Re: We Are The World to be re-recorded for Haiti.
Behind the scenes for 'World: 'A good vibe going on'
By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY
HOLLYWOOD — The scene inside Henson Recording Studios Monday evening was eerily familiar and altogether altered. Quincy Jones in headphones raised a victorious fist before conducting a fresh take of We Are the World before a celebrity choir. Déjà vu.
But this was a fresh slate of singers. Not a single returnee stood among the 80-plus celebrities linking voices on We Are the World: 25 for Haiti, an updated twist on the classic that raised $63 million for African famine relief efforts.
Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the original, envisioned a new generation for the remake benefiting Haiti earthquake victims, said Randy Phillips, president/CEO of AEG Live. "He didn't want to do the same thing again. That would have been an easier way to book this thing."
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The lyrics have been tweaked by Richie, and will.i.am wrote a rap "Greek chorus" extension. Producer RedOne gave the music a rhythmic face lift, and Wyclef Jean will apply a Haitian lilt to the track.
Turnout was stupendous, with stars ranging from Pink, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Hudson to Zac Brown, LL Cool J and Carlos Santana. Some invitations were rejected by those unwilling to readdress an iconic tune, Phillips said. Others, like Taylor Swift, couldn't untangle scheduling conflicts. A few, such as Janet Jackson, will be added remotely. And a handful simply declined.
"The stars who turned us down will regret not doing it," he said.
Despite a total cast turnover, Nancy Wilson of Heart saw a strong parallel to the 1985 lineup.
"I just remember thinking, 'What an odd collection of unlikely people that somehow managed to be cool together anyway,' " she said. "That's how it felt tonight."
Those in attendance reveled in the party atmosphere. "It's a good vibe going on," Idol judge Randy Jackson reported.
Behind the scenes:
•Babs nails it: In a side studio, infamous perfectionist Barbra Streisand struggled to get the proper emphasis and cadence as she taped her solo lines over and over. "Are you getting the right sound?" she asked the engineer. "It's faster than the original, isn't it?"
Patti Austin stepped in to coach her, singing along at one point, then exulting, "That's smokin'! Do it just like that!"
•Somebody to lean on: Her feet aching during the marathon session, Melanie Fiona leaned against Musiq Soulchild at one point, triggering a musical detour.
"I said, 'This is We Are the World, not Lean on Me,' and then Celine Dion just started going in (singing Lean on Me)," Soulchild said. "Everybody started chiming in. It was very organic. I started an avalanche. People were gracious enough to let us go. We're artists, we're creative people. We need to let it out. I apologize if it was inappropriate. My bad."
•Newbies: Among the younger singers were Ethan Bortnick, the 9-year-old composer/pianist, and Season 6 American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, 20.
"I wasn't born yet, but the song has had a huge impact on me," Sparks said. "They've changed it up a little bit, so it's a new version with a little more — I hate this word — but swag."
She felt a little lost in the sea of longtime music pals. "There's a lot of inside jokes, and I'm like, I don't get it."
Justin Bieber, 15, was a little anxious, not about reprising the opening verse, but about his proximity to Nicole Scherzinger. "It was hard to take my eyes off her, she's so gorgeous."
•No bad raps:Brandy was surprised to see so many rappers in the crowd and found Snoop Dogg's presence "hilarious," but not because he can't carry a tune. "To hear him sing in key and with vibrato is pretty cool," she said.
•Weezy's reminder: Lil Wayne was surprised to find himself in such an illustrious crowd of fine singers. "I've never been involved in something like this," he said. "I feel blessed (but) I was like, what am I doing? My mother just wanted me to take Gladys Knight's picture."
His parting shot: "It's amazing what's been done for Haiti, but it's also amazing what hasn't been done for New Orleans (since Hurricane Katrina)."
•Happy campers: "It feels like the first day at camp," said Josh Groban, who was in no rush to go home. "I don't have a softball game to run to like the Jonas Brothers. The 10-minute breaks become, 'So what are you working on?' So many of us are fans of the people around us. It's a party in there."
He exchanged phone numbers with Zac Brown. For his solo, Groban did Kenny Rogers' original harmony part "with some riff at the end, the token classical note."
Giddiness aside, the singers were nervous, he said. "We were all cognizant of the fact that the original had such a powerful impact."
•New and improved: Co-producer Wyclef Jean understands that purists don't want the original World retooled. "When you have a classic, you don't want to touch it," he says. But he promises his contemporized take will be "a big version" and a boon for his native Haiti.
He's also delighted to be at the hub of such a stellar cast.
"I feel like a kid in a candy store," he says. "The first time I heard (Richie's) All Night Long, I was 15, working at a Burger King (and) barely spoke English."
•It's no joke: Did actor Vince Vaughn think it was a prank when Jones summoned him for the chorus?
"Nope!" he says emphatically, declining to share a taste of his vocal skills. "You don't want the pink little spoon. You want the whole sundae. You're going to have to wait for it."
Turning serious, he said he was grateful to be included in a project with such strong potential for good.
"Music is the highest art form," he said. "Music can take you the farthest, the fastest emotionally. All songs on some level are prayers. To come and say a prayer with all these very talented people tonight was a great thing to do."
•Akon's tale: Thanks to his ties to Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, Akon heard loads of stories about the original World recording sessions. "I never felt that I'd be in a position to be remaking it and actually be able to tell my own story someday."
•Egos? Checked: Anthony Hamilton was impressed by the camaraderie. "I was blown away," he said. "We all turned into groupies. Even Tony Bennett probably had a handheld (camera), just like, 'Oh, my God, that's Lil Wayne.' Everybody's egos were at coat check. It was clean energy."
He reported only one kink in the love fest: "I think Jamie Foxx stole my wallet."
•Going green: A few figures clad head-to-toe in green were planted amid the celebrities so that, through green-screen technology, fans later will be able to insert themselves into the video online.
•A family affair: Richie's daughter Nicole, who was in the chorus, brought 2-year-old daughter Harlow, cradled by dad Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, Joel's twin brother, also participated. Nicole was 3 when she was in the studio with her dad during the original recording.
•The bottom line: The joyous nature of the event did not undercut the serious mission. "People are having a great time singing that song even though it is a tragedy," Dion said. "We are feeling every word of it. We will make a difference. We're enjoying ourselves because we want to change what's going on. People are very touched to be there."
Behind the scenes for 'World: 'A good vibe going on' - USATODAY.com