HAITI – BATTLE OF THE CHARITY SONGS…Quincy Jones’s ”We Are The World” VS Simon Cowell’s“ Everybody Hurts” (with Photos)

Haitians in pain

You all know how I feel about doing your bit. Well this is exactly what Simon Cowell of X-Factor fame and Quincy Jones, the legendary producer have just done. They have called on their superstar pals to come together to record charity songs in aid of the devastated Haitians.

And then we wonder why things work in American and U.K? It is all a mind set. These guys are not politicians, in fact, the Americans and Brits do not wait for Politicians to take the initiative. They go out and do what they need to do and then invite the Politician for photo opportunities and guess what? The politicians knowing all the hard work had been done are only too happy to be associated with a project that has received the public’s backing.

21 artists were involved in singing the cover of the REM classic, “Everybody Hurts,” project including Robbie Williams and Take That, who have not recorded together since Robbie left the band in 1995. X Factors Alexandra
Burke, Leona Lewis and Joe McElderry, Jon Bon Jovi, Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Rod Stewart, JLS, Cheryl Cole, Susan Boyle and Miley Cyrus are also involved in the charity single.

With all proceeds going to the cause for the Haitian earthquake relief, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has waived VAT on the sales of the charity single, which will be split between the Helping Haiti fund and the Disasters Emergency Committee. This is where the Politicians come in. I told you, didn’t I?

Is this formula so difficult to understand?

So my take is this – guys, just do your bit. The politicians need you. They need your creativity.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State was the first to donate $1m to the Haitian Fund. He did not need to wait for the Federal Government to take the initiative. I would have expected some of our Nigerian stars, especially now that our Music Industry is on the up to gather themselves and put out a charity single, but hey!

I was talking to a producer friend of mine last week about such an initiative and, well there were many excuses for now……Let me leave it at that. Excuses not on his side but on the artists side – ego and money and what have you. We shall see….

So the battle is set. Which single would sell the most? There is only one winner and that is the Haitian fund.

I remember with nostalgia the original “We are the world” co-written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson 25 years ago, I also have goose pimples when I see how these guys, super selling artists in their own right, left egos aside and devoted their time for such a good cause. It was in Aid of the Ethiopian famine, and now Haiti Earthquake has brought together 75 super selling singers to reproduce the magic.

In Nigeria, the famine and earthquake and Tsunami are all self inflated. Have you ever thought of how uniquely located Nigeria is? Plenty of Sunshine (no snow), no hurricane, no tsunami, no earthquake, plenty Oil, plenty gas and plenty cocoa. One of the main irritants we have is plenty Mosquitoes which we have left Bill Gates to tackle. What in the “heaven”(damn it, hell) is wrong with our genes?

Original cast of "We Are The World"

Legend has it that Harry Belafonte originally wanted to put together a benefit concert featuring black musicians to raise money for Africa. Ken Kragen (who became president of the organization United Support of Artists for Africa) thought an American version of “Band Aid” would be a better idea. Ken Kragen is an owner of a personal management and television production company. One of his clients was Lionel Ritchie, so he called him with the idea. Lionel’s wife talked to Steve Wonder’s wife and arranged to line him up for the song.

Quicy Jones was lined up as the producer, and Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie were the song writers. The recording took place on the night of the American Music Awards, January 28th, 1985. This was the perfect way to assure that most of the artists would all be free on a single date.

The instrumental tracks were recorded ahead of time and sent out to the interested musicians. With each tape, he sent a letter that stated they should “check their ego at the door.” When they arrived in the studio, there was a piece of tape on the floor for each person to stand on, arranged around six microphones in a semi-circle.800,000 copies arrived in stores on Tuesday, March 7th 1985. There were sold out by the first weekend.

Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie

I know that I Jide Salu will rise. And I shall rise to assist as many people as possible. My hope and prayer is that many others shall rise with me for the same purpose. After all, how many shoes, cars, houses can you take with you 6 feet down under? How many, I ask? So what exactly is the point of this accumulation?

I will leave you with Maya Angelou’s
“STILL I RISE”… and the original lyrics of “We are the World”. Enjoy and I thank you for taking the time to pass through JSD. God bless you.

STILL I RISE

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard
‘Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines
Diggin’ in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I’ve got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

“We Are The World”, U.S.A. for Africa (lyrics to the original song)

Lyrics:
^{There comes a time when we heed a certain call (Lionel Richie)
When the world must come together as one (Lionel Richie & Stevie Wonder)
There are people dying (Stevie Wonder)
Oh, and it’s time to lend a hand to life (Paul Simon)
The greatest gift of all (Paul Simon/Kenny Rogers)}

We can’t go on pretending day by day (Kenny Rogers)
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change (James Ingram)
We’re all a part of God’s great big family (Tina Turner)
And the truth (Billy Joel)
You know love is all we need (Tina Turner/Billy Joel)

(CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Michael Jackson)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Diana Ross)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Michael Jackson/Diana Ross)

Well, send ’em you your heart so they know that someone cares (Dionne Warwick)
And their lives will be stronger and free (Dionne Warwick/Willie Nelson)
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread (Willie Nelson)
And so we all must lend a helping hand (Al Jarreau)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Bruce Springsteen)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Kenny Loggins)
Oh There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Steve Perry)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Daryl Hall)

When you’re down and out there seems no hope at all (Michael Jackson)
But if you just believe there’s no way we can fall (Huey Lewis)
Well, well, well, let’s realize that a change can only come (Cyndi Lauper)
When we (Kim Carnes)
stand together as one (Kim Carnes/Cyndi Lauper/Huey Lewis)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Everyone)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Everyone)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Everyone)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Everyone)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Everyone)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Everyone)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Bob Dylan)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Bob Dylan)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Everyone)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Everyone)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Everyone)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Everyone)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Everyone)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Everyone)
Oh There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Ray Charles)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Ray Charles)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Stevie Wonder/Bruce Springsteen)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Stevie Wonder/Bruce Springsteen)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Stevie Wonder)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Stevie Wonder)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Stevie Wonder/Bruce Springsteen)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Stevie Wonder/Bruce Springsteen)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Bruce Springsteen)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Bruce Springsteen)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Everyone)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Everyone)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Everyone)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Everyone)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (James Ingram)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (James Ingram)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Ray Charles)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Ray Charles)

(REPEAT CHORUS)
We are the world, we are the children (Everyone)
We are the ones who make a brighter day so let’s start giving (Everyone)
There’s a choice we’re making we’re saving our own lives (Everyone/Ray Charles)
It’s true we’ll make a better day just you and me (Everyone/Ray Charles)

Lionel Richie (who co-wrote "We Are the World" in 1985 with Michael Jackson), Wyclef Jean, and Lil Wayne were just three of the more than 75 stars that gathered to re-record the charity anthem for Haiti earthquake relief. photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

Busta Rhymes and will.i.am sung their hearts out. The Black Eyed Pea reportedly contributed some new raps to the song as well. Courtesy of Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

Later, Celine took on a solo, performing the "Well, well, well, let's realize that a change can only come" lyric originally sung by Cyndi Lauper. photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com