Though the original “We Are The World” was recorded before I was even born, the magnitude of the event is still something that I can appreciate 25 years later. Where else can you get Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, and Willie Nelson together on the SAME SONG? It’s like the ULTIMATE featuring track, and I thought ‘Run This Town‘ was a big deal…
Well, the newest, biggest event in music history has come upon us in the form of “We Are The World 2010″. Yes, you read that correctly folks.
Monday, over 100 of the most relevant stars in the pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, and country world came together to record the newest version of the song to raise money for Haiti relief. And in light of Michael Jackson’s passing, and the 25 year anniversary, all the stars have aligned to make this the perfect time for a re-recording of the one-time highest selling pop single ever.
The All-Star roster of best-selling artists is as follows (with editorial notes as needed): Pink, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Kanye West (keepin it classy and of course excluding Taylor Swift from the situation), The Jonas Brothers, T-Pain, LL Cool J, Justin Bieber, Robin Thicke, Celine Dion, Akon, Rob Thomas, Wyclef Jean, Jeff Bridges (amazing!), Vince Vaughn (!!!!!), Barbra Streisand, Jordin Sparks, Harry Connick Jr., Good Charlotte’s Madden brothers, Tony Bennett, Josh Groban, Snoop Dogg, Steve Saville, Jennifer Hudson, Keri Hilson, Jamie Foxx, Tyrese, Katharine McPhee (this is starting to sound like an American Idol Reunion), Sean Garrett, Will.i.am, Brandy (is she still alive?), Carlos Santana, Melanie Fiona, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton, Cameron Bell,Jason Mraz (of course he finagled his way in there), Miley Cyrus, Busta Rhymes, Nicole Scherzinger (that girl that doesn’t sing in “Pussycat dolls”), Nicole Richie (obviously nepotism), Jay-Z, Usher, Julianne Hough, Raphael Saadiq, Zac Brown Band, India.Arie, Randy Jackson (BUT NO PAULA????????????), Musiq Soulchild, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson, Fonzworth Bentley, Kid Cudi, Iyaz, Bizzy Bone, Nipsey Hussle, the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson and Al Jardine (here’s hoping John Stamos plays the drums), Trey Songz, Faith Evans, Mya and Gladys Knight. And there’s still more who will be announced via press release coming out in the upcoming weeks.
According to the LA Times, “ There was a ripple of curiosity in a media tent set up in an adjacent compound when two people dressed in lime-colored masks and body socks joined the singalong. Clearly, the extras were green-screen place holders, digital “blank spots” for people who would be added later by a visual effects team. Would it be the late Michael Jackson? An absent Bono or Janet Jackson?” LADY GAGA MAYBE????????? The other Bridges brother? Any of the openly gay American idol participants?
What do you think Barbara Streisand and Will.i.am talked about?
According to Pitchfork, Lil’ Wayne will be recreating Bob Dylan’s original part of the song. In an interview with MTV, Weezy joked, “I don’t know how to sing…I was like, ‘What am I doing here? You guys are real good comedians.’” He added, “After I did Bob Dylan’s part, it kind of hit me that I guess this is way more important than I could ever imagine.” When asked if he thought he bettered Dylan’s original performance he said, “Hell no.”
This music event is SOO groundbreaking, can you even handle the anticipation?!?
The video will air during the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics on February 12 in 3D! So hold on to those glasses you stole from Avatar, and sit through the Opening Ceremonies anxiously to watch this world-changing, fundraising event.
Who’s missing from the list? Who do you wish was there yesterday chumming it with Lil’ Wayne, Justin Bieber, and Celine Dion?
I’d like to see: Boyz II Men, that lead singer guy from Suicidal Tendencies singing “Institutionalized” over everyone else, Jonsi, Jandek, Mike Portnoy, High Contrast, Biz Markie, Andy Rooney, the fever ray/knife girl doing something incredibly weird (redundant?), We’re From Barcelona, samples of The Carter Family, Chali 2na, Courtney Love, Ringo Starr w/o his glasses and no one recognizes him, Ennio Morricone via autotune, & the 69 Boyz
February 3, 2010 at 10:35 amThis is retarded (not this feature, though it could use some editing) but the fact that all these people are in a room to remake a 20-something year old song, and yet they’re all made out to be talented.
If you were so fucking talented then you could write your own goddamned song that did the same thing this one did. Right?
February 3, 2010 at 10:49 am“Though the original “We Are The World” was recorded before I was even born”
that’s right about where i stopped reading.
why? because i’m an asshole who doesn’t understand how anyone born after 1985 could possibly say (or write) anything that i should pay attention to.
now, if you’ll excuse me, i am going to return Grouchiest Old Things.
February 3, 2010 at 10:53 am25 years later Africa is still pretty much fucked right? way to go celebrities.
February 3, 2010 at 11:12 amChad: “Is that girl a child?”
February 3, 2010 at 11:16 am@dan. Nice.
Problem is everyone seemingly thinks “Africa = one fucked up country” No. Africa = a shitload of fucked up countries. These celebrities should go down there and just pick ONE of the countries on the continent to fix, then hire some dinosaurs with lazers to defend it until all the other countries realize that if they stop having 56 babies (3.4 of whom will actually live) apiece and celebrating shitbag leopardhat wearing tinpot dictators they may actually achieve something before the end of the universe.
February 3, 2010 at 11:31 amhonestly, even as a child in 1985 i knew that USA for Africa was a pretty bum trade.
some might argue that trading one country for an entire continent is a good deal. but i say if we’re gonna trade the USA it should be for something awesome like France or the moon.
February 3, 2010 at 1:09 pmI know that there are too many “charities” and “causes” in the world for us to acknowledge them ALL, but shouldn’t there be massive rich-celebrity events like this for any of the countless of “causes” BESIDES Haiti? I appreciate the enormity of this event and think it’s great that celebrities are using their fame to promote donations and generosity, but sometimes we need to look beyond the most recent media-pumped event and support all the other suffering people out there.
ASIDE from that… I think this remake will be sick.
February 3, 2010 at 3:47 pmI am more than old enough to remember the first one. It was HUGE and now 25 years later this will tap into older people like me who can donate the cash. While this is certainly not a very creative approach, it will be very effective…which is the whole point.
February 3, 2010 at 5:43 pmWe Are The World 2010 receiving some good hype from the media, eh? I dunno… some of the artists included in the roster don’t even know what the hell they’re doing there. Lil Wayne and Celine Dion in the same song? Goodness.. i wonder what it’s gonna sound like. At the very least, we’re gonna be hearing ‘em sing a song which isn’t all synthesizers (hopefully) and crappy lyrics.
USA for Africa did this song, fed about a handful of kids, and went on with their celebrity lives. There’s nothing bad about that, is there? Yeah, Africa is still pretty f*cked up, but do you seriously expect 50 or so singers to dedicate their lives into shaping Africa into a continent half as good as north america???? Of course not, so who can blame USA for Africa for recording WATW and leaving it still f*cked up?
WATW 2010 will be able to haul in a great mound of cash for Haiti, no doubt. Will the song be as good as the first? That doesn’t matter, I guess. Will they be able to remake the magic the original song held? Now that, that matters. That’s what this whole thing depends on: the magic that’ll get people to open up their hearts -and wallets- and help the victims of the earthquake.
February 6, 2010 at 1:42 amWait…who’s Nipsey Hussle? And when did half of these guys start singing? At least bring in singing rappers like Q-Tip or something, but I guess that what you get playing in the pop arena…
I doubt this will come off as well as the original but I hope to be corrected!
Lil Wayne<Bob Dylan
February 12, 2010 at 12:18 pmI would have liked to see some Christian artists, like Third Day, Jars of Clay and Jeremy Camp, who are awesome musicians and are already supporting third world countries on their own. The fact that they were excluded is an insult to Christians who are continually donating to the underpriveledged peoples of the world. Very telling of this endeavor to me.
February 13, 2010 at 3:14 pmCan we all join hands across America to finally put an end to Christian rock? Jesus tap dancing Christ.
February 14, 2010 at 1:01 am
Wait is Jeff Bridges god?
February 3, 2010 at 10:33 am