We Are the World

We Are the World is a 1985 USA for Africa song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. It also appeared on the album of the same name. The title is one of the most successful singles to date and sold a total of over 20 million copies.

Production

The single was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian on January 28, 1985, on the eve of the American Music Awards; the recording took place at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood. An instrumental version had previously been sent to interested singers with an invitation for that day.

Publication, success and marketing

We Are the World was released worldwide on March 7, 1985, subsequently becoming a number one hit in countries such as the U.S. (4 weeks from April 13 - May 4, 1985), the U.K. (2 weeks from April 14 - April 27, 1985), and Switzerland (6 weeks from May 5 - June 15, 1985).

The song is originally 7:02 minutes long, but appeared in various lengths (such as 6:58 minutes) and was released on the album of the same name.

The song won a Grammy. The single became the best-selling of 1985. It was also the best-selling single of the 1980s and the first single to reach multi-platinum status. It received a quadruple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.

In a special issue of Life, the song was sponsored by the magazine's publisher. The issue described the entire story surrounding the project and featured Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Willie Nelson on the cover.

To sponsor the song, the music video appeared on video cassette, there were flyers, posters, T-shirts and buttons. The proceeds from the sale, as well as the proceeds of the song, went to the victims of the famine in Ethiopia at the time. Among the goods, the music video on cassette sold best, which also included a making-of to the song and became the ninth best-selling home video in the world in 1985.

On April 5, 1985, over 5000 radio stations worldwide played the song simultaneously.

The music video won the Best Group Video category at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards and the Viewer's Choice Award.

Cyndi Lauper in the studio on the day of the recording with a guest wearing the "USA for Africa" sweatshirt

Contributing musicians

Most of the musicians who took part in the project were Americans. Bob Geldof, an Irishman, also took part in the project. He had previously been a co-initiator of the Band Aid and Live Aid projects.

Conductor

• Quincy Jones

Soloists (in order of appearance) and schedule

• Lionel Richie (There Comes ...)
• Lionel Richie & Stevie Wonder (when the world ...)
• Stevie Wonder (there are people dying ...)
• Paul Simon (oh, and it's time to lend a hand)
• Paul Simon & Kenny Rogers (the greatest gift of all)
• Kenny Rogers (we can't go on ...)
• James Ingram (that someone somewhere ...)
• Tina Turner (we are all a part of ...)
• Billy Joel (and the truth ...)
• Billy Joel & Tina Turner (love is all we need)
• Michael Jackson (We are the world ...)
• Diana Ross (there's a choice ...)
• Michael Jackson & Diana Ross (It's true we'll make a better day ...)
• Dionne Warwick (Well, send them your heart ...)
• Dionne Warwick & Willie Nelson (lives will be stronger and free ...)
• Willie Nelson (As god has shown us ...)
• Al Jarreau (And so we all must lend a helping hand)
• Bruce Springsteen (We are the world ...)
• Kenny Loggins (We are the ones to make ...)
• Steve Perry (there's a choice we're making ...)
• Daryl Hall (Hall & Oates) (it's true we'll make a better day, just you and me)
• Michael Jackson (when you're down and out ...)
• Huey Lewis (but if you just believe ...)
• Cyndi Lauper (well, let's realize that a change ...)
• Kim Carnes (When we)
• Kim Carnes & Huey Lewis (stand together as one)
• (1 1/2 choruses ALL)
• Bob Dylan (there's a choice we're making ...)
• (1 chorus ALL)
• Ray Charles (there's a choice we're making)
• Stevie Wonder & Bruce Springsteen (we are the world ...)
• Stevie Wonder (there's a choice we're making)
• Refrains (Stevie Wonder & Bruce Springsteen)
• Bruce Springsteen (there's a choice we're making)
• (1 chorus ALL)
• James Ingram (we are the world)
• Ray Charles (there's a choice we're making ...)

Additional artists in the choir

• Dan Aykroyd
• Harry Belafonte
• Lindsey Buckingham
• Mario Cipollina (Huey Lewis & the News)
• Johnny Colla (Huey Lewis & the News)
• Sheila E.
• Bob Geldof
• Bill Gibson (Huey Lewis & the News)
• Chris Hayes (Huey Lewis & the News)
• Sean Hopper (Huey Lewis & the News)
• Jackie Jackson
• La Toya Jackson
• Marlon Jackson
• Randy Jackson
• Tito Jackson
• Waylon Jennings
• Bette Midler
• John Oates (Hall & Oates)
• Jeffrey Osborne
• Anita Pointer (The Pointer Sisters)
• June Pointer (The Pointer Sisters)
• Ruth Pointer (The Pointer Sisters)
• Smokey Robinson

Band musician

• David Paich (Synthesizers)
• Michael Boddicker (Synthesizers, Programming)
• Paulinho da Costa (Percussion)
• Louis Johnson (Bass) (The Brothers Johnson)
• Michael Omartian (Keyboards, Producer)
• Greg Phillinganes (keyboards)
• John Robinson (Drums)
• Ray Charles (piano)

Cover versions

The song has been covered frequently, including by the Munich Symphonic Sound Orchestra, the Kelly Family, Luciano Pavarotti, Mariah Carey, Joe Cocker, Nina Hagen, and in a punk rock version on a split album by Hukedicht and Teenage Kings. The band Culturcide released a kind of shred of the track in 1986. On February 1, 2010, 25 years after its first release, it was re-recorded for relief programs as a result of the earthquake in Haiti, see Artists for Haiti.

We Con the World ("We fuck with the world") is a 2010 video clip by the Israeli satirical group Latma that parodies the "Gaza Peace Flotilla."