logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
2h 12m

"We Are the World" by USA for Africa

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Jordan and Alex discuss one of the best-selling singles of all time. It's a song that boasts more top tier talent than perhaps any other. It's also a song that brings new meaning to the phrase: “Well, it’s the thought that counts..." They'll give you the backstory and behind the scenes drama of that one night in January 1985 when 40-something of the biggest stars in music crammed into a single studio, checked their egos at the door and worked through the night to record a sub-part tune by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie that raised some $80 million for African famine relief. You'll find out why a terrified Michael Jackson was reduced to curling up in the fetal position in the bathroom, why mega-talents like Prince and Madonna blew off the session, and why the proceedings were nearly torpedoed by Cyndi Lauper's earrings and a buffet. You'll also learn about Bob Dylan's intense stage fright, the surprising reason why Huey Lewis was given a solo when Smokey Robinson was NOT — plus all the reasons why Ray Charles and Bruce Springsteen were the MVPs of the session. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Jun 23
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones: Everything You Didn't Know
Your two men on the internet telling you useless information supposed to fire your imagination are back with their 60th anniversary deep-dive into this deathless rock anthem. After a heated Beatles vs Stones debate, the TMI guys explain how the classic riff came to Keith Richards ... Show More
2h 32m
Jun 8
Galaxy Quest: Everything You Didn't Know
Put on your latex head-cap and grab your Thermian translator — this week, your starfleet of snark is diving headfirst into the unlikely sci-fi cult classic that beamed itself into nerd hearts everywhere. Jordan and Heigl travel back to 1999 to explore how a fake show about fake s ... Show More
2h 12m
May 25
The Great Gatsby (Part 2 - The Movies): Everything You Didn't Know
Get ready for Gatsby 2: Gatz Harder! In the second installment of their deep dive into The Great Gatsby, the TMI guys follow the novel’s improbable rise from critical failure to cultural cornerstone. When it was first published in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece was dismi ... Show More
2h 31m
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Ugly American Werewolf in London: Thriller - Michael Jackson
If you were alive in 1983, you knew who Michael Jackson was. Not because of his fame growing up as the lead singer of the Jackson 5, not because you loved his diamond selling disco smash Off The Wall but because you lived through the time that saw the release of Thriller. Unleash ... Show More
1h 32m
Mar 2020
Lionel, Stevie and Tina Walk into a Studio…
March 7th, 1985. “We Are the World” hits the shelves. It's an instant hit, breaking the top of the charts and making music history. This one song has the star power of 45 of the biggest singers of the era: Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Br ... Show More
24m 38s
Jan 2020
Toto's Africa
Released in 1982, Toto's soft-rock anthem has become an unlikely viral smash-hit.Africa is a song that has changed lives, helped to raise thousands of pounds for charity and provided an unexpected musical cornerstone in a critically acclaimed play. Ralf Schmidt is the Artistic Di ... Show More
27m 50s
Jun 2024
Michael McDonald and Paul Reiser
Michael McDonald’s husky baritone is one of the most instantly recognizable voices from the ‘70s and ‘80s. As a member of The Doobie Brothers, Steely Dan, and a hitmaking solo artist, Michael McDonald’s career is one for the books. Enter Paul Reiser—the comedic actor and writer b ... Show More
1h 4m
Jun 2023
Introducing - Think Twice: Michael Jackson
More than a decade since Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy remains complicated and unresolved. Think Twice: Michael Jackson is an exploration of the King of Pop’s life and impact – and an investigation into why his global influence continues to endure, despite the disturbing al ... Show More
1m 32s
Aug 2017
Randy Newman - Sail Away
With six Grammys, three Emmys and two Oscars (from 20 Academy Award nominations) - to say nothing of his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and membership of both the Songwriters and the Rock & Roll Halls of Fame - means that Randy Newman has one of the most crowded mantelpie ... Show More
47m 6s
May 2021
Julia Michaels’ Songwriting Superpowers
For nearly a decade, Julia Michaels has penned hit songs for the biggest acts in pop music. She is adept at turning people’s vulnerabilities into memorable hooks — think Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” or Selena Gomez’s “Lose You to Love Me.” There are countless others, but all of them s ... Show More
42m 39s
Aug 2020
Larry Gold
This is a very special episode of Questlove Supreme. The episode takes us to Philadelphia where we recorded in Milkboy Studios formerly known famously as "The Studio" which was owned by one of the true musical treasures of Philadelphia, Larry Gold. Larry is an anomaly in the sens ... Show More
1h 21m
Apr 2021
Bonus Episode: Bassist Gail Ann Dorsey Reflects on Her Decade-Long Music Journey with David Bowie
Our latest chapter covered David Bowie’s creative renaissance in the ‘90s and early 2000s. The records that he made in this period are often overlooked but rank among the most experimental of his career, as he rejoined formative ‘70s collaborators like Brian Eno and Tony Visconti ... Show More
1h 10m