We Are the World: la notte che ha cambiato il pop

In 1985, We Are The World was huge. We saw the video over and over and over again.

We all had the album and listened to it countless times. It was on the radio non-stop. It was an immensely powerful song.

Watching this documentary and learning how the song came about and how they managed to get all the biggest names in Music together, it let me re-experience it all. Watching it was both nostalgic and entertaining. But also sad watching the great artists who aren't around anymore.

It's a Must See for anyone who was around back in '85.

And, after nearly 40 years, I finally learned why Prince wasn't there.

My kids were 5 and 10 when We Are the World was released. They couldn't get enough of it probably because Michael Jackson was a big part of it and they knew the money was going to feed kids in Africa. This behind the scenes account of how Harry Belafonte inspired Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones to make it happen is beautiful and funny with some very personal commentary by many of the dozens of artists who did the marathon recording. Their effort seems like something that would never happen today even though we surely could use the love and selflessness they embodied the night they gathered in one studio to record the song. The reflections by Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson , Cindy Lauper and others make this a special film. It's a little long but worth sticking with it.

I have no qualms about praising this piece. It is great that after over thirty some years, we get to see the effort that went into producing this record. Of course, there are critical comments about how these big ticket stars could have opened their pocketbooks and sent a bunch of money to Africa. It's interesting how the first thing out of some people's mouth is to put down the effort that was made. The moneys that came from this far exceeded anything these people could have contributed. The beauty was the herding of cats in a venue that was being constructed on the fly. Lionel Richie had to be in way over his head at times. It was also interesting to see that some of the performers, famous as they were, became frightened that they couldn't deliver a one or two sentence solo. Of course, others didn't like the people that were there. Bob Dylan is frequently criticized. But we all know how he sounds and he was contributing for the overall impact of the production. I have to say that when I watched this, I didn't think all that much about Huey Lewis. He becomes a major contributor to the documentary. Anyway, what an effort to draw these people together. Leaving a major awards show and heading off to do this. It will never happen again.

I waited 97 minutes to find out why Dan Akroyd was in that recording studio. I still don't know. As much as I loved the Blues Brothers, that doesn't make him a singer.

The only two huge stars of the time missing were Prince and Madonna. We learned about Prince in all his solitary weirdness but Madonna was mentioned only for a split second.

For anyone who's been in a professional recording studio, Cyndi Lauper having to remove her jewelry was hilarious. The microphones pick up everything, even the proverbial dropped pin. To anyone questioning why she was there, take a quick look at the pop charts from say 1983 to 1986 - there's your answer.

This is everything I want from a documentary. It was both informative and entertaining, and it gave me a brief glimpse into something raw and real. It effectively captures the feeling of being in that recording studio on that specific night in the company of the biggest names in music at the time - the exhilaration but also the pressure and tension felt by everyone in the room (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, the list goes on and on). I felt like I got to know each of these artists a little bit better because of their raw emotions and vulnerability that were on display in the footage.

I wasn't alive when "We are the World" was released in 1985. However, I distinctly remember when the 25th anniversary rendition was released in 2010 and being instantly enthralled by the sheer power of so many iconic voices united for one important cause. I've watched that video over and over, and I get the same visceral feeling every time. This documentary adds depth and context to that feeling, and I now have even more appreciation for the original song.