We are the world, but leave the ego out

The day it was released We Are the WorldI was reading in my room in Habana Nueva, Guanabacoa. My cousin Leticia Pelier called me to go, and I didn't pay any attention: "Damn, it's great!" she insisted, and finally I went out. I can't say it was March 7, 1985, but it was close. The truth is that I saw Michael Jackson with his white glove, saying that we should turn stones into loaves of bread. Hence that stream of superstars begging for food for the poor in Africa and saying that they (we) are the world.

One song won't kill a continent's hunger, but at least they did something. It is said to be the ninth best-selling single in the history of music. And some pain must have been alleviated. Well, the artists did their part.

Netflix has a documentary of more than an hour about the song directed by Bao Nguyen. According to the audiovisual, We Are the World was recorded in only one day, taking advantage of the fact that most of the guests would participate in the American Music Awards. The song was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, because they had invited Stevie Wonder and he did not return their calls. Lionel Richie tells it: "when he tells you it's him calling you, don't wait".

The film rolls like a good hit. There are many familiar images, but new testimonials, especially from Lionel Richie. Little was spent on exteriors. The film also tells about the American Music Awards, which that season had Richie as host and big winner. It also explores the strained relationship between Michael Jackson and Prince, who ended up missing the big night. It also mentions Al Jarreau's curse, the zoo that Michael Jackson had at home and the limitless shyness of a guy like Bob Dylan, who couldn't even sing.

Humor, tension, love for the music and a beautiful energy that sometimes cracked. A great track that had to be recorded in one night, with Lionel Richie trying to bring order. Sheila E. brava because she was being used to attract Prince. Some technical problems and too many live luminaries at A&M Studios. Diana Ross reportedly ended up in tears because she wanted that night to be the life. Singing a song produced by Quincy Jones and being caught between Bruce Springsteen and Ray Charles must be a kind of dream one would want to stay in for a long time.

Among those who missed the night were Madonna, who didn't want to stop the tour, Barbra Streisand, ill-advised, and Prince, who asked to play in a room far, far away from Michael Jackson, but Quincy Jones said no.

The theme has a simple melody. The authors tried to approach it as a sort of hymn. Michael Jackson, who didn't play any instrument, had a lot of tracks on cassette recordings that he showed to Lionel Richie. Then Quincy came in with his talent and, well, the whole We are the World.

We Are the World won four Grammy awards and generated millions of copies. I don't know where the money went, but it is still a great song that united many people around the world. It shows the strength of culture (sometimes so forgotten) and the real possibility of bringing together people with a lot of fame, differences and talent.

The day it premiered in Cuba We Are the World (it must have been in Colorama), my cousin Leticia Pelier called me because she loved Cindy Lauper. It's been almost 40 years since then and I still like her today, but above all I'm fascinated that those superstars were able to get together to try to corner evil. Today they should, this minute, make another song. Let's see if they stop ignoring that people are dying, that it's time to lend a hand, that life is the best gift. But I don't know if they will put up with a sign like the one they hung that time they had to read when they entered the studio: "leave your ego at the door".