Vincent Vega Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 (edited) Seriously it's a self indulgent, utterly dated song...It personifies everything that was wrong about the mid 80s "Following its release, "We Are the World" received mixed reviews from journalists, music critics and the public. American journalist Greil Marcus felt that the song sounded like a Pepsi jingle. He wrote, "... the constant repetition of 'There's a choice we're making' conflates with Pepsi's trademarked 'The choice of a new generation' in a way that, on the part of Pepsi-contracted song writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, is certainly not intentional, and even more certainly beyond the realm of serendipity." Marcus added, "In the realm of contextualization, 'We Are the World' says less about Ethiopia than it does about Pepsi—and the true result will likely be less that certain Ethiopian individuals will live, or anyway live a bit longer than they otherwise would have, than that Pepsi will get the catch phrase of its advertising campaign sung for free by Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, and all the rest." Author Reebee Garofalo agreed, and expressed the opinion that the line "We're saving our own lives" was a "distasteful element of self-indulgence". He asserted that the artists of USA for Africa were proclaiming "their own salvation for singing about an issue they will never experience on behalf of a people most of them will never encounter". Edited February 12, 2013 by Vincent Vega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Lahey Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 (edited) Michael was the man but I f'ing hate that song too. Edited February 12, 2013 by Randy Lahey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bacardimayne Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 People hate We Are the World? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
volcano62 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 People hate We Are the World? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Vega Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 People hate We Are the World?Its goddamn cheesy and lame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jman2000 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I'm in the middle... it can be annoying but I can stand it under certain situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 WTF was Dan Ackroyd doing there? They went the middle of the road so they could get on as many stations as possible. This was probably the weirdest lineup of singers & rappers ever. Kool DJ Herc, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Ruben Blades, Bob Dylan, Pat Benatar, Herbie Hancock, Ringo Starr, Zak Starkey, Lou Reed, Run–D.M.C., Peter Gabriel, Bob Geldof, Clarence Clemons, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Darlene Love, Bobby Womack, Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, The Fat Boys, Jackson Browne, Daryl Hannah, Peter Wolf, Bono, George Clinton, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Bonnie Raitt, Hall & Oates, Jimmy Cliff, Big Youth, Michael Monroe, Stiv Bators, Peter Garrett, Ron Carter, Ray Barretto, Gil-Scott Heron, Nona Hendryx, Lotti Golden, Lakshminarayana Shankar and Joey Ramone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 MJ is one of my heroes and it was during his untouchable era and its still naff to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetness Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 ..I'm 22 years old and what is this.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Roses Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 There is a cover version of Justin Beaver, Myley Circus and some pieces of shit, right? That's suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB. Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Seriously it's a self indulgent, utterly dated song...It personifies everything that was wrong about the mid 80sMaybe it's dated cause it actually was recorded in the mid 80s?It's not a great song, but I remember that I couldn't get enough of the vid only cause of MJ. I loved it! The vid, not the song, except for MJ parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazey Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 The mid 80's were great and this is nowhere near as bad as Earthsong so it's not even Jacko's cheesiest and lamest song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Drama Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Earth Song is fuckin awesome. Yes, very overwrought but defintely genuine. And great vocals. Its like his biggest single around your way isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazey Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Earth Song is fuckin awesome. Yes, very overwrought but defintely genuine. And great vocals. Its like his biggest single around your way isn't it?It is? Fucked if I know dear boy. Pile of old cobblers if you ask me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinaski Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) Earth Song is fuckin awesome. Yes, very overwrought but defintely genuine. And great vocals. Its like his biggest single around your way isn't it?It is? Fucked if I know dear boy. Pile of old cobblers if you ask me. When I was a kid I remember it being on Top Of The Pops every week for what seemed like forever. I thought it was the strangest thing I had ever seen on TV and when you're a kid you watch some mad stuff.Also, agree with OP. Pretty awful. Edited February 13, 2013 by Chinaski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 What's self indulgent about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
izzygirl Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 It's cheesy, ok, but at least it was for a good cause. There are lots of cheesy songs out there without a reson. Plus it's always good to see some good artists together, especially when they are so different from each others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CheapJon Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I give you Sweden's version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsh327 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 And of course Canada did theirs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Len B'stard Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Having a go at pop music for being self indulgent is sort of like having a go at a comedian for making you laugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.