We Are the World - The Story of a Song

7/29/2019 We Are the World - The Story of a Song

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On February 12 2010, the Winter Olympic Games opened in Vancouver,

Canada. At the opening ceremony a new recording ofWe Are The World was

used. More than 80 different musicians and singers worked on the recording.

The original recording ofWe Are The World, which was written by Michael

Jackson and Lionel Ritchie, was recorded in 1985 to collect money for people

who were starving in Africa. The artists on the original recording included

Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen,

Bob Dylan and many others. The song became an immediate worldwide hit and

sold more than 10 million copies.

We Are The World was the American artists response to the success ofDo

They Know Its Christmas?, a song by the Irish singer Bob Geldof and the

Scottish singer Midge Ure. In 1984, Bob Geldof had seen a TV report about

thousands of people who were starving in Ethiopia. He felt he should do

something to help these people, but what can a pop singer do? He decided to

record a song. With his friend, Midge Ure, they wrote Do They Know Its

Christmas? They telephoned all their friends in the pop music industry and

asked them to help with the recording. All the best singers in Britain were there

on the day they made the recording. The song was released in December 1984

and immediately millions of copies were sold in Britain and around the world.

Was this the end of the story? No! Bob Geldof, Midge Ure and the artists in

the USA continued working to send food to the starving people in Ethiopia. On

13th July 1985, 30 million people around the world watched the Live Aid concert

and sent money for the African people.


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In groups, share any information you know about:

1. Michael Jackson

2. The Winter Olympic Games

3. We Are The World

4. Bob Geldof

5. Ethiopia

6. Live Aid

Dont worry if you dont know very much. Share your ideas.

Read the text. Mark the statements below [T] true, [F] false or [NG]

if the information is not given in the text.

1. In 2010, the Winter Olympic Games were in Canada.

T / F / NG

2. A new recording of We Are The World was played at the Opening

Ceremony. T / F / NG

3. The Opening Ceremony was on a Wednesday.T / F / NG

4. The original 1985 recording was used in the Opening Ceremony.

T / F / NG

5. Paul Simon was one of the singers on the new recording.

T / F / NG

6. More than 10 million copies ofWe Are The World were sold in 1985.

T / F / NG

7. Bob Geldof is a pop singer from Ireland.

T / F / NG

8. Thousands of people were starving in Ethiopia.T / F / NG

9. Midge Ure is a singer and song writer.

T / F / NG

10. Do They Know Its Christmas was released in 1985.

T / F / NG

11. Bob Dylan was one of the singers on Do They Know Its Christmas?

T / F / NG

12. All the best singers in Britain sent their records to Ethiopia.

T / F / NG


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You can watch the original recording ofWe Are The World at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2W4-0qUdHY

You can watch the end of the Live Aid Concert in London and hear Do They

Know Its Christmas? at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stNGHiscETo

Try to watch this video clip of scenes from Ethiopia in 1985. The music is

Whos going to take you home? by the Cars. David Bowie showed this video at

the Live Aid concert and millions of people started sending money. Watch to the

end of the clip to hear how it was made and a small bit of good news.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhXYpXumuA0&feature=related

Bob Geldof and Midge Ure felt they should do something to help thepeople who were starving. They made a successful record and

organised Live Aid. Think about other ways to help poor people in Africa

and in other places. Make notes on a piece of paper.

Discuss your ideas in small groups or with the whole class. Can you

think of some good ideas?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2W4-0qUdHYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stNGHiscETohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhXYpXumuA0&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2W4-0qUdHYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stNGHiscETohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhXYpXumuA0&feature=related


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A Classes will vary in how much they know about these people, places and

topics. Just encourage learners to share what they know.

B 1T, 2T, 3NG, 4F, 5NG, 6T, 7T, 8T, 9T, 10F, 11NG, 12F.C If learners can see these YouTube clips, they will hear the songs and

appreciate the atmosphere at the recording and the Live Aid Concert. The third

video is very sad, but there is some good news at the end.

D Encourage learners to discuss collecting money and other practical ways

to help people who have problems.

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We Are the World - The Story of a Song