We Are The World

February 14, 2010 on 1:20 pm | In Art, Awesome, Love, Music, Stuff | 2 Comments

In 1985, Michael Jackson arranged a bunch of artists to sing a song to Africa. I don’t know why, but I assume that something happened and they needed support.



This year, in 2010, there was an earthquake in Haiti. Michael was unable to arrange the artists this time around, since he’s long since dead, but in his memory and to help support Haiti, they did the same song again, with artists from me and Gina’s era. my god, its amazing. Especially the rap part.

2 Comments

  1. Okay, history lesson time.

    Back in the mid-1980s, there was a really terrible draught in central Africa. People were dying slow, awful deaths from starvation. The news footage coming out of the area at the time was enough to give you nightmares.

    There were a bunch of political reasons why the nations of the world didn’t just airlift in everything needed, mostly having to do with the fact that its not Europe and it’s not a region of the world where there’s a bunch of oil. For the most part, nobody cared.

    The first person to bring international attention to the situation was a guy named Bob Geldof, who sang with the Boomtown Rats. He co-wrote a song called “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” about the starving kids in Africa. He got a bunch of top artists together to record it, called it Band Aid and every penny the song made was supposed to go to humanitarian aid.

    Among other things, Geldof was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

    When American artists saw what the British had done, they were suitably impressed and wanted to do their bit, too. That’s when Michael Jackson co-wrote “We Are The World” with Lionel Ritchie (the first guy who sings in the video) and got everybody together to record it.

    So, who is “everybody”?

    In order of appearance (some I don’t remember):

    Lionel Ritchie
    Stevie Wonder
    Paul Simon
    Kenny Rogers
    James Ingram
    Tina Turner
    Billy Joel
    Michael Jackson (of course!)
    Diana Ross
    Dionne Warwick
    Willie Nelson
    Al Jarreau
    Bruce Springsteen
    Kenny Loggins
    (Don’t know this guy)
    Darryl Hall
    Michael again
    Huey Lewis
    Cyndi Lauper
    Kim Carnes
    Bob Dylan
    Ray Charles

    Other folks I see in the crowd: Marlon, Tito, LaToya, Jermain, and Jackie Jackson, Harry Belafonte, Smokey Robinson, Bette Middler, June and Ruth Pointer (from the Pointer Sisters). Quincy Jones conducting.

    Comment by Me — February 14, 2010 #

  2. Alright! The singers in order:
    Justin Bieber
    Nicole Scherzinger (lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls)
    Jennifer Hudson
    (Don’t know this chick, though she kinda sounds like a country singer)
    Josh Groban
    Tony Bennett
    Mary J. Blige
    Duet between Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson
    (I have absolutely no clue who she is)
    Miley Cyrus
    Enrique Iglesias
    (K I’m not sure fi that was Celine Dion or not…)
    Jamie Foxx
    Wyclef Jean, I think? his voice scares me
    Adam Levine (lead singer of Maroon 5)
    Pink
    (Don’t know this guy)
    MJ again :3
    Usher
    Celine Dion
    Fergie
    Nick Jonas (The other two Jonas Brothers are in the choir too)
    Toni Braxton
    Mary Mary (two gospel singing sisters)
    (I don’t recognize the bald white guy)
    Lil’ Wayne (featuring back-up badass guitar riffs from Carlos Santana and Orianthi)
    Akon
    T-Pain
    And now for the rappers:
    LL Cool J, Snoop Dog, Will.i.am, Busta Rhymes, I think Swizz Beatz, and I don’t recognize the other rappers.
    Kanye West has that rap solo w/ Will.i.am in the very end.
    Other people I can see in the crowd: Randy Jackson, Vince Vaughn, Faith Evans, Tyrese Gibson (you’d remember him as the black soldier from TRANSFORMERS, BITCHES), Brandy, Jordin Sparks, Mya, and Sean Garrett, though I didn’t recognize all of them.

    Comment by G — February 14, 2010 #

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