‘The Greatest Night in Pop:’ Behind a great age of artistry
“Check your egos at the door,” Quincy Jones once said. The brilliant record producer had a no-nonsense approach when herding the cattle of music legends to record the 1985 hit song “We Are The World.” The Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop” shows never-before-seen footage of the song’s making and how the music video for “We Are The World” was shot in one night. Artists like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Rogers and Billy Joel, to name a few, created for a cause.
I was unaware that Lionel Richie was the moving force behind this operation and was responsible for bringing in some of the music’s biggest names to appear in the song. Richie co-wrote the song with Jackson and felt like an older brother towards him, having known him since he was 10 years old singing in The Jackson 5. Nonetheless, it was inspiring to witness their creative process and how the memorable melody came to be.
Dealing with the hectic schedule of musicians, the recording session took place the same night of the 1985 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. This was important since most artists were going to be there and it was the one opportunity to get everyone in the same room. Artists who were not in Los Angeles flew in to be a part of the project. Some had such passion for the project such as the legend Quincy Jones, who wanted to help with the project’s cause: famine relief in Africa.
Bruce Springsteen had just finished his “Born in the USA” tour and flew in from Buffalo, New York. Richie hosted the American Music Awards that night, taking home numerous accolades while performing throughout the show. Amazingly, he recorded “We Are The World” right after the award show ended. Was it adrenaline? Probably not. After all, it was the ‘80s. Richie’s energy and ability to keep the diverse group of artists together allowed him to be the dream creative partner to have.
Hearing the song is one thing, but watching each artist sing their solos brings much so more to the performance. Seeing the passion Steve Perry and Daryl Hall brought to their solos was a reminder of how these artists changed the industry in each genre and are still relevant today.
In the absence of Prince, Huey Lewis took on the role of singing his solo, which was out of his vocal range, and delivered under pressure. Getting over his nerves and being one of the more prominent voices in the song, Lewis showed himself to be a polyvalent. Finally listening to the song in the shower, Lewis was critical of himself, but was happy with the finished project.
Watching Bob Dylan be the introvert in a room full of artists showed his discomfort, needing everyone out of the room to sing his part of the song. But Wonder helped to make Dylan feel comfortable and give him individual attention; rehearsing the song a few times on the piano speaks to the fragility of Dylan and how a legend like Wonder can bring the best out of artists with different approaches.
“The Greatest Night in Pop” shows the execution of the production crew, executives and artists working seamlessly to create a piece of music that could have quickly fallen apart if one person did not pull their weight. Everyone knew their role in this project and understood they were a part of something bigger than themselves. In the contemporary world, it is rare to see a unity of artists working together regardless of their genres or ideologies — the main focus is this particular work.
“The Greatest Night in Pop” is streaming now on Netflix. Give it a watch.
Rating: 10/10
