I inadvertently missed the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics this evening as a result of cooking. By the time I realised it, I figured I might as well just check out some news. That's when I came across the remake of "We Are The World".
Musically, I have to say that the remake was great! I didn't think it was possible to incorporate hip hop and rap into the ballad-like soft rock original, but they did a really good job. The guitar addition was awesome, and the end product video was great. In my humble musical opinion, 2 thumbs up for the entire project... and another 2 thumbs up for their intentions.
On a side note (and apparently, I always have plenty of these), it got me thinking. The original was recorded to fight famine in Africa. For those of you who aren't old enough to remember it (or if your memory is a little foggy), it was horrendous -- more than 8 million victims, and over 1 million people died. Parents used to coerce their children into finishing their dinner or not wasting food with the words, "Think of the children in Ethiopia".
In the last 25 years, we've seen a lot of widespread devastation prior to Haiti. Deadly earthquakes throughout the world, the 2004 tsunami, etc. Don't get me wrong -- I am not minimising the tragedy in Haiti. I am wholly supportive of what Artists for Haiti is doing and attempting to accomplish. I know Lionel Ritchie was reluctant to revisit the song. Then Haiti happened, and I am just wondering if the decision to do the remake to help Haiti came because it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the original. What made Haiti extra special over the other devastations in the last 25 years?
Again, I am neither minimising the pain and suffering going on nor unsupportive of the aid attempts around the world. And I am not attacking Artists for Haiti or Lionel Ritchie for his decision. I am merely asking, "Is the project and timing a mere coincidence?"
What do you think?
Musically, I have to say that the remake was great! I didn't think it was possible to incorporate hip hop and rap into the ballad-like soft rock original, but they did a really good job. The guitar addition was awesome, and the end product video was great. In my humble musical opinion, 2 thumbs up for the entire project... and another 2 thumbs up for their intentions.
On a side note (and apparently, I always have plenty of these), it got me thinking. The original was recorded to fight famine in Africa. For those of you who aren't old enough to remember it (or if your memory is a little foggy), it was horrendous -- more than 8 million victims, and over 1 million people died. Parents used to coerce their children into finishing their dinner or not wasting food with the words, "Think of the children in Ethiopia".
In the last 25 years, we've seen a lot of widespread devastation prior to Haiti. Deadly earthquakes throughout the world, the 2004 tsunami, etc. Don't get me wrong -- I am not minimising the tragedy in Haiti. I am wholly supportive of what Artists for Haiti is doing and attempting to accomplish. I know Lionel Ritchie was reluctant to revisit the song. Then Haiti happened, and I am just wondering if the decision to do the remake to help Haiti came because it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the original. What made Haiti extra special over the other devastations in the last 25 years?
Again, I am neither minimising the pain and suffering going on nor unsupportive of the aid attempts around the world. And I am not attacking Artists for Haiti or Lionel Ritchie for his decision. I am merely asking, "Is the project and timing a mere coincidence?"
What do you think?
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