Posted on 02/13/2010 10:38:49 AM PST by Pan_Yan
"We Are the World" got a bad rap. Not the original charity anthem recorded in 1985, but the 25th-anniversary remake that debuted Friday night during coverage of the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The updated take was horribly oversung, but it was largely faithful to the original tune written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie -- save for the 21st-century rap verses added toward the end of the track. One group rap-along, penned by Will.I.Am and led by LL Cool J, ends with a particularly platitudinous couplet: "We are the world connected by a common bond: Love! The whole planet is singing along."
Just probably not to this version. The remake starts with a slew of well-endowed vocal cords hyperextending themselves during precious seconds in front of the microphone.
Guilty parties from the opening verse include Jennifer Hudson, Justin Bieber, Josh Groban and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, each of them cramming too many notes into not enough syllables. Take it easy, guys.
If the original cast assembled by producer Quincy Jones were "the children," this new ensemble that Jones and Richie summoned the day after the Jan. 31 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles are the grandchildren. It's a sprawling extended family of singers -- more than 80 altogether. That's almost twice as many as the first cast, handfuls of them not even born when the original was recorded.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
i wont watch the olymipics ... and MSM
LOL.
um ... okay.
didn’t like the song then, don’t like it now. At least they took out the laughably wrong line “and God has shown us, by turning stone to bread” which of course is what Satan did to tempt Jesus.
i should not, Satan didnt’ turn anything into anything, he just suggested Jesus turn the stone into bread.
But yeah, the new song? There are many other ways to donate money to Haiti relief...
There comes a time
When the rain begins to fall
And the worms come out of the ground.
There are people walking
Oh, it's time to watch your step
Or your feet will make a squishy sound.
We are the worms
Out on the sidewalk.
We are the ones who make a squishy mess
So watch where you walk.
It's a chance we're taking
Leaving out homes underground
Though it's true we'll get a better tan,
Just you and me.
When we're laying 'round
Keep your eye out on the street.
If you don't look out,
You'll have worms under your feet.
We realize
Oh, that the sun is gonna come
And we'll shrivel up like beef jerky from the heat.
We are the worms
Out on the pavement.
And when we hear a squish, we look around
To see where cousin Dave went.
It's a stance we're taking
'Cause worms are people too
And we sure don't want a better look
At your big shoe.
We are the worms
Out on the sidewalk.
We are the ones who make a squishy mess
So watch where you walk.
It's a chance we're taking
Leaving out homes underground
Though it's true we'll get a better tan,
Just you and me.
Oh, come on now, let me hear you.
We are the worms
Out on the pavement.
And when we hear a squish, we look around
To see where cousin Dave went.
It's a stance we're taking
'Cause worms are people too
And we sure don't want a better look
At your big shoe.
The author’s swooning gush over the original song later in the article is pretty bad. I’m not sure the new one is worse - my opinion of the original was pretty low and my musical tastes in the ‘80s were less than stellar.
I’d never heard that before, but since it’s already been brought up twice it appears it was popular everywhere except where I grew up.
For the record, they are playing the video for it now. If someone will let me know when it’s over I’ll change the channel back.
Lots of wrecks at Daytona so far.
I just saw the video and it was simply awful. It makes the 1985 version look like a masterpiece.
I’ll take your word for it.
Wonder how much additional money could have been raised if they had not included rap (crap) in the song?
Do they honestly believe the demographic who listens to rap is going to donate?????
I am amazed that some people can make such decisions and keep their jobs.
The “song” was the worst piece of crap I have seen thrown together in quite some time. Calling it awful would be a compliment.
They are trying to sell records. You and I weren’t going to buy it whether there was rap in it or not. However, a million kids who normally buy crap will pay two bucks to download it on their iPods and MP3 players because their favorite rapper is in it.
More likely, 1 will download it and spread it to a 1000 people.
One of ACORNs finest moments.
Please don’t send me a copy.
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