"We are the World"

Allow me to be self indulgent for a bit.
24 Years ago, I had just entered high school and very soon joined the school choir. Our very first public appearance was a concert that the school put on for Arbor Day. The song of choice was: “We are the World”. Standing on that platform, we could very well imagine that we were part of that iconic group of 45 of the most popular musicians of the time and it remains in my mind to this day as my first real awakening to the concept of global sympathy towards a common cause: Our Planet.

"We Are the World" is a 1985 song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced and conducted by Quincy Jones and recorded by a supergroup of 45 popular musicians billed as USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa). The charity single was intended to raise funds to help famine-relief efforts in Ethiopia, which had experienced unusual drought and political instability in 1984/1985.

Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote the song for the group, knowing there were people dying in Africa. Quincy Jones agreed to produce and sent a demo to all the participating artists, along with a note to "check their egos at the door".

Including revenues from the single, the album, the video and related merchandise, "We Are the World" raised over $63 million for famine relief and supplies were sent to Africa. The following year, the typical rains returned to central Africa, food crops recovered, and the famine crisis was abated. The song had inspired millions of people to help, and many lives were saved.

In 1991 Michael Jackson again brought the world's attention to the plight the world was facing with his song: "Heal the World". The music video vividly highlights the potential devastation of global warming and certainly brought home the point yet again that we need to take action.

If we can put aside all the eccentricities, scandals and drama's that have surrounded Michael Jackson's life, then we can reflect on the irrefutable fact that his music carried a powerful message which was sent out to billions of people across the globe.

Both songs were performed at Michael Jackson's July 7, 2009 memorial service at Staples Centre in Los Angeles after his death on June 25, 2009.

Here are the lyrics that inspired us to make our world a better place:

“WE ARE THE WORLD”, 1985

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on
Pretneding day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God's great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

[Chorus]
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Send them your heart
So they'll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand

[Chorus]

When you're down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well, let us realize
That a change will only come
When we stand together as one

[Chorus]
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

"HEAL THE WORLD"
Michael Jackson 1991

There's A Place In
Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could
Be Much
Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try
You'll Find There's No Need
To Cry
In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow

There Are Ways
To Get There
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
Make A Better Place...

[Chorus]
Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

If You Want To Know Why
There's A Love That
Cannot Lie
Love Is Strong
It Only Cares For
Joyful Giving
If We Try
We Shall See
In This Bliss
We Cannot Feel
Fear Or Dread
We Stop Existing And
Start Living

Then It Feels That Always
Love's Enough For
Us Growing
So Make A Better World
Make A Better World...

[Chorus]

And The Dream We Were
Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We
Once Believed In
Will Shine Again In Grace
Then Why Do We Keep
Strangling Life
Wound This Earth
Crucify Its Soul
Though It's Plain To See
This World Is Heavenly
Be God's Glow

We Could Fly So High
Let Our Spirits Never Die
In My Heart
I Feel You Are All
My Brothers
Create A World With
No Fear
Together We'll Cry
Happy Tears
See The Nations Turn
Their Swords
Into Plowshares

We Could Really Get There
If You Cared Enough
For The Living
Make A Little Space
To Make A Better Place...

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

You And For Me
You And For Me
You And For Me