When it comes to the 1980s, there’s a lot to be said about the music. The evolution of instruments-naturally or by accident like the drum reverb-alllowed artists more creative outlets to explore ideas which in turn led to many amazing songs during that era.
Then when Harry Belafonte called up Lionel Richie about an idea to help people in Africa, this would lead to an epic collaboration among artists that hadn’t been done before.
Of course you only wish that putting together a collaboration like this would be simple, and as this documentary would show, it was anything but that.
In watching this documentary I found that it really was a combination of serendipity as well as unexpected speed bumps that made this a story worth telling. Plus once the artists learned why they were all there it then became a question of how do they do this right.
In the end, not only were they able to get the song done, but "We Are The World" would become a critical and commercial success-reaching number one on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1985, and staying there for four weeks. In addition, this would help raise up to $80 million in humanitarian aid for Africa and the U.S.
One personal highlight was the scene where everyone asked the other for their autograph, which is incredibly cool. That, and having everyone sing one of Belafonte's songs in-between sessions was both hilarious and very heartfelt.
I think what also sets this collaboration apart is that while other events like this would follow, it would never be quite the same as this one was. And I feel that echoes the concept of how lightning can't always be caught in a bottle, but for USA For Africa to do what they did, lightning certainly struck in a great way.
So if you have Netflix, give this documentary a shot. Even if you aren't crazy about music during the 80s, it's still worth watching. Especially it shows how music can do more than attract listeners. It can also help make a difference in the world, and in ways many may not even realize.
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