A changed planet, new orbit and bigger galaxy of stars. For Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, the second revolution of We Are the World, launched Friday, easily matches the 1985 original in talent, altruism and magic.
“Divinity was in the room," says Jones, producer for both charity recordings. “It was a big challenge. It takes a serious army and serious emotional architecture. I've never seen such a diverse group of people, and they came for the right reasons."
We Are the World: 25 for Haiti, downloadable at world25.org and iTunes, brought 88 voices together, spotlighting such soloists as Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand. Most gathered on Feb. 1 in the studio where the first was taped. A few were plugged in later, including Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson.
At her mother's request, Jackson's part was spliced with original vocals and footage of her brother Michael. “It made me feel more secure about this," says Richie, who co-wrote the original with the pop legend. “We definitely felt a void. He's the other parent."
Ideas for an anniversary remake languished for months until the Haiti earthquake Jan. 12 mobilized Jones and Richie, who updated the second verse to underscore the disaster.
Though Richie felt some jitters about tackling a sequel, especially one seeking donations in a stalled economy, he flatly disagreed with those who declared the anthem too sacred to reinterpret.
“What's a classic? To the next generation, it's just an old song," says Richie, who insisted on a fresh slate of talent with no 1985 returnees. “We have a familiar song that kids learn in school. Why not bring in Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers and let them address the issues? We can pass the baton and empower the next generation to take up arms and have a legacy with this."
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