huey Lewis

Kenny Loggins

Bette Midler

Willie Nelson

John Oates

Jeffrey Osborne

Steve Perry

Anita Pointer

Prince

Lionel Richie

Smokey Robinson

Kenny Rogers

Diana Ross

Paul Simon

Bruce Springsteen

Tina Turner

Dionne Warwick

Stevie Wonder

"We Are the World" is a 1985 song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced by Quincy Jones and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa. The song was intended to raise funds to help famine relief efforts in Ethiopia.

Harry Belafonte initiated the idea for a fundraising effort. His manager, Ken Kragen, suggested the multi-artist approach, inspired by the success of the British supergroup Band Aid and their 1984 fundraising single "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

The performers gathered at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, California, on January 28, 1985. Kragen selected the night of the American Music Awards to ensure as many artists as possible could attend. Jones famously advised them, in his written invitation, to "check your egos at the door." In all, 45 musicians attended the recording session, including Bob Geldof, who had arranged the Band Aid effort in the United Kingdom. Lead vocals were rotated among 21 of the performers, including Richie, Jackson, Tina Turner, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

Columbia Records donated their manufacturing and distribution costs to the effort. "We Are the World" hit stores on Tuesday, March 7, 1985, and all 800,000 copies sold out before the end of the weekend. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #21. On April 5, more than 5000 radio stations played the song at the same time. It became the United States' #1 single on April 13 and held the position for 4 weeks.

The song went on to win 1985 Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.

Ultimately, the single sold 7.5 million copies in the US. It was released on an album, USA for Africa: We Are the World, which sold over 3 million copies. In addition to "We Are the World," the album included songs by Prince, Springsteen, Turner and other artists. It also included another famine relief fundraising song, "Tears Are Not Enough," which was performed by Canadian supergroup Northern Lights.

Including revenues from the single, the album, the video and related merchandise, "We Are the World" raised about $50 million for famine relief.

This was almost 20 years ago?!

I do remember MTV played this way, way, way, WAY TOO MUCH!!

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I do remember this and Bruce's expression. LOL.

However, I was much more touched by We Are the Worms. Anyone remember this? I still have parts of it memorized I loved it so much.

We are the worms out on the sidewalk,

We are the ones who make a squishy mess

So watch where you walk.

It's a stand we're taking,

Cause worms are people too

And we sure don't want to end up a mess on your big shoe!

<Everyone, all together, let's join hands and with feeling....>

We are the worms,

Out on the sidewalk,

We are the ones who make a squishy mess,

So watch where you walk.

Stirring, isn't it?

What the heck? Where did this one come from? LOL ? I don?t remember that!

I totally remember that song/video. Bruce Springsteen looked like he was about to give birth, it was hard to tell Diana Ross and Michael Jackson apart, Cyndi Lauper was apparently being electrocuted (judging by the screeching), and everyone in the world wondered who the hell invited Dan Akroyd... ::

Giving birth! Hahaha, We always thought he was sorta ..constipated er sumpin? LOL

Mike, what is it with you and posting old news? This name sounds really familiar, but I don't really remember watching it.

You know RW, I have no idea? this just popped into my head. I?m old, when your old this will happen to you too; probably. LOL

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:laughing: :laughing:

Doesn't anyone else remember this spoof? Maybe I made it up? I handed copies of this out and started a "movement" as a joke in high school. I know, I was and am brain damaged. I am sure I got it from somewhere???

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Remember.....it's a choice we're making, cause worms are peopel too!

-pinkfloyd1973-in his best Beavis voice: heh-eh,heh-eh- COOOOL!

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I do remember that show... I had to translate the entire speeches for the spanish broadcast (I´m still waiting to be payed, by the way...) as well as the whole interview with Bob Geldof explaining how they had to teach people to survive... and saw the concert many times... The Cars were great... anybody remembers a young and lost Madonna dancing with a tambourine with the Thompson Twins, singing "Revolution"? Some parts were ridiculous, others were good.

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Or maybe I´m mistaken... I´m mixing the "USA for Africa" concert (which I also had to translate) with "We are the world"... I guess I saw them so much that it´s all a mess in my brain!! :doh: :doh: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana:

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