Lionel Richie released a documentary on Netflix called The Greatest Night in Pop about the making of We Are the World.
They share a lot of things we didn’t know about that night. For example, we learned that the producers had to choose between Madonna and Cyndi Lauper, and the boys just wanted to have fun with the latter girl. But they didn’t tell us why.
Yesterday, when the Commodore was on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the host asked him why. He explained, “Because we only had half a line to sing. Let me say this now, ‘A half a line!’ So we had to have voices that people knew right away.”
And let’s be honest, Cyndi’s voice is much more recognizable than Madonna’s. Plus, in 1985, both singers were equally as famous.
And Lauper almost thought she was too famous to do it. Richie shared with Kimmel that she told him at the American Music Awards, right before the recording, that her boyfriend didn’t think it was a hit. Thankfully, she didn’t listen to him because her half a line stood out.
And the rest is music history.
Oh, and Madonna was not the only one who missed out. Kimmel revealed that Eddie Murphy was invited. But opted not to sing along. And yes, he regrets it, as he should.
