We know why he didn't show, so let's get past the "well this is what really happened" shit, and just look at this as a new angle from other's perspectives at the time.

source

The new documentary about the making of the 1985 charity single “We Are the World,” The Greatest Night In Pop, premieres January 19 at the Sundance Film Festival before hitting Netflix on January 29. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the song, talks about one of the doc’s revelations: Prince bailed, so Huey Lewis had to sing his parts.

“We Are the World” was recorded the night of the 1985 American Music Awards, when all the stars were in LA. Everyone from Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen showed up, but Prince didn’t. Lionel tells THR he still doesn’t know why, but he has some ideas.

“At that time, he wasn’t a group person. He was Prince,” explains Lionel. “The next thing is his rival, Michael [Jackson]. Do you want to stop the rivalry and join a group of people singing a song, standing next to his rival? No. I mean, from a strictly egotistical point of view, I could see it.”

he will never come out of this looking good

even all these years on

hopefully they do at least say he wanted to give a song to the compilation album instead so it doesnt look like he didnt GAF

but the fact he didnt turn up and then made himself look worse by going out to a club is never going to look too great for these kinds of projects where people expect anyone who is a big name to put their egos to the side and be part of a good cause (even if they dont like the song!)

Why link to some shitty rewrite, when the actual interview is available? https://www.hollywoodrepo...235790801/ . And their review of the doc has some more: https://www.hollywoodrepo...235792276/ .

"...we're against hungry children

our record stands tall

but, there's just as much hunger here at home..."

RODSERLING said:

40 years later, I really think people moved on, and don't really GAF if Prince didn't GAF.

and yet, lionel richie is still being asked about it. if you read that hollywood reporter piece, you might see evidence that this is still being given a F about.

its a documentary about the session for we are the world. if people are watching it, and people still want to know about the song, its fair to say people do GAF.

its an important moment in 80s pop music. if you GAF about 80s pop, you will GAF about this episode. that you dont GAF is unimportant.

[Edited 1/20/24 10:52am]

RODSERLING said:

Nothing new here, everybody already knew he was to sing the Huey Lewis part. Lol I hope they have more revelations than that to sell their doc.

Kinda like your replies, Bart Jr.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

its a documentary about the session for we are the world. if people are watching it, and people still want to know about the song, its fair to say people do GAF.

its an important moment in 80s pop music. if you GAF about 80s pop, you will GAF about this episode. that you dont GAF is unimportant.

There's clearly footage we've never seen, beyond that thing they put together that Jane Fonda hosted. I'd like to see more than just the "fun" stuff we've seen. For such a historic recording, I think it deserves a circle-back moment, expand on what we know or think we know (about the session as a whole) and show more, tell more, etc.

And even with Prince being a no-show, there is way more to the story as a whole. He's just one element in it.

RODSERLING said:

40 years later, I really think people moved on, and don't really GAF if Prince didn't GAF.

Nah, people still care.

To gen-Z he's Rick Astley One-Hit Wonder so when people bring up him snubbing "We Are the World" it's like he deprived them of a second hit they'd be familiar with.

MJ stans from old to the nu generaton also like to fan the rivalry flames (like Lionel Richie's opening quote also does). This goes in their bag of receipts why Prince was a bitter egotist, whereas cringe Pollyanna Prince fans use as yet another opportunity to gas both artists up in vain attempts to try and squash the beef ("it was a friendly rivalry", "there was deep respect within competition" etc.)

[Edited 1/20/24 13:44pm]

oh yeah nothing says respect like aggressively playing the bass in someone else's face or (allegedly) trying to run someone down with their car.

That leaked MJ phone call where he says Prince has always been a meanie and not nice to him seems like that respect was reciprocated.

WhisperingDandelions said:

RODSERLING said:

40 years later, I really think people moved on, and don't really GAF if Prince didn't GAF.

Nah, people still care.

To gen-Z he's Rick Astley One-Hit Wonder so when people bring up him snubbing "We Are the World" it's like he deprived them of a second hit they'd be familiar with.

MJ stans from old to the nu generaton also like to fan the rivalry flames (like Lionel Richie's opening quote also does). This goes in their bag of receipts why Prince was a bitter egotist, whereas cringe Pollyanna Prince fans use as yet another opportunity to gas both artists up in vain attempts to try and squash the beef ("it was a friendly rivalry", "there was deep respect within competition" etc.)

[Edited 1/20/24 13:44pm]

Repeating something does not make true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit is only used to trick and annoy people. If they know of Prince, they are extremely likely to know more than one of his hits.

Do you know any Gen-Z person who actually laments being deprived of Prince being in "We are the World"? What could have added but sing a solo/small group line or just a phrase and by being just another voice in the combined choir?

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

he will never come out of this looking good

even all these years on

hopefully they do at least say he wanted to give a song to the compilation album instead so it doesnt look like he didnt GAF

but the fact he didnt turn up and then made himself look worse by going out to a club is never going to look too great for these kinds of projects where people expect anyone who is a big name to put their egos to the side and be part of a good cause (even if they dont like the song!)

Maybe he went to meet Vanity that night.

IanRG said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

Nah, people still care.

To gen-Z he's Rick Astley One-Hit Wonder so when people bring up him snubbing "We Are the World" it's like he deprived them of a second hit they'd be familiar with.

MJ stans from old to the nu generaton also like to fan the rivalry flames (like Lionel Richie's opening quote also does). This goes in their bag of receipts why Prince was a bitter egotist, whereas cringe Pollyanna Prince fans use as yet another opportunity to gas both artists up in vain attempts to try and squash the beef ("it was a friendly rivalry", "there was deep respect within competition" etc.)

[Edited 1/20/24 13:44pm]

Repeating something does not make true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit is only used to trick and annoy people. If they know of Prince, they are extremely likely to know more than one of his hits.

Do you know any Gen-Z person who actually laments being deprived of Prince being in "We are the World"? What could have added but sing a solo/small group line or just a phrase and by being just another voice in the combined choir?

It was a bit too soft for Prince. And he didn't do bit parts.

IanRG said:

Repeating something does not make true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit is only used to trick and annoy people.

Billboard Hot 100
#1 - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)
#10 - It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (1988)
#1 - Together Forever (1988)
#6 - She Wants To Dance With Me (1989)

Adult Contemporary
#1 - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)
#2 - Together Forever (1988)
#1 - It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (1988)
#5 - She Wants To Dance With Me (1989)
#11 - Giving Up On Love (1989)
#16 - Ain't Too Proud To Beg (1989)
#1 - Cry For Help (1991)
#4 - Hopelessly (1993)
#19 - The Ones You Love (1994)

12" Dance Singles
#1 - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)
#3 - Together Forever (1988)
#11 - It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (1988)
#16 - She Wants To Dance With Me (1989)

WhisperingDandelions said:

oh yeah nothing says respect like aggressively playing the bass in someone else's face or (allegedly) trying to run someone down with their car.

That leaked MJ phone call where he says Prince has always been a meanie and not nice to him seems like that respect was reciprocated.

mutual respect doesnt mean reverence or worship.

prince was clearly a jackson 5/jacksons fan.

he also played dont stop til you get enough quite a bit.

https://princevault.com/index.php?title=Don%E2%80%99t_Stop_%E2%80%99Til_You_Get_Enough

prince tried to embarass springsteen too but its quite clear he respected him too and complimented him on his liveshow.

this idea that gen z only know one song by rick astley seems like the kind of thing a fan who wants to perpetually feel embittered/sad/angry about their hero's status would believe (im all for fans wanting their artist to be bigger/more popular/better known but were talking about a guy who stopped hitting the upper numbers in the pop charts decades ago - its not 84 anymore yknow). its silly. you dont need to do too much googling to find popular young artists like the weeknd, solange, frank ocean, st vincent, janelle monae, talking favourably about prince. im sure youd say 'oh but that doesnt mean their fans know his songs', well maybe not the average casual listener, but music fans would. any way, who cares if people only know one song. MOST artists have one big song people know more than any other. eg think of led zeppelin and most people think stairway to heaven. for queen, its bohemian rhapsody. and so on.

RODSERLING said:

They tried a revival of that song in 2010, but that was a flop. Even the 2004 MJ demo is not popular. That song was a tremendous success when released, but wasn't popular anymore already in the 1990's. It has 139 millions streams on Spotify, which is like peanuts for the best selling hit of the 1980's. I mean, even Raspberry Beret has 215 millions streams, so that says a lot. No one cares about Prince not doing it. It may did the headlines back in 1985, but time has passed since. We ll see if that doc generates more interest in the song.

the song isnt the important thing

its what it was FOR and the fact these giants of pop music came together for that cause (irrespective of the song's musical merits)

the numbers the song does now do not matter

its what it MEANT

its also just about an important musical moment (live aid etc), the idea of music galvanising people, about music raising awareness, the notion of musicians being about more than just music (no matter what you think of this idea), and the EVENT of everyone recording together, putting egos aside (mostly lol), etc etc.

MickyDolenz said:

IanRG said:

Repeating something does not make true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit is only used to trick and annoy people.

Billboard Hot 100
#1 - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)
#10 - It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (1988)
#1 - Together Forever (1988)
#6 - She Wants To Dance With Me (1989)

Adult Contemporary
#1 - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)
#2 - Together Forever (1988)
#1 - It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (1988)
#5 - She Wants To Dance With Me (1989)
#11 - Giving Up On Love (1989)
#16 - Ain't Too Proud To Beg (1989)
#1 - Cry For Help (1991)
#4 - Hopelessly (1993)
#19 - The Ones You Love (1994)

12" Dance Singles
#1 - Never Gonna Give You Up (1988)
#3 - Together Forever (1988)
#11 - It Would Take A Strong Strong Man (1988)
#16 - She Wants To Dance With Me (1989)

Your point being? You are proving my point.

Look at this list, look at the dates. Only 3 other successful singles in the months after the release of the meme song - 3 songs that almost no one remembers and then he was relegated to the backwater of Adult contemporory. All of 4 of these are nearly a decade before the oldest Gen Z was even born - remember the statement I was addressing was

"To gen-Z he's Rick Astley One-Hit Wonder so when people bring up him snubbing "We Are the World" it's like he deprived them of a second hit they'd be familiar with."

I did not make the original "one hit wonder" claim, I addressed that TO GEN-Z, this one hit is only known to them because it became a joke meme song.

I will clarify my statement:

Repeating something does not make it true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit that they know is only used to trick and annoy people.

[Edited 1/21/24 12:54pm]

erik319 said:

Rick's also had 4 new albums hit the top 10 in the UK in the last 8 years. His Glastonbury gig last year was great. And he played Sign O the Times last night while standing in for Gary Davies on Radio 2. He said nice things about Prince..Rick's alright.

I suspect that you are not a Gen-Z?

Of those four albums only one charted in USA and Australia - Best of me peaked in Australia at 175 (with a 50 on the digital albums chart).

IanRG said:

Repeating something does not make it true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit that they know is only used to trick and annoy people.

Youtube views:
She Wants To Dance With Me - 21,811,277
Take Me To Your Heart - 37,305,499
Hold Me In Your Arms - 15,039,732
Together Forever - 168,508,056
Cry For Help - 33,883,323
Whenever You Need Somebody - 18,742,792

Those are just for the main music videos only, not other uploads of the same songs such as lyric videos, remixes, fan uploads, etc. There's also reaction videos to other songs by Rick, and it's mainly younger people who make videos reacting to music, movie trailers, TV shows, entire movies, etc. There's even reaction videos for Never Gonna Give You Up. That means not everybody has been Rickrolled.

IanRG said:

MickyDolenz said:

IanRG said:

Repeating something does not make it true. Gen-Z-ers don't think Astley was a one-hit wonder - they know him as joke meme where his one hit that they know is only used to trick and annoy people.

Youtube views:
She Wants To Dance With Me - 21,811,277
Take Me To Your Heart - 37,305,499
Hold Me In Your Arms - 15,039,732
Together Forever - 168,508,056
Cry For Help - 33,883,323
Whenever You Need Somebody - 18,742,792

Those are just for the main music videos only, not other uploads of the same songs such as lyric videos, remixes, fan uploads, etc. There's also reaction videos to other songs by Rick, and it's mainly younger people who make videos reacting to music, movie trailers, TV shows, entire movies, etc. There's even reaction videos for Never Gonna Give You Up. That means not everybody has been Rickrolled.

You keep missing my point and the point that the person who claimed that Astley was a one hit wonder's point. This is not about your need to promote Astley's career.

The statement I was replying to is based on a repeated claim that Prince is only as well known to GEN-Z-ERS as Astley and that to GEN-Z-ERS they are both just one hit wonders. This is plainly untrue.

It is undeniable that Astley had others hits (but fewer than Prince). It is also undeniable that Astley is currently best known to the TikTok generation (the "younger people" you hope to rely on have moved on from YouTube) because of Rickrolling.

And, Yes, everyone who has used Youtube or TikTok etc has been Rickrolled.

erik319 said:

IanRG said:

I suspect that you are not a Gen-Z?

Of those four albums only one charted in USA and Australia - Best of me peaked in Australia at 175 (with a 50 on the digital albums chart).

No, I'm from the UK. Where Rick Astley is still well known & a household name. 2 of his 4 albums released in the last 8 years hit number 1 or number 2 here. Being known in the US (And Australia lol) really isn't the benchmark you might think it is

Exactly my point - Sales in USA or Australia are only marginally less pointless as a benchmark than sales within his homeland.

RODSERLING said:

Nothing new here, everybody already knew he was to sing the Huey Lewis part. Lol I hope they have more revelations than that to sell their doc.

Speak for yourself, because I didn't.