The year is 1985. The AMAs are just wrapping up, and rather than heading to a fun after-party to celebrate their successes, a group of some of the most popular musicians make their way over to A&M studios to record a single to raise money for African famine relief. Being a Gen Xer, I am, of course, well familiar with the single “We Are the World.” But I was unaware of how it came to be and the actual recording. That is the topic of Bao Nguyen’s documentary film, “The Greatest Night in Pop,” set to stream on Netflix this week.
When Harry Belafonte visited Africa, he saw people dying from a lack of food and water and wanted to do something to help raise money to ease their suffering. He wanted it to be led by people in the Black community. Belafonte recruited Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones to gather as many people as possible to record a single. As they found others who shared their vision, they began to create a wishlist of artists to work with, bringing in Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Diana Ross, Sheila E, Smokey Robinson and so many more.
This documentary includes a ton of stories and videos from the night of the recording that have never been seen before. It includes the demo of Michael Jackson creating the hook for the chorus. It includes a detailed timeline of the recording process. It shows people accepting the invitation and how they felt about it.
I assumed when you put that many high-level performers into one room you would run into egos, and you do see that highlighted in the story. Still, more than that, you see the incredible amount of respect these pop music icons had for one another. In one of my favorite moments in the film, we watch a sea of the most influential musicians of that time asking one another for autographs and signing each other’s music.
In addition to the footage from that night, there are also a number of interviews with the musicians today, in which they recall the event and their feelings about it. It is wild to hear Huey Lewis talking about how he was nervous to sing directly after Michael Jackson or to hear Bruce Springsteen recount how tired he was from touring, concerned that he wouldn’t be able to sing his line.
I genuinely loved this movie. As documentaries go, it is not the most inventive I have ever seen, but the subject matter is fascinating and speaks to the power of music to bring people together in a crisis. I loved watching people who had received accolades and fame for their work still struggle with imposter syndrome and then do the work anyway. I loved listening to some of my favorite musicians from that period making music together. I loved watching people from various backgrounds and styles put that aside to help those less fortunate than them. And I loved being reminded that we can do the same today.
ALISE CHAFFINS is a Morgantown writer who loves movies and sharing her opinions. She reviews a movie from a streaming service every Saturday and one newly in theaters every Sunday. Find more at MacGuffin or Meaning on Substack.
