Product Details

• Actors: Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: USA For Africa
• DVD Release Date: February 1, 2005
• Run Time: 240 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006IUDB2
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,108 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "We are the World - The Story Behind the Song (20th Anniversary Special Edition)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Examines how the song was written and produced, and a behind the scenes view of the recording session.
Genre: Music Video - Pop/Rock
Rating: NR
Release Date: 1-FEB-2005
Media Type: DVD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

133 of 137 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WE ARE THE WORLD historic song on dvd finally! Great!, January 30, 2005

By 

D. Wang "smilingdan" (Hacienda Heights, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We are the World - The Story Behind the Song (20th Anniversary Special Edition) (DVD)

I heard this DVD was to be released at its 20th Anniversary Special Edition on local radio on 104.3 FM in LA. They played the song on Friday, Jan. 29, 2005 before its re-release for a DVD. I went right away and found at the local Best Buy store for a great price.

I loved this song and I remembered that I was 14 at the time of its release on cassette and LP records. It was for a great cause and United for song of hope. The great popstars came out to raise their voices to help Africa's hungry. I was looking for a CD re-release of the song. They should re-release as a CD single. So far you can buy the title song online for resonable price as a MP3 file like Itunes.

I have watch the documentary on DVD and it tells who wrote the songs, who the stars that participated in it, and who sang all the parts of the song with solos and the entire group.

The song was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson.

The 2 disc DVD set comes with collectible insert booklet, which contains the history of how the night of Jan 28, 1985 how the song was made with all the stars. The booklet also contains the lyrics of the song and picture of the group and where the stars stood in the group (like Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Cydie Lauper, Diana Ross, Diane Warwick, Kenny Rogers, Bruce Springstein, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Janet Jackson, etc up to 45 stars) for the memorable song.

1st Disc includes the documentary by Jane Fonda and the Music Video of the We Are The World Song conducted by Quincy Jones.

2nd Disc contains the extras,history and documentary, and places where the song ws played like 10th anniversary "one song, many hands", American Music Awards, 28th Grammy awards, "Live Aid" footage from ABC, etc. and Karaoke track of the song too.

It well worth the price this song that makes history and make for a good cause, USA For Africa organization still is around to help out for hunger and AIDS 20 years later. The proceeds of this DVD goes to the USA For Africa organization. Great! If you like Great Music and Great Stars come for a good cause, it's a great piece of history with this song "WE Are the World" and how it all began. This DVD is for you and for your children to remember.

The Stars should make a DVD or CD of a new song for the Tsunami victims in Asia with today's pop artists with yesterday's pop and rock artists too.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superstars Lend A Hand, February 10, 2005

By 

Costas (Long Island, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We are the World - The Story Behind the Song (20th Anniversary Special Edition) (DVD)

I must admit, the reason I ordered this 20th Anniversary DVD was to see Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross--all in the same room again. They are all amazing talents, that checked their "egos at the door," that night back in 1985. They were there along with a number of other singers, to help a nation of starving people have a chance at life. There are some priceless outtakes of the late Ray Charles, Stevie, Cyndi and Bruce that had me thoroughly entertained. This is definitely worth buying. I believe a portion of the money from Amazon will be going to the Tsunami Relief fund and other worthy charities.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Story Behind the Anthem, February 8, 2005

By 

Michael E. Grayeb (Larchmont, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We are the World - The Story Behind the Song (20th Anniversary Special Edition) (DVD)

For anyone who grew up in the 1970's or 1980's, and for anyone who is interested in the power of the human spirit to "do something," this is truly a special two-DVD set.

It is chock-full of behind-the-scenes footage of how this amazing event came together and the impact it had on galvanizing the support of thousands of people toward a common cause.

Among the many highlights are some incredibly emotional scenes from the recording sessions. My personal favorites were of Bruce Springsteen and Ray Charles, two music industry giants who brought their own unmatched passion to the recording.

The DVDs do a nice job of documenting not only the recording session but also the cause itself -- eradicating hunger and starvation in Africa and at home in the U.S.

Perhaps the most inspiring takeaway of the collection is the fact that two individual people -- Harry Belafonte and Ken Kragen -- saw the tragedy that millions of other people were simultaneously witnessing -- but chose to do something about it.

Their individual efforts began a chain reaction and a movement who's impact is still felt today, some 20 years later.

You will enjoy this DVD set many times over. Get extra sets for friends and family members and you'll touch their souls too.