Legal Commentary

Sunday Song Lyric

By Jonathan H. Adler

In March 1985, USA for Africa released the star-studded single ?We Are the World,? written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, to raise money for famine relief in Africa.  The song rapidly become the fastest-selling pop single.  This weekend, the We Are the World Foundation released ?We are the World 25 for Haiti,? a remake of the song to raise money for disaster relief in Haiti.  The lyrics are largely the same, with the addition of some rap lines penned by Will.I.Am.

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it?s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can?t go on
Pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God?s great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

Like many remakes, the new version is no match for the original.  An autotuned Lil Wayne and Jamie Foxx are poor subsitutes for Bob Dylan and Ray Charles.  The New York Times called it ?big name karaoke for a good cause.?  And that?s the point, it is for a good cause ? you can download from iTunes here, and proceeds will go to Haiti ? or watch the video here.

Full post as published by The Volokh Conspiracy on February 14, 2010 (boomark / email).