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Front cover of the USA for Africa We Are the World record album,
the music on which was designed to raise awareness and funds for a
worldwide hunger relief program, 1985. ©Blank Archives/Getty Images

“Penso che un giorno così non ritorni mai più…” The project spread like wildfire, with the enthusiastic adhe-
(“I think that a day like this will never come again”). The starting sion of the most representative and authoritative figures, an as-
line of the most famous Italian song on the planet, Nel blu dipinto tonishing list that induces amazement even today, upon viewing
di blu/Volare (1958), seems the perfect, ideal introduction to the the footage shot in the Hollywood A&M studios, all in the course
story of We Are the World. An extraordinary adventure sent to frui- of one night.
tion by a collective renamed USA for Africa, a true dream team of The testimony is even more astonishing if one thinks about the
international song, the elite of pop–rock packed into a few min- mechanism of convocation by word of mouth, which today is even
utes born for a laudable charitable purpose. 28 January 1985 is the unthinkable due to jealousies, barrages of managers and various
date of that little media miracle’s recording. fixers. Everything had to be done in a few hours, taking advantage of
It was to give a solidarity response to the operation that a a favorable conjuncture: the American Music Awards ceremony,
few months earlier had invaded the charts and brought sensitivi- which would bring dozens of the most celebrated stars to Los Angeles.
ty, money and diffusion to the campaign against famine with the In a feverish atmosphere, but also curiously friendly, smiling,
Band Aid collective, the UK director of Do they know it’s Christmas: energetic, with the division of one verse each, perhaps in duet with
leader Bob Geldof, already the driving force behind Live Aid, a a colleague, here were bestowing through the microphone the gift
live TV concert with no borders, with stages operating simultane- of their own voice and a big heart Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles,
ously, between London and Philadelphia. Tina Turner and Diana Ross, Paul Simon and Willie Nelson, Billy
In the mid–1980s, the face and physiology of music were Joel and Kim Carnes, as well as dozens of others.
very different, with no social networks or smartphones, with vi- All protagonists and all gregarious, with Bruce Springsteen
nyl records still the only market tool, and radio, together with the arriving in a hurry, fresh off the triumphant Born in the USA tour,
newly–born Mtv, as the only sounding board system. To sing, to and as happy as a kid at the amusement park, while Bob Dylan,
offer oneself through song to the just causes of the world, to come commendable for his good will, is framed with an incredulous,
to the aid of the most unfortunate was a generous way of doing a questioning look on his face.
good deed, of showing the way to the market, to the public, to the Absent, despite requests to have them as guests even in ex-
industry, with minimum effort. tremis, were Madonna and Prince–who would have liked to send
We Are the World – the genesis of which has just been recount- a guitar solo, without participating in person. That magnificent
ed in a documentary available on Netflix, and passed by the Sun- circus of noble intentions, riding on a clever and catchy tune,
dance Festival – starts out thanks to a triangulation, as unrepeat- would be the driving force for dozens of initiatives developed in
able as anything else, with Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie as the years to come, for fundraisers and widespread actions of al-
the authors, while Quincy Jones, the most renowned and award– truism in music.
winning artist–producer in history between jazz, soul and main- We Are the World went, according to predictions, first in the
stream quality, has the task of guarantor, artistic director and charts in all latitudes, immediately raising $60 million, but prov-
magnet for musicians of all genres and backgrounds. The spark ing above all that there can be reasons above the divine interests
was actually ignited by Harry Belafonte, who publicly expressed and personalisms of the few A large welcome sign, “Check your
his intention to do something together with a handful of African– ego at the door,” stood out at the entrance to the recording room.
American artists. A valuable lesson: would anyone feel like writing it again today?

Protagonist Music 59