We Are The World on Netflix: song history, artists, curiosities

Su Netflix you can see it for a few days the birth and behind the scenes of We Are the Worldone of symbolic songs of the eighties. The opportunity is given by a precious documentary: The night that changed the pop. Where, in addition to interviews conducted today to some artists and technicians of the time, yes reveals a series of curious anecdotes and moving never revealed before. A unique opportunity for retrace the key moments which led to the birth and creation of a timeless classic.

We Are the World – The night that changed popthe documentary on Netflix

Putting Bob Dylan and Cyndi Lauper together in the same song? For many an impossible task, but in 1985 the miracle (and not only that) was made possible by the super musical group USA for Africa. A band of American music superstars created to record in great secrecy We Are the World.

Written for charity by Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jacksonis a song that changed the fate of pop music forever. But above all of populations of Ethiopiaat the time afflicted by a terrible famine.

Directed by Bao Nguyen, e narrated in first person by Lionel Ritchie and other project participants, We Are The World tells the genesis of a song that was born along the lines of the Band Aid initiative – promoted the year before in Great Britain by Bob Geldof. Who it involved singers such as George Michael, Sting and U2 to realize Do They Know It’s Christmas?, benefit song to fight hunger in Africa. A project that had incredible sales and critical success.

The genesis of the project and the artists involved

One month after the release of Do They Know It’s Christmas?the legendary Harry Belafonte – African American activist, actor and singer – contacts producer friend Ken Kragen to make an equivalent song to the British model. But with the precise desire to involve African-American artists.

Kragen immediately thinks of his friend Lionel Ritchiea superstar at the time thanks to hits like All Night Longwho in turn contacts Quincy Jonessymbolic producer of the Eighties and creator of the Michael Jackson phenomenon thanks to the records Off The Wall And Thriller.

Everyone enthusiastically joins the project and after a few days the work team is composed as follows: Jones producer and Ritchie and Jackson authors of the song. In the meantime, we try to involve as many artists as possible: the opportunity comes with American Music Awards. Events in which many artists, and everyone, would be present in Los Angeles

And so, at the end of the ceremony, artists such as Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Billy Joel arrive at the A&M Records studios, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross, Billy Joel and many others. Other singers, however, not present at the AMA, they fly to Los Angeles on purposeas Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan. The total is 45 superstars, busy recording a song – written only a few days before – in a single night.

Dozens of juicy anecdotes, like Cyndi Lauper’s noisy costume jewelry

Using precious archive material created during the recording, Bao Nguyen offers the viewer a unique and truly unprecedented perspective about a fundamental moment in the history of music.

Peek behind the scenes of such a once-in-a-lifetime ensemble of icons musical offers an infinite series of small curiosities and anecdotes that until now have remained in the drawer. Also thanks to interviews conducted today with artists and sound engineers present that night.

For example Stevie Wonder helping Ray Charles (both blind) get to the men’s room or Diana Ross asking for the autograph of Daryl Hall. Thus pushing all the other participants to collect their respective signatures on the scores.

It also sheds light on Madonna’s failure to participate – which some of the production would have wanted and others not –, preferring Lauper. (Madonna will take revenge months later by ousting the song from first place with her own Crazy for you.)

There is the detail of Al Jarreau, still too revved up after the evening at the AMAs, which really he can’t nail his solo because of too much wine.

Bob Dylan’s crisis and Diana Ross’ tears

It has been on social media for years the video of Bob Dylan’s disoriented close-up has gone viral while everyone around him sings at the top of their lungs. But before now we never really knew why.

In fact, Dylan has a moment of obvious difficulty when it is almost dawn and he can’t sing his solo. Quincy Jones tries to help him but nothing, Stevie Wonder resolves the situation. As? Sitting at the piano and imitating Bob’s voiceto make him smile and thus relax the atmosphere.

A moving moment like the one in which Diana Ross, at the end of registration around eight in the morning, bursts into tears saying “I wish this moment would never end».

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