We Are the World Quotes

Shmoop will make you a better lover...of quotes

ALL QUOTES POPULAR BROWSE BY AUTHOR BROWSE BY SOURCE BROWSE BY TOPIC BROWSE BY SUBJECT

Source: We Are the World

Speaker: Every Famous Singer Ever

"We are the world."

We are the world…we are the children.

Context

This line is from the song "We Are the World" from the album U.S.A. for Africa (1985).

In 1985, everyone in the music industry wanted to save Africa from starvation. On one side we had Live Aid, riding the success of the most annoying Christmas song of all time to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wanted to do their own thing, so they wrote "We Are the World" and got everyone* to sing it. It didn't solve famine in Africa, but it sure was catchy.

*Not exactly everyone, but Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon (sans Garfunkel), Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Dan Akroyd for some reason, Hall, Oates, Huey Lewis, the News, and many more.

Where you've heard it

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, "We Are the World" had a 25th anniversary revival to raise money for relief in Haiti.  

After all, we are the world.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

It's raising money for charity, and Bono isn't there, so it's as far from pretentious as you can get.