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Pop Rock Nation

Tag: Quincy Jones

  • We Are The World – 25 For Haiti Update

    Though we don’t have all the details of the new We Are The World song, some details are trickling out.

    Here are some of the things which I have heard or read:

    – Justin Bieber is supposedly singing Lionel’s opening line. “There comes a time…” Don’t you need bass in your voice to sing that part?

    – Lil’ Wayne is scheduled to sing Bob Dylan’s original part and he thought they were playing a joke on him when told him.

    – Celine Dion is going to sing Cyndi Lauper’s part, which is one of the more famous parts of the original video. I don’t think she’ll have the wacky hair though unfortunately.

    – Janet Jackson was rumored to be singing Michael Jackson’s bridge, but there’s also talk that MJ’s voice will be used somehow. Maybe MJ’s “shalah-shalingay” chorus that he recorded for the demo will finally see the light of day?

    – Hip hop will be represented in the new version. Some of the rumored stars include T-Pain, Kanye West, Bizzy Bone, Kid Cudi, LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Drake, Mann, Nipsey Hussle, Busta Rhymes and Swizz Beatz. Don’t ask me who Mann and Nipsey Hussle are because I have no clue.

    – We may see the premiere of the video on the first day of the Winter Olympics.

    MTV.com has some video of the Monday night recording session which I’ve added below.

  • We Are The World 2010

    You had to think that this would happen eventually. But with the tragedy going on in Haiti, it probably couldn’t come at a better time.

    This news bit comes from The Hollywood Reporter.

    Reportedly, Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie are scheduled to do a sequel to We Are The World. It was originally scheduled to be a 25th anniversary project, but with the situation in Haiti, it’s now scheduled for the proceeds from the song (and video) to go to Haiti.

    So far, the artists who are scheduled to be included are Usher, Natalie Cole, and John Legend, but you can imagine that everyone and their mother is going to want to get on this, especially since it’s scheduled to be recorded after the Grammys.

    If only Michael Jackson was still alive to be a part of this. However, maybe somehow, his vocals from the original can still be used on the new song. Or maybe his brothers will be on the track.

    Here’s the original:

  • The Infatueighties Countdown: #101: “Ain’t Nobody”

    Chaka Khan. Chaka-chaka-chaka-chakakhan. Chaka Khan. Oops,wrong song.

    A year before she had her biggest hit with a cover of a Prince album track, the woman whose momma named her Yvette Marie Stevens joined forces with her old band Rufus for the last time and produced this electro-soul classic. If they were gonna go out, I guess why not go out with this, right?

    The cover of the 45 for \"Ain\'t Nobody\" by Rufus & Chaka Khan.

    Some of you may remember “Ain’t Nobody” from the movie “Breakin’”,which it made an appearance in after it’d already become a hit. What some of you may not know is that the song, which was written by Rufus member David “Hawk” Wolinski, was originally earmarked for use on “Thriller” by Quincy Jones (I can hear Michael singing it). However, Wolinksi decided to keep the song and use it as one of the two studio tracks on “Live-Stompin’ at the Savoy”. Add Chaka’s unusual phrasing and one of her most powerful vocals, you wind up with one of the best-loved songs of her career, although it’s chart position (#22 pop) wasn’t exactly earth-shattering. Nevertheless, the song won Rufus & Chaka a Grammy, and to this day, no Chaka concert is complete without it.

    I did not realize this song had a video until, you guessed it, I popped over to YouTube earlier today. No big surprise that the rest of Rufus appears nowhere in this video. Nevertheless, witness Chaka in her full-fledged big-haired glory. And bust a move like Turbo and Ozone.