Netflix’s ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’ tells the wild story behind “We Are the World”
Plus, a new documentary about Lil Nas X
If you’re of a certain age, you probably well remember “We Are the World.” It was the ultimate charity single, for raising money for hungry people in Africa, and featuring virtually a who’s-who of the biggest stars in the world in 1985.
But you probably don’t know the full backstory, which is told in a new Netflix documentary called The Greatest Night in Pop. Directed by Bao Nguyen and featuring lots of never-before-seen footage, the documentary provides a more warts-and-all version of “We Are the World” than the one you probably remember. The song, when it was released, was accompanied by a widely-shown music video of the performers singing it in the studio, but the real thing was a lot more complicated than that.
Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones, “We Are the World” came together in just a couple of weeks, and was the product of an all-night recording session, immediately after that year’s American Music Awards ceremony. So, therefore, all of the participants were tired- most of all Richie, who had hosted the awards show that night.
The documentary strongly resembles D. A. Pennebaker's Original Cast Album: Company, with a group of performers in a marathon recording session, driving each other crazy by the end of the night. Instead of Broadway actors, it was all the biggest pop stars of that era in the same room.
The first half of the documentary is about the putting together of the song, including the question of whether Prince would participate (he became the biggest star to give it a pass.) There was also a ton of discussion of how to get the performers’ many different styles to match, both with one another and with the material itself. And that’s to say nothing of massaging the egos of a room full of A-listers, much less who would have to stand in the back.
Jones put up a sign that said “Check your egos at the door,” an instruction that was only minimally adhered to.
The even more fascinating second half depicts the recording itself, where we see such emergencies as Stevie Wonder wanting to add a verse in Swahili, a language not spoken in Ethiopia. The song’s bridge, featuring Jackson, Huey Lewis, and Cyndi Lauper, might be its best moment, but it was hell to record, as depicted in the film.
Many of the living participants are interviewed in the documentary, including Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Lauper, and Lewis, although not Bob Dylan or Billy Joel. The now-90-year-old Quincy Jones is not involved, which is a shame because when Quincy is interviewed, amazing things happen.
There remain mysteries, such as “Why was Dan Aykroyd there?,” and “Why was Hall featured so much more prominently than Oates, especially when all the other members of Huey Lewis and News got to participate?” There’s no mention of any backlash to the project, which was immense, starting with “Doonesbury,” although the film also leaves out Wyclef Jean’s “We Are the World 25 for Haiti.”
The film is dedicated to the long list of participants who are no longer with us, including Jackson, Ray Charles, Harry Belafonte, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, and Tina Turner. It’s a must-watch for anyone who cares about that era of music at all.
The Greatest Night in Pop is now streaming on Netflix.
Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero
Lil Nas X is a super-compelling figure. He’s a huge talent who had a crossover hit with “Old Town Road,” came out as gay, and in recent years has perfected Madonna’s old trick of filling his videos with religious imagery, combined with shocking eroticism. The cultural right, as is their wont, has taken the bait every single time, and because he’s gay (and also, let’s be honest, Black), they’re ten times more angry.
Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero is a documentary that follows the musician, whose real name is Montero Lamar Hill, on his first tour. The film, directed by Carlos López Estrada (Blindspotting) and Zac Manuel and now streaming on Max, goes to some interesting places, especially about the performer’s relationship with his family. Oh, and Madonna shows up.
It is not, however, the most interesting documentary I can imagine about Lil Nas X, and feels more like a vanity project than it probably should.
His music, though? Outstanding, and his outfits are a sight to behold. And Lil Nas X has some insights about what it is like for him to first become super-famous, and then come out, at almost the same time.