WE ARE HOPE, DESPITE THE TIMES: Simon Cowell assembled an array of singing talent (as well as the members of Westlife) to perform an REM standard for Haitian aid efforts:
Wow. So many people I hate singing a song I love. I can't bear to listen to it... just reading the list of who was singing what made my skin crawl. And I'm sure they were hoping for goosebumps.
i cry every time i listen to that song, even without a video of poverty stricken people suffering/being rescued from a natural disaster. side note, i swear one of those dudes from one of those british boy bands looked like sanjaya.
It is completely different from almost every other REM song (the lyrics aren't inscrutable either in content or delivery, and it's much slower than their standard), but damn if it doesn't get you every time, especially the original video with the enormously cathartic ending.
Somewhat off topic, but the confluence of the recent death of MJ and the Haiti song thing has had the "Children of the World" version of We Are The World pop up in the popular press a few times, and OMG. Drew Barrymore and any sitcome kid you could name 25 years ago (Tootie, the Who's The Boss kids, Alfonso Ribero) plus some musical ringer kids (Fergie and Lea Salonga).
It's like Kidz Bop meets, um, something else not so good: http://www.sonnyradio.com/childrenoftheworld.html
I'm certainly with you there, or near enough. Of course, I know I'm in the minority around here in that I find "Automatic For the People" to be more-or-less unlistenable.
Wow. So many people I hate singing a song I love. I can't bear to listen to it... just reading the list of who was singing what made my skin crawl. And I'm sure they were hoping for goosebumps.
ReplyDeleteYour post sums it up for me, too. I will never listen to this. REM's purity will remain a shining beacon.
ReplyDeleteBut REM Night on Idol would be fun! They could misinterpret "The One I Love" as a love song!
ReplyDeleteI may not be a big fan of the artists, but that video made me cry.
ReplyDeletei cry every time i listen to that song, even without a video of poverty stricken people suffering/being rescued from a natural disaster.
ReplyDeleteside note, i swear one of those dudes from one of those british boy bands looked like sanjaya.
As a fan of the band since '83, I gotta say its my least favorite REM song.
ReplyDeleteIt is completely different from almost every other REM song (the lyrics aren't inscrutable either in content or delivery, and it's much slower than their standard), but damn if it doesn't get you every time, especially the original video with the enormously cathartic ending.
ReplyDeleteHmm ... least favorite, I think was "Stand," both for what it was and what it seemed to represent about the band.
ReplyDeleteSomewhat off topic, but the confluence of the recent death of MJ and the Haiti song thing has had the "Children of the World" version of We Are The World pop up in the popular press a few times, and OMG. Drew Barrymore and any sitcome kid you could name 25 years ago (Tootie, the Who's The Boss kids, Alfonso Ribero) plus some musical ringer kids (Fergie and Lea Salonga).
ReplyDeleteIt's like Kidz Bop meets, um, something else not so good:
http://www.sonnyradio.com/childrenoftheworld.html
How have you not covered this cover before?
Because I didn't know about this before. Oh, wow. The Poltergeist girl!
ReplyDeleteI think I see Punky Brewster in the still photo, but am not sure. Sitting on one of the adults laps.
ReplyDeleteShavar Ross (Dudley from Diff'rent Strokes) has a photo up of with a few annotations: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shavar/25267719/
Note: no actual money was raised in the making of this song. (At least, that's my bet on net proceeds.)
I tried listening to this, and just couldn't. I love this song and don't really like watching it charity-song-ized.
ReplyDeleteI'm certainly with you there, or near enough. Of course, I know I'm in the minority around here in that I find "Automatic For the People" to be more-or-less unlistenable.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I'm also in the minority in that my favorite rock band from Athens is Guadalcanal Diary.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm glad it wasn't me! I hated this!
ReplyDeleteNow you've done it. You've put it out there in the universe...for shame! :)p
ReplyDeleteI've been a long-time fan as well, but I'm thinking "Stand" or "Shiny Happy People" it just depends on the day.
ReplyDeleteI'll go on record. I love AftP. I adore "Find the River".
I love Automatic for the People. Including, of course, Find the River.
ReplyDeleteI'd put Shiny Happy People at the bottom of my REM list.