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We Are The World 25 for Haiti / Official video now in first post.

Re: We Are The World 25 for Haiti / Official video on post #844

Big Apple2 said:
I'm "thinking" that Michael would have said: Let's write a NEW song for Haiti.
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Yes, like he said for 9/11 and Katrina.... it's funny (or more like tragic) though that they build tons of road blocks for him and people not fully committing, but now, once he's died, everyone is suddenly willing to do a charity song in record time!
 
girl24 said:
The Today Show is talking about it this morning and they said it was produced by Quincy and written by Lionel Richie.
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I know! This is so annoying! And neither Quincy nor Lionel ever corrected anyone.

Well, I listened to the song, and I think it's... lame. Wyclef, good grief! That was awful! I have no other words for that. It sounded like he was yodeling. :lol: There was quite a bit of rap in it, I guess I can live with that, even though I don't think it fits the song. Oh well *shrugs* T-Pain and Lil Wayne were rubbish as expected.
Now I finally know how this much disliked Justin Bieber looks like. How old is he? 13 or 14? Why does he get bashed like that? He's only a kid.
I was hardly able to hear Janet's voice, all I heard was Michael. I am not complaining :D , but I feel a bit bad for Janet.
Loved Celine's part. All in all I preferred the ladies.

I am not going to buy the single. But good luck to them anyway. :)
 
i wonder who is gonna be the first Honest reporter on this remake...i mean the song was okay but no where near the original.
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/12/AR2010021205518.html

Less-than-stellar remake 'We Are the World' debuts at Olympics in Vancouver

By Chris Richards
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, February 13, 2010

"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.

But despite the maxed-out guest list, quite a few future legends were absent. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Britney Spears, Rihanna and Mariah Carey were some of the biggest names not at the recording session. Also, there were too few voices from the country, rock and Latin music communities.

And that's really what's most disappointing about this overblown redux. Nobody can argue with its worthy cause -- the song's latest proceeds will go to earthquake relief in Haiti -- but the recording's original thrill was due to the panoply of voices gracefully working together: a reedy Willie Nelson, a roaring Bruce Springsteen, an angelic Michael Jackson.

On the new version -- its video will be simulcast around the world Saturday -- Jackson's original vocal contribution was wisely left intact.
 
Let's all remember to not be too rough with our judgments. I know without MJ it's not the same glad they still included him though.

I know the song is important right now for Haiti and for that I'm grateful they re-did the song if they could not write a new one But!:mello:

The song is actually not that bad but they went in and over killed it (in a bad way). The rapping part with LL is not bad since they are trying to reach out to everyone but LIL Wayne (and has nothing to do with MJ is not needed on that part..it's sounds a bit odd).

Wyclef and his random screams are scary (again over kill and not needed). Auto tune? why? not needed on this type of song.

Also alll wonderful singers but they did not line up the voices to flow more evenly. Like the original "we are the world" everyone had different voices but they were some how able to flow them better with the phrasing.

I think it just needs to be re-mixed. (not meaning..like remix) When you mix a song, the goal is to balance all the parts and blend them into a cohesive whole.

I have a love hate relationship with this new version.

but it's for Haiti so..all is good. :)

Basically what the article says above in an earlier post! lol! I posted my reply in the wrong thread yesterday. Glad to see they felt the same and I was not trippin'. lol
 
I went over to my other non-mj fan board and they hate it too, and prefur the original. And these people aren't mj fans.

And I apoligize to the people that I accused of whining and bitching because I hate this version too. :( They should have got rid of the rapping part. And I listened to it. But if it makes money for haiti, then it's okay. :(
 
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riviera1992 said:
[I been wondering Michael....Do you think God might allow to come back and visit Earth every once in a while to check on your children and what not?]

I was wishing that just like God sent his son Jesus to save humanity and got crucified and resurrected,
I was imagining that Michael being so hurt and upset about this invasion of privacy, that God could allow him to come busting out of his crypt and sing his song Privacy at the top of his lungs for the whole world to hear. And then stay with us for a good long while and get to perform his TII concerts.


:angel:
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Or at least had let him bust up in the studio during the recording of "We are the World" and say! "You have to let it Simmer" lol! Just teasing but for real it's the way I feel. hehe!:D

They tried and for that we must give them credit. it's for a good cause.:wub:
 
I just heard it, it is different. The rap was alright, but something I could live without. The auto-tune part made me cringe though. I am not sure about the whole 'future' legends part that was in that review since most of those names don't strike me as being legends, not even in the future at that rate, but it would had been nice to have them. I thought Michael ate Janet's vocals and they should not had been place side by side like that.

Final review, it was good, but the original is still better overall, but I haven't heard the entire version yet so this might change. I do wish they just made another song instead of remixing this song. Although, I truthfully cannot thing of anyone that could of done that besides Michael, but I am bias in that way. Nice, but it is no classic.
 
Snow White 1937 said:
Now I finally know how this much disliked Justin Bieber looks like. How old is he? 13 or 14? Why does he get bashed like that? He's only a kid.
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I know it's not fair (or maybe it is) but compare this Justin Bieber kid's vocals to Michael at 13 or 14. The talent Michael had at that age (and much younger) is untouchable.
 
I just heard it on Nickelodean it wasn't as bas as I thought it would be. I love it because Michael's legacy will continue on for the good of mankind and it is also helping people that really need it. For me it is about Michael's message.
 
ensleyave said:
I just heard it on Nickelodean it wasn't as bas as I thought it would be. I love it because Michael's legacy will continue on for the good of mankind and it is also helping people that really need it. For me it is about Michael's message.
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i agree
 
Ok i just seen the video along with the rest of you guys and omg you people are so wrong. Quick to judge is right. That was fantastic. The only thing i wasn't expecting was Michael. I didn't read anything about the video or the song much so i wasn't expecting him.

The auto tune thing i think is used for people who cant sing... Like Lil' Wayne and the other dude... But all in all it was a fantastic song i am very pleased with it and its for a good cause. Something Michael would have done. Probably with a new song but its something he would be proud of.

The only people like i said before i had a problem with was Kanya and Lil Wayne. The others did a wonderful job.
 
First of all, I think it's great that these artists got together to help Haiti and if people like the song then go for it, it's for a good cause after all.

With that said, I think this "song" Quincy et al. came up with isn't really a song, it's just 40 different artists singing (or yelling) in a totally over-the-top way. The end result doesn't even sound like one song, instead it's like 40 songs 'cause they're trying to accommodate every single genre to this classic song. I got the feeling like Quincy and Lionel were so excited about this remake that they totally forgot to discuss how they wanted it to sound. The original version had just as many artists as this new version, and yet it didn't end up sounding like a mess, and it's honestly a good song. In my opinion it's because in 1985 the people in the studio knew they were recording ONE song which needed to sound consistently good from beginning to end. When I listen to the original version, all the artists sound brilliant but best of all is that the song itself sounds really good too because they all worked together to achieve a brilliant result.

I know that no version can ever top the original but man, this version is like it was put together without ever thinking about how the song itself is going to sound. The remake has some parts that sound good like Usher, Michael of course, the blonde girl in the beginning was great, Celine, and the rapping in the end was okay. But the song lacks consistency as the voices sound good together only periodically, and no truly good song can ever sound just partly good.

So yeah, the song wasn't exactly my cup of tea musically but I appreciate that they all came together to help people who are in need of a helping hand right now. They're out for a good cause, even if they're not doing any good for my ears.
 
suzynyc said:
I know it's not fair (or maybe it is) but compare this Justin Bieber kid's vocals to Michael at 13 or 14. The talent Michael had at that age (and much younger) is untouchable.
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True. :yes: There are not many children who have got the same power in their voice like Michael had as kid. However, I don't think it's right to bash a child like that. Not everyone can be a genius. He wasn't that awful, and I am sure he was one of the few with the smallest ego there. I have never heard of this boy, so when I read the comments about him on this forum, I thought he's some 20-year-old :lol: That's why I was a bit taken aback when I realised he's only a kid.
 
MJsAngelOfMusic said:
Or at least had let him bust up in the studio during the recording of "We are the World" and say! "You have to let it Simmer" lol! Just teasing but for real it's the way I feel. hehe!:D

They tried and for that we must give them credit. it's for a good cause.:wub:
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Right! Let it simmer, bathe in the moonlight! Hee! Hee!

Maybe we can ask QJ to re-edite the song with Michael's recipe. :)
 
http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2010/02/quincy-jones-asks-you-to-join-we-are.html

Quincy Jones: Join the "We Are the World" Chorus Now

It was 25 years ago when a star-studded supergroup, led by Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones, came together to lend their voices to support an important cause. This song, "We Are The World," topped the charts and was the first-ever single to be certified multi-platinum. Within a year, nearly $50 million dollars were raised for Africa's humanitarian fund.

Today, YouTube, in partnership with Visa, presents "We Are The World 25 for Haiti," featuring more than 75 musicians and celebrities, including Miley Cyrus, Barbra Streisand, the Jonas Brothers, P!nk, Lil' Wayne, members of the Jackson Family and others singing to raise funds for earthquake relief in Haiti. Back in 1985, the original "We Are the World" aired on MTV and was sold on vinyl; the 25th anniversary edition can be viewed on the We Are The World YouTube channel, where there's a "Donate Now" button to help Haiti.

We asked Grammy-award winning producer Quincy Jones a few questions about the project. His answers are below, including his call for YouTube viewers to join the chorus by uploading their own version of a classic verse.


YT: What about the old version of "We Are the World" (WATW) still makes the song relevant today?

QJ: "First and foremost, Lionel and Michael wrote a great song. There is a saying that 'a great song can make a bad singer sound good, but the greatest singer in the world can’t make a bad song a hit.' The message of ‘We Are The World’ is universal and timeless. It’s a message of caring for and helping those who are less fortunate, especially when catastrophic events take place, as in the case of the earthquake in Haiti. Haiti was far from being in the best place on the planet before the earthquake, but when that happened, it just destroyed the country. How can you look at those images and not stand up and do something? Everyone recognized the need right away; it wasn’t hard to get mobilized."

YT: What's the importance of using YouTube to get the "WATW 25 for Haiti" message to a wider audience?

QJ: "Are you kidding me? When we talked about the coming ‘information age’ a decade ago, most people didn’t understand the immediate impact that it would have. With the stroke of a key on your keyboard or cell phone, images and messages can be transferred all around the world to hundreds of millions of people in seconds. That’s an enormous amount of power. How can you not try and harness that resource to help people in need?"

YT: How can "WATW 25 for Haiti" viewers on YouTube take action towards social change -- in the case of Haiti in particular?

QJ: "Well, first you can ‘Download to Donate,' but I would love to see everyone take it to the next level and get involved on a more personal level by posting video responses. But it doesn’t stop there. As long as you pay attention and are aware of what is going on in Haiti and places like Haiti around the world, there are always ways to get involved. People who are suffering and in need will never turn their backs on someone offering them a compassionate hand."

YT: YouTube viewers are encouraged to make their own videos with original lyrics based on the WATW chorus. What tips would you give these rising producers?

QJ: "I don’t know that I can give any tips, but I can tell you that I’m really looking forward to seeing the different interpretations that people come up with. There are some really talented, creative and funny people out there."

YT: What's your favorite YouTube video?

QJ: "Without a doubt I think it has to be the prisoners in the Philippines dancing to ‘Thriller.’ It’s amazing that more than 25 years later, that song and those albums -- Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad --still hold up. No matter where I go in the world, in every club, at midnight the DJs come with songs from those albums. It’s a perfect example of what I said earlier: a great song is universal and timeless."

Watch, sing along and donate your support.

Michele Flannery, Music Manager, recently watched "Rock n' Roll Birdies," and Ramya Raghavan, Non-Profits Manager, recently watched "Too Late to Apologize - A Declaration."
 
I really don't have any complaints. I wasn't expecting it to be better than the original and it's not. It was a good effort though, I didn't care too much for the rap part, but the beginning of the song in particular was good and of course I loved how they kept MJ in the song. Hearing his angelic voice and seeing his beautiful face made me smile.

The remake I will give a B. The video with images from those in Haiti was more moving for me overall than the song itself, but it wasn't that bad and most of all, I think it's great that all these artists came together for a great cause.
 
Thanks for posting the video.

Nicole Scherzinger :shock: I'm not a fan of the autotune used either. And to be honest after hearing this I hope they would have done a completely new song. I was expecting to hear more Janet (I didn't spot her in the studio when all sang together, was she there?) but I'm glad that she involved even a little bit and that they kept Michael's parts.

But it's for a good cause so. Better than nothing.
 
Great, great, great!
But, orginal always will be better!

I am glad that they left Michael's vocal.
The best vocal in this song is Céline's vocal.
Wycfelf! Ha! Ha! Ha! As Tarzan!
 
SunsetDriver said:
WATW25 for Haiti is already #1 single on iTunes USA. :clapping:
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Watch this and :cry: so much,i havent been on here for a few days so i didnt know if our michael was in the film and he was and omg i sobbed my heart out,didnt except that,i was crying in the first play because of what the video was but then michael was there and janet and 3t wow,i am pleased as that is how its ment to be ..... xoxo
 
The song is for a good cause and thats really the MOST important thing here. HOWEVER, that song is a hot mess. There is no comparision between that mess and the original. LOL T-pain and that auto tune box of his
 
riviera1992 said:
I totally agree. It made me cry.
Just like many here, I don't like rap but they made it work.

Just like in the original, I didn't care for a few of those artists in there but I liked the song mainly because of Michael. And 25 years later I can say the same. Hee hee. Plus they have Barbra singing right after Michael, what more can you ask for? :)

The kid at the beginning and Miley Cirus will grab the attention of many from the younger generation and make them discover Michael Jackson. Believe it or not, many fans of these various singers were not MJ fans and just might become one after this.

Lastly, Michael would love it so embrace it.

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I never looked at it this way but you are actually right! ;)
 
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