BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a holiday that we celebrate on Thursday November 27 here in the US. It’s a time to reflect and give thanks for all of the abundant blessings and freedom that we have. We gather around the table with family and friends to share a festive meal. We also spare a thought for those not so lucky. It is a season of bountifulness and a reason to share the same ….true Thanksgiving is in actually doing that – Giving !!!”
I will be spending some time with family and friends over the next few days and will return on Tuesday December 2.
“We Are the World” is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide.
Following Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” project in the UK, an idea for the creation of an American benefit single for African famine relief came from activist Harry Belafonte, who, along with fundraiser Ken Kragen, was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Several musicians were contacted by the pair, before Jackson and Richie were assigned the task of writing the song. The duo completed the writing of “We Are the World” seven weeks after the release of “Do They Know Its Christmas”, and one night before the song’s first recording session, on January 21, 1985. (The last recording session for the song was held on January 28, 1985.) The historic event brought together some of the most famous artists in the music industry at the time.
The song was released on March 7, 1985, as the only single from the album. A worldwide commercial success, it topped music charts throughout the world and became the fastest-selling American pop single in history. The first ever single to be certified multi-platinum, “We Are the World” received a Quadruple Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. However, the song garnered mixed reviews from journalists, music critics, and the public. Fans enjoyed hearing racially and musically diverse recording artists singing together on one track, and felt satisfied in buying “We Are the World”, knowing that the money was going to charity. Other individuals, including many commentators in the rock press, were disappointed that the song did not challenge listeners as to why famines occur in the first place, and felt that the lyrics were self-aggrandizing.
Awarded numerous honors—including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award, and a People’s Choice Award—the song was promoted with a critically received music video, a home video, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters, and shirts. The promotion and merchandise aided the success of “We Are the World” and raised over $63 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the US.
Following the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast of singers was recorded on February 1, 2010. Entitled “We Are the World 25 for Haiti”, it was released as a single on February 12, 2010, and proceeds from the record aided survivors in the impoverished country.
SIDE A:
We Are The World 7:19
SIDE B:
We Are The World 7:19
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | We Are The World | U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart | #76 |
| 1985 | We Are The World | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #1 |
| 1985 | We Are The World | U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | #1 |
| 1985 | We Are The World | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | #1 |
| 1985 | We Are The World | U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | #27 |
| 1985 | We Are The World | U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – US2-05179
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: March 7, 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock
CREDITS:
Conductor – Quincy Jones
Engineer – Humberto Gatica, John Guess
Producer – Quincy Jones
Producer [Associate] – Tom Bahler
Written-By – Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson
NOTES:
Promo. Same versions on both sides.
Find The 12″ On DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removeal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
