1.28.1985 Prince & Jill Jones downtown L.A. on the way 2 Carlos & Charles rest.
I was sittin' pretty with a beautiful friend ("Oh darling") When this man tries 2 get in the car ("Hey Prince, come on, give us a smile, eh?") No introduction, "How've U been?" Just - "Up yours! Smile, that's right, U're a star!" (Star)
Hello recorded in the Spring of 1985 Hello is essentially a blow by blow description of the evening of the We R the World session:background vocals by Lisa Wendy & Jill Jones
A line of the song had been written for Prince to sing and a space in the studio blocked out for him to stand next to Michael Jackson. But at some point during the course of the evening, he decided not to show up, and instead took a limousine to the restaurant Carlos & Charlie's on Sunset Boulevard with Jill Jones and several bodyguards. (Huntsberry was not present.) While he has never explained the suddenness of his decision not to attend, Prince later said in interviews that he would have felt uncomfortable around so many entertainment luminaries, and that he preferred to work with close friends. This rings true; Prince in any situatio needed to feel in control, something that would have been impossible at a session dominated by his arch rival, Michael Jackson.
Recording of "We Are The World" proceeded without Prince. Across town, as Prince and his entourage exited the Mexican restaurant at about 2 a.m., several paparazzi descended on him. One particular audaciaous photographer jumped into his limousine. Prince and his friends were justifiably frightened and outraged, and the bodyguards reacted by seizing the photographer's camera and forcefully ejecting him from the car. The police were summoned, and one bodyguard - 6ft 9inch, 300 pound Lawrence Gibson- was arrested for battery, and the other, Prince's friend Wally Safford, for robbery.
Seeking damage control, Prince agreed to contribute a song to the We Are The World album. He cut "4 The Tears In Your Eyes" during a rare day off on the Purple Rain tour;
[Edited 5/9/13 6:37am] |