‘The Greatest Night in Pop’: Story

We all know the renowned charity single ‘We Are The World.’ But, what we don’t know is how the song came to life. Written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, the highly-respected Quincy Jones was roped in as producer, with Stevie Wonder contributing to the creative process of the song.

‘We Are The World’ features an array of the best artists of the 1980s, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Sheila E., Cyndi Lauper, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and many more, together known as USA for Africa, who voluntarily did this to raise funds for famine relief in Africa. The recording session took place on January 28, 1985, at A&M Studios in Los Angeles on the night of the American Music Awards, which Richie was hosting. This film, ‘The Greatest Night in Pop,’ aims to highlight how the song was brought out into the world.

‘The Greatest Night in Pop’: Performances

In this documentary, the makers of the song, and the singers featured are not portraying anyone; they are just being themselves. Most of the film is candid, with some interviews, which has intensified the nostalgic effect. It reflects not only the mastery of their craft but also provides a glimpse into the collaborative and creative process.

There were various insights shared by Harriet Sterberg (Head of Creative Services, Kragen & Co), Wendy Rees (Creative Services, Kragen & Co), Steven Ivory (Music Journalist), Larry Klein (Producer of American Music Awards), David Breskin (Author of ‘We Are The World’), Tom Bahler (Voice Arranger), Bob Dickinson (Lighting Engineer), and Ken Woo (Cameraman), who have all contributed to the making of the song.

Furthermore, present-day conversations with Huey Lewis, Smokey Robinson, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Dionne Warwick, and Sheila E., took them on a trip down memory lane as they shared their experiences working on the iconic song. The documentary majorly sheds light on Lionel Richie’s perspective, who had the most to contribute to the song and the film both.

It’s very evident from this documentary that the biggest stars of that time, who were compared to each other, kept their egos aside and came together to change the world through music.

‘The Greatest Night in Pop’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

The documentary is so well-put. The atmosphere and ambiance in the room with over 40 artists was simply extraordinary. There were no theatrics, no tantrums, just pure love and a shared determination to achieve a common goal. Experiencing this nostalgic moment was nothing short of amazing. It was beautiful to see these musicians at their best, being fans of each other, taking autographs of each other.

The 1.5 hours passed by in a flash, leaving me completely captivated. It wasn’t overdone, at all. The choices Bao Nguyen made in keeping candid moments, such as Stevie Wonder's impromptu Swahili idea or Waylon Jennings' departure, let viewers in on a more personal level.

The camera hasn’t been played around with at all during interviews. I love the fact that Lionel Richie was sitting in the exact same recording studio; gave me chills. Kudos to Caleb Heller for showcasing it beautifully. It’s also truly incredible how such clear-cut footage from so long ago has been kept so neatly, including the heart-breaking famine scenes in Africa. The behind-the-scenes recording footage was bound to be chaotic, considering there were so many people and the camera had to capture them all. But, the editing done by Nic Zimmermann deserves commendation as it effectively condenses all the necessary scenes into a short film.

Since it’s a documentary related to music, I love the song choices used to introduce the artists with some of their best songs. Additionally, Goh Nakamura and Darren Morze have done a fantastic job by adding some 80s beats into the background in some scenes, so as to not let the viewers go out of that era.

‘The Greatest Night in Pop’: Cast & Crew

Director: Bao Nguyen

Available On: Netflix

Duration: 1 hour 37 minutes

Premiere Date: January 29

Genre: Documentary

Language: English

‘The Greatest Night in Pop’: Can Kids Watch It?

Yes.

Outlook’s Verdict

Although we mourn the loss of numerous legends who contributed to the song, their magical voices live in the timeless song ‘We Are the World,’ which is an example of how music unites people for a noble cause. This nostalgic experience was truly extraordinary!