The 80s were a fond time for me, and for the most part I lived quite an enjoyable childhood in suburban Detroit. More specifically I lived in Livonia MI; a total hot bed for cultural diversity. 97% of its inhabitants are whitey.
Anyways, the 80s were all about trying to revive the musical activism of the 60s, just in a different way. There was Band Aid and Farm Aid and I’m sure a few other Aid concerts that I’m missing. There was Dionne, Elton, Stevie and Gladys Knight teaming up with Burt Bacharach to record an unreleased Bacharach tune from the late 70s and donate all the money to AIDS charities (“That’s What Friends Are For”?) . There was Kenny Rogers insisting that if we all joined Hands Across America that some problem will be solved (I forget). My personal favorite will always be the all Springfield benefit “We’re Sending Our Love Down the Well”
I remember all of these events. I didn’t need a VH1 special about how much I loved the decade to remind me of these moments.
While Live Aid was no doubt the big doozy of all concerts, USA for Africa really knocked the ball out of consumerist park with that star studded cast (and Dan Aykroyd) for “We Are the World”. This also brought to the forefront the UK kindred spirit (which in my opinion has aged far far better) “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. A far catchier number featuring a way cooler (read: not as musically talented, but damn at least they LOOKED good) cast of musicians and the might Bono bellowing “WELL TONIGHT THANK GOD IT’S THEM, INSTEAAAAAD OF YOOH(ah)”. I will concede that this is, in fact, the best thing Bono has ever committed to tape.
So we had the Brits, and the Yanks. But does anyone recall the Northern Lights?
It was Canada’s answer to the whole situation. Quincy Jones was nice enough to let them include the song on the USA for Africa album soundtrack. Let’s investigate this bad boy a bit further…
Composed by croaker Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, it featured a zany cast of Canada’s finest: Adams, Paul Anka, John Candy, Bruce Cockburn, Rik Emmett, Wayne Gretzky, Corey Hart, Ronnie Hawkins, Honeymoon Suite, Geddy Lee, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray, Oscar Petersen, Paul Shaffer, Jane Siberry and Neil Young. All crooning their hearts away and (possibly) feeling a bit jaded and left oot that they weren’t invited to sing at Quincy’s Def All Star Jam.
And the name of their monster? “Tears Are Not Enough”. If you ask me, I think there’s a bit too much of Adams yalping all over the place and not enough vocal acrobatics by that diva duo of Candy and Gretzky. I hear they can give Whitney and Mariah a run for their money when they are on point. There’s also too much Anne Murray (she should have been able to sing one word and that’s it) and not enough Geddy Lee.
But you be the judge. I present to you, in its full glory…an mp3 version of this legendary cult classic from 83.
Posted by rob at January 22, 2004 05:12 PM
