USA For Africa - We Are The World

First performance: no live dates


Coverinfo

no live dates
 
USA for Africa musicians

Conductor

• Quincy Jones

Soloists (in order of appearance)

• 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

Chorus (alphabetically)

• 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
• The Pointer Sisters
• Smokey Robinson

Instrument players

• John Barnes – keyboards & arrangement
• David Paich – synthesizers
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, programming
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Louis Johnson – synth bass
• Michael Omartian – keyboards
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards
• John Robinson – drums 
 

Songinfo

"We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup United Support of Artists (USA) for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of fewer than 30 retail singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide. Following Band Aid's 1984 "Do They Know It's Christmas?" project in the United Kingdom, an idea for the creation of an American benefit single for African famine relief came from activist Harry Belafonte, who, along with fundraiser Ken Kragen, was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Several musicians were contacted by the pair, before Jackson and Richie were assigned the task of writing the song. The duo completed the writing of "We Are the World" seven weeks after the release of "Do They Know It's Christmas?", and one night before the song's first recording session, on January 21, 1985. The historic event brought together some of the most famous artists in the music industry at the time.

The song was released on March 7, 1985, as the first single from the album. A worldwide commercial success, it topped music charts throughout the world and became the fastest-selling American pop single in history. The first ever single to be certified multi-platinum, "We Are the World" received a Quadruple Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Awarded numerous honors—including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award, and a People's Choice Award—the song was promoted with a critically received music video, a home video, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters, and shirts. The promotion and merchandise aided the success of "We Are the World" and raised over $63 million (equivalent to $144 million today) for humanitarian aid in Africa and the US.

Following the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast of singers was recorded on February 1, 2010. Entitled "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", it was released as a single on February 12, 2010, and proceeds from the record aided survivors in the impoverished country.
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

Lyrics

Lionel Richie: There comes a time when we heed a certain call
Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder: When the world must come together as one
Stevie Wonder: There are people dying
Paul Simon: Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
Paul Simon and Kenny Rogers: The greatest gift of all

Kenny Rogers: We can't go on pretending day by day
James Ingram: That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
Tina Turner: We're all a part of God's great big family
Billy Joel: And the truth
Tina Turner and Billy Joel: You know, love is all we need

Michael Jackson: We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving

Diana Ross: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
Michael Jackson and Diana Ross: It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Dionne Warwick: Well, send them your heart
So they'll know that someone cares
Dionne Warwick and Willie Nelson: And their lives will be stronger and free
Willie Nelson: As God has shown us by turning stone to bread
Al Jarreau: And so we all must lend a helping hand

Bruce Springsteen: We are the world, we are the children
Kenny Loggins: We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
Steve Perry: Oh, there's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
Daryl Hall: It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Michael Jackson: When you're down and out
And there seems no hope at all
Huey Lewis: But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall
Cindi Lauper: Well, well, well, well let's realize
Oh, that a change can only come
Kim Carnes: When we
Huey Lewis and Kim Carnes: Stand together as one
Cyndi Lauper: Yeah yeah yeah yeah!

All: We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving

All: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

All: We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving

Bob Dylan: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

All: We are the world (we are the world)
We are the children (we are the children)
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving (so let's start giving)

All: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
Bob Dylan and all: It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Ray Charles: Alright, let me hear you!
All: We are the world
Ray Charles: We are the world
All: We are the children
Ray Charles: Yeah, we are the children
All: We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
Ray Charles: Let's start giving

Ray Charles: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a finer day
Just you and me
Come on now, let me hear you!

Stevie Wonder: We are the world
Bruce Springsteen: We are the world
Stevie Wonder: We are the children
Bruce Springsteen: We are the children
Stevie Wonder: We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
Bruce Springsteen: So let's start giving

Stevie Wonder: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me, yeah, yeah

Stevie Wonder: We are the world
Bruce Springsteen: We are the world
Stevie Wonder: We are the children
Bruce Springsteen: We are the children
Stevie Wonder: We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
Bruce Springsteen: So let's start giving

Bruce Springsteen: There's a choice we're making
Yeah, we're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me
Stevie Wonder: It's true, woah woah woah woah

All: We are the world (woah woah woah)
We are the children (we are the children)
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving (so let's start giving)

All: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

James Ingram: We are the world
Ray Charles and all: (We are the world)
James Ingram: We are the children
All: (We are the children)
Ray Charles: Yes, so!
James Ingram: We are the ones that make a brighter day
So let's start giving
All: So let's start giving

Ray Charles: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me, hooo hoo

All: We are the world
Ray Charles: Get down!
All: (We are the world)
All: We are the children
Ray Charles: Yeah!
All: (We are the children)
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving

Ray Charles: Alright, need to hear what I'm sayin'!
Ray Charles and all: There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Ray Charles: Alright, I will say it again!
Ray Charles and all: We are the world
All: (We are the world)
Ray Charles and all: We are the children
All: (We are the children)