Stars re-record ‘We Are the World’ to aid Haiti victims

LOS ANGELES – The charity anthem ‘We Are the World’ has been re-recorded by 80 artists who came together in the same Hollywood studio where the original was cut 25 years ago.

Pink, Natalie Cole, Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion, Brian Wilson and others stood shoulder-to-shoulder on risers at the Henson Recording studios on Monday night to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.’This one, the enthusiasm, I’ve never seen anything like it,’ said Lionel Richie, who wrote the original with Michael Jackson and oversaw the new version with music mogul Quincy Jones (76).Jones, who produced the 1985 anthem, announced last week that he planned to redo the song to benefit recovery efforts after the devastating 7,0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12.’We Are the World – 25 for Haiti’ will premiere this month during coverage of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on NBC, according to a release from promoter AEG Live.At one point during a break, the musicians broke out into an a cappella version of ‘Lean on Me’, a classic moment jump-started by singer Melanie Fiona leaning on another artist because her feet were tired.Gesturing with her hands, and shifting her headphones from ear to ear, Barbra Streisand recorded her solo over and over, completely absorbed in the recording process and stopping only to correct her pitch.Later, a who’s who of rappers, including Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J and Wyclef Jean, recorded an interlude written by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.The original ‘We Are the World’ thundered up the charts when it was released in March 1985.An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of January 28 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper.The record raised more than US$30 million for USA for Africa, a non-profit organisation the singers founded to fund hunger relief in Africa.Proceeds initially are to go to the newly formed charity We Are the World Foundation LLC, and then be distributed to Haiti. – Nampa-AP