Watch it. Watch it before you read this if you haven’t seen it already. It’s the remake of “We Are The World,” the pop-anthem of my childhood, sung by a lot of artists I didn’t recognize and some delightful movie stars.
We Are The World 25 For Haiti includes 2010′s most amazing talent (drum roll please)…Justin Bieber, Lil’ Wayne, and The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges raising money for relief efforts in Haiti. As I reflect on the 1985 version of this song and this version, made 25 years later, it is impossible not to make comparisons.
Lil’ Wayne took over Bob Dylan’s verse from 1985. Justin Bieber sings the opening line this time around instead of Lionel Richie. Forgive me, pop-culture smarties, but who the hell is Justin Bieber? Are Lil’ Wayne and Lil’ Bieber the Lionel Richie and Bob Dylan of this generation? If so, I got the good end of the deal back in ’85.
I’m not completely dismayed by the remake, however. I firmly believe that The Dude should be allowed in any televised event he damn well chooses. Seeing Jeff Bridges and Vince Vaughn singing for Haiti was downright heartwarming. Kudos to their agents who got them in on that deal.
One missing musical media giant? Jay-Z. The man said at the NBA Allstar game this past Saturday, “We Are The World is untouchable like Thriller is untouchable. Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me it’s gonna be untouchable.” Jay-Z also stated he felt that a new song should have been written instead of re-creating the classic.
Have we been reduced to remakes of Candle In The Wind by Elton John when a beautiful woman dies and We Are The World when disaster strikes? Jay-Z and I now have two things in common – a love for Beyonce and the same opinion of the remake.
Photo via Billboard
