Re-Recording Fails to Hit Right Note
March 4, 2010 • By Brendan Harte Gilsenan,
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Re-Make of ‘We Are the World’ Reinforces a Good Cause, Yet is Still Insulting
Lionel Richie is a Grammy award-winning artist who has fronted the Commodores, and sold more than 100 million records. Justin Bieber is a 15-year-old Canadian boy-band-type heartthrob who will most likely drift into obscurity upon reaching puberty. What do these two have in common? “There comes a time when we heed a certain call, when the world must come together as one.”
I fell to the ground. I literally fell to the ground with shock and disappointment upon witnessing Justin Bieber lead off the 25th anniversary remake of Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie’s “We Are the World.” Bieber’s appearance only served to foreshadow the multitude of atrocities committed throughout the recording.
After seeing the names of artists involved with the remake, I jokingly told my friends I thought the song would make use of that dreadfully overused modern touch of Auto-Tune. It was meant to be a joke… and oh, how I wish it had stayed one.
Michael Jackson definitely had a taste for hip-hop. In 1992, “Dangerous” was littered with it, but he knew where the urban beats were appropriate and where they were not. Jackson did not write a rap bridge into “Will You Be There.” That simply would have been absurd. Almost as absurd as LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, and Busta Rhymes rapping a will.i.am-penned bridge on “We Are the World.”
I understand Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie were looking to get A-list stars for the recording, but I don’t remember hearing Run-DMC on the original. In 1985, “We Are The World” was recorded as the song it was written to be: a sensitive pop tune performed by some of the world’s most notable vocalists, not most notable celebrities.
This song was recorded to sell and raise money for Haiti, but other artists with more credibility could have contributed without diminishing sales. Where was John Mayer? Justin Timberlake? I’ll even take Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Instead we have Disney-manufactured icons, such as Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff and the Jonas Brothers, and vocally talentless acts, such as T-Pain and Lil Wayne. The latter of whom heavily use Auto-Tune on the track to have their computerized-sounding voices hit all the right pitches.
The newly written sections and array of non-deserving artists take away from the truly fantastic aspects of this re-recording. Musicians such as Pink and Enrique Iglesias pleasantly surprised me, while those like Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson unsurprisingly delivered lines carrying the depth and emotion the lyrics convey. Unfortunately, we had to be greeted with a Pussycat Doll at Hudson’s side whose biggest hit seductively proclaims “Don’t Cha wish you girlfriend was hot like me?” And God bless Wyclef Jean, whose heart has truly been in the right place since the Haiti tragedy, but his frog-in-the-throat quivering vocals are over the top and detract from the song.
Half of the featured artists did a fantastic job. Celine Dion, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland contributed beautiful vocals, but the rest seemed to simply be a who’s who of TMZ, a celebrity and entertainment news Web site. Dozens of alternative vocalists could have taken part in this recording: Bono, Elton John, Dave Matthews or even Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson has done more to legitimize herself away from her commercial roots than Miley Cyrus ever could and is more deserving of the privilege to contribute to such a monumental recording.
To me, “We Are The World 25 for Haiti” is the equivalent to George Lucas reviving the “Star Wars” franchise. Lucas added many bangs and whistles and digital effects to make his prequels bigger and better than the originals. Unfortunately, while visually captivating, the heart and soul of the films fell flat when compared to the classic tales of Luke Skywalker and the evil Empire.
The heart of the cause is in the right place, but it could have been done better. I find this re-recording to be more insulting to the original than honoring. Unfortunately, what is done is done, but I do still encourage everyone to purchase this track. The cause is more important than the legacy of any song ever could be.
Brendan Harte Gilsenan is a sophomore media arts & design major.
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I think the majority of us totally agree with everything you said. Other then a small number of A list artist there were more C and D list artists on this remake too. Everyone I know said where is Christina, Justin, Beyonce, Lady GaGa, Alicia, Jay-Z, John Mayer etc. Those are todays A list vocalists not Bieber or Miley etc. The auto tune was horrendous. I just found it an insult to the original and an embarrassment even though it was for a good cause.
Definitely agree about the auto-tune. Enough with that already. Using it in rap songs is getting old, but using it in a song that is meant to convey a deep message like this one is just silly.
Agreed….terrible remake. Give me Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera , John Meyer and Kelly Clarkson (although she was out of the country during the recording) any day over the teeny boppers and undeserving singers they used.