RODSERLING said:

The post you quoted talked about the 'shalingi" gimmick, not Swahili. It was QJ who decided to give up the "Shalini" thing.

Then you didn't read the entire thing. The person I replied to said Waylon Jennings left because of "Shalingay". Then I said he left because of the Swahili idea. Have you heard of Waylon Jennings? He's a country singer and was also the narrator on the Dukes Of Hazzard TV show. He was in a group with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, & Kris Kristofferson called The Highwaymen.

Waylon didnt want to do swahili?

rdhull said:

Waylon didnt want to do swahili?

He couldn't be bothered with all that non-white bullshit, I guess.

Genesia said:

MickyDolenz said:

RODSERLING said:

Yes I read correctly. But again, the Swahili thing has nothing to do with the Shalingy gimmick.

I was in 5th grade when it came out,we had a sub teacher one day and she brought the record. She played it and told everyone to stand up and sing or lip sync their favorite singer during that part. Was amazed at how many stood up when Michael's part came in. I just sat there.

When Lionel Richie was trying to convince Prince to come down to the studio, Prince asked if he could record his part in a separate studio. Lionel responded with everyone has to check their egos at the door. There can't be any special treatment. I recalled in the video Michael Jackson recording his part in a separate booth. Prince knew what was up.

lrn36 said:

TheFman said:

I was in school back when it came out and it was cringey then and it is cringey now.

I have mixed feelings about the song.I don't hate it,but it is kinda schmaltzy.I guess I give it a pass because of its subject matter.Those artists had good intentions and their hearts are in the right place.

I think the best part of the song is Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder belting it out together,near the end.I like their vocals together.

SoulAlive said:

I have mixed feelings about the song. I don't hate it, but it is kinda schmaltzy. I guess I give it a pass because of its subject matter.Those artists had good intentions and their hearts are in the right place.

I liked it then and I still do. I don't really like the Haiti version though. But I've always listened to adult contemporary and easy listening too, songs like Feelings & You Light Up My Life. I like those George Martin Orchestra versions of Beatle songs and I still occasionally watch Lawrence Welk reruns. I don't believe in "guilty pleasures" or "cheesy". I either like a song or I don't. I'm not embarassed about anything I listen to or watch.

MotownSubdivision said:

We should at least be able to agree that at the very least, nothing made in the vein of WatW since (barring "Sun City") stacks up in any way. Not in talent, not in star power, not in cultural significance or even the song's quality control.

They're not really charity songs, but Yeah by Eddie Murphy and State Of Independence by Donna Summer have a lot of really popular singers on them.

Huey was on Watch What Happens Live last night. While he didn't mention Prince, he did talk about the WATW session.


https://www.youtube.com/w...BSm093SLVU

It would have been as embarrassing for Prince as it ended up being for everybody else how participated. In fact the entire "USA for Africa" album is unlistenable except for 4 the Tears...

Prince's contribution was making Sheila go instead.

jasopig said:

It would have been as embarrassing for Prince as it ended up being for everybody else who participated.

If that is so, then why does Lionel Richie still sings it today at his concerts?

Who else was huge at the time but didn't sing on this song? Madonna perhaps? Or hadn't she broken out yet? The song is cheesy as hell but I'll take it over Do They Know it's Christmas any day of the year.

[Edited 2/29/20 7:11am]

rogifan said:

rogifan said:

Who else was huge at the time but didn't sing on this song? Madonna perhaps? Or hadn't she broken out yet? The song is cheesy as hell but I'll take it over Do They Know it's Christmas any day of the year.

[Edited 2/29/20 7:11am]

Phil Collins?

AZStreet said:

AZStreet said:

Phil Collins?

The singers at the USA For Africa session were there because they were people at the American Music Awards held the same day. That's how they could get all those big names at the same time. I don't think Phil was at the AMAs. I think there were other acts who volunteered to sing on the song, but it became too many and were turned down.

MickyDolenz said:

AZStreet said:

Phil Collins?

The singers at the USA For Africa session were there because they were people at the American Music Awards held the same day. That's how they could get all those big names at the same time. I don't think Phil was at the AMAs. I think there were other acts who volunteered to sing on the song, but it became too many and were turned down.

Right. About 50-60 acts were turned away I believe.

Yeah, the song sucked and I don't care that Prince skipped out.

I doubt anyone would have cared about Prince taking a pass if there hadn't been that dust up with the bodyguard. The whole project was kind of a scam (or at least a clusterfuck) and, as I understand it, most of the money never made it to the people it was designed to help anyway.

It would have been cool to have him play at Live Aid but it never bothered me that he didn't.

MotownSubdivision said:

We should at least be able to agree that at the very least, nothing made in the vein of WatW since (barring "Sun Citu") stacks up in any way. Not in talent, not in star power, not in cultural significance or even the song's quality control. Different times and everything but give me 100 more charity singles like WatW than ones like that stupid, tryhard Lil Dicky song about saving the environment. [Edited 2/17/20 13:52pm]

It's a lot of 90s plop but I prefer Michael's label-buried sequel song to benefit victims of 9/11, "What More Can I Give?

https://www.youtube.com/w...uuUgsTY148

WhisperingDandelions said:

MotownSubdivision said:

We should at least be able to agree that at the very least, nothing made in the vein of WatW since (barring "Sun Citu") stacks up in any way. Not in talent, not in star power, not in cultural significance or even the song's quality control. Different times and everything but give me 100 more charity singles like WatW than ones like that stupid, tryhard Lil Dicky song about saving the environment. [Edited 2/17/20 13:52pm]

It's a lot of 90s plop but I prefer Michael's label-buried sequel song to benefit victims of 9/11, "What More Can I Give?

https://www.youtube.com/w...uuUgsTY148

Agreed

WhisperingDandelions said:

It's a lot of 90s plop but I prefer Michael's label-buried sequel song to benefit victims of 9/11, "What More Can I Give?

I like Freedom from the Panther soundtrack better than that one. It had all female singers & rappers. I also like Self Destruction.