As for most of the songs, Huey Lewis' live version of Trouble in Paradise is not too bad. They could have made the Canadian Artists's song Tears Are Not Enough" a bit longer than 4 minutes as to the opposed "We Are The World" being 7 minutes long. We all know it's because each person wanted to have their own line and it would end up repeating the same chorus over and over. The album was a good effort to begin wiht in my opinion. But overall my favorite song has to be Tears Are not Enough, all together.
CD Reviews
We Are The Hits (that never were)
Danny M. Dean | Baton Rouge, Louisiana United States | 03/07/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First of all: DON'T buy this CD just for the title song (Unless you need it for a special project) AND, don't buy it to help starving people in Africa. That boat sailed a long time back. For some reason, this CD has been Out Of Print for ages, so the proceeds will go to the reseller who has to charge a MINT for it because of its scarcity. So, WHY BUY IT? Bruce Springsteen, Steve Perry, Chicago, Tina Turner, Huey Lewis, Kenny Rogers, The Pointer Sisters and Prince. If you're a fan of any of those artists: the extra songs unique to the collection are among the best they've done. They're all superstars trying to one up each other. So, they're great. Each song could have been (and should have been) a hit single. Bruce Springsteen's first official (non seasonal) live release with the E Street Band "Trapped" is a great take on a Jimmy Cliff song. I can't get the tune out of my head. Steve Perry's contribution blows away his solo hit as well as most Journey tunes. Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers, Huey Lewis & The News and The Pointer Sisters were all hot at the time too, and their tracks show it, too. We Are The World is a triumph of Quincy Jones and and an apparently still on top of his game, Michael Jackson, trying to squeeze the kitchen sink into one song. They did it, and it has worn out its welcome for most listeners, but all in all, this is a great collection anyway because We Are The Hits you haven't heard."
Great individual gems
Jeffrey Anbinder | New York, NY | 09/18/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Sure, this CD represents an important milestone in popular musicians' social activism - and the title track is a very significant (if not artistically very interesting) song in that it was a very early example of that kind of superstar grouping, coming fast on the heels of the British Band-Aid group.But beyond all that, I highly recommend this CD to any Springsteen fans - his intense live cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Trapped" is well worth the entire CD's purchase price. And how can you go wrong when some of the proceeds go to charity?"
Listen to the rest of it!!
Patrick J.S. Nellies | San Diego, California United States | 09/18/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"OK, we all know the title track. It was a great project, what a wonderful collaberation, rock event of the 80's, blah, blah, blah. LISTEN TO THE REST OF IT!!!!! The producers of this album were idiots not to release every other song on here as singles. Would have made enough money to stamp out hunger on three continents. Steve Perry's "If Only For the Moment Girl" could have (and should have) been Side 1 Track 1 on Journey's Raised on Radio or on one of his own solo projects. How that song never found its way on the radio is beyond me. Oh, and by the way Boss fans, "Trapped" rocks, but then you probably knew that. I almost got Canuck season tix and bought stock in Molson when I heard "Tears are not Enough" by Hoseheads against Hunger (or Northern Lights or Canada for Africa or whatever their name is). Just listen to the rest of it. And if your friends will think you're a geek for getting this CD now, don't worry about it. You are. But hey, you're feeding a kid somewhere, right? Just get the CD. I won't tell anyone."
A historic landmark!
Jeffrey Anbinder | 01/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Boy are there some terrific artists in here! I haven't heard the whole CD yet, but some of the names are...oh, something! Wonderful Tina Turner, the indomitable Pointer Sisters & the lovely, talented Steve Perry are just a few great voices here. My fave is the "We Are the World" song. I heard that song on Y2K eve & that song is soooo touching! Even though Micheal Jackson, Lionel Richie, & Tina Turner headed up this swell project, it was great hearing other voices. I loved shy, sensitive Steve Perry's input "...we're savin' our own lives..." How true! We really need to stamp out world hunger! It's awful that so many people are still going hungry today, even in the United States! It's heartwarming that these artist cared enough to try to do something about it."