“We Are The World” – U.S.A. for Africa, 1985

There comes a time
When we head a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can’t go on
Pretneding day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of
God’s great big family
And the truth, you know love is all we need

[Chorus]
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

Send them your heart
So they’ll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stone to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand

[Chorus]
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

When you’re down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There’s no way we can fall
Well, well, well, well, let us realize
That a change will only come
When we stand together as one

[Chorus]
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So let’s start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me

Credete non sappia quanto è banale?

Però mettendo da parte il testo melenso e gli sguardi sofferenti di intensità della metà degli interpreti, il pezzo è perfetto per l’occasione. Scritto da Michael Jackson e Lionel Ritchie, fu il primo evento planetario del mondo musicale con intenti benefici. Tanto americano, quanto il Band Aid fu essenzialmente british.

E poi la metto al secondo posto in questa classifica, perché mette insieme, in pochi minuti, cinque che la musica americana degli ultimi cinquanta anni se la sono inventata: Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder e il Boss.

Secondo posto:

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” – Band Aid, 2004

It’s Christmastime
There’s no need to be afraid
At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime

But say a prayer

Pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it’s hard, but when you’re having fun
There’s a world outside your window
And it’s a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging
chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you

And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmastime
The greatest gift they’ll get this year is life
(Oooh) Where nothing ever grows
No rain nor rivers flow
Do they know it’s Christmastime at all?

(Here’s to you) raise a glass for everyone
(Here’s to them) underneath that burning sun
Do they know it’s Christmastime at all?

Feed the world
Feed the world

Feed the world

Let them know it’s Christmastime again

Feed the world
Let them know it’s Christmastime again

Al quarto posto la versione più recente di “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. Scritta nel 1984 per il primo Band Aid da Bob Geldof e Midge Ure, rifatta vent’anni dopo in occasione del secondo evento musicale, quello, per intenderci, aperto dagli U2 e da Paul McCartney sulle note di “Sgt. Pepper’s” e chiuso con l’ultimo concerto dei Pink Floyd (Waters, Gilmour, Wright e Mason insieme).

Per quanto mi riguarda, la versione degli anni ottanta è, per l’appunto, troppo anni ottanta (Boy George, Simon Le Bon e Tony Hadley insieme sono per stomaci forti). In questa ci sono Thom Yorke al piano, Justin Hawkins alla chitarra e Paul McCartney al basso.

Quarto posto: