When I Was the World

I've seen it many times with grownup eyes, and I still can't be too sure as to why or how a simple - very simple - music video would or could imprint itself so aggressively on the mind of a two-year-old.

Was it just the effect of a moving power ballad, or, more specifically, the power of music itself on someone who's only been on this planet for a coupla years & some change? Maybe, but the song on its own didn't move me in the way its visual counterpart apparently did.

Here's some historical context for anyone who's not aware:

Following the success of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984, an American counterpart was formed - USA for Africa - with the intention of writing and recording a similarly-themed charity song to bring money and awareness to the hunger & famine in Africa. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, "We Are the World" was one of the highest charting records of the year. Additionally, there was a videocassette released featuring the performance as well as a lengthy making-of segment, titled We Are the World: The Video Event. 

If you were alive in '85, it was a hard piece of pop to avoid - especially for a TV kid with cable and a VCR. And while I'm clearly just a product of the culture and a slave to nostalgia, there were details from the video that I can identify as being uniquely attractive to me:

• The animated globe/USA for Africa logo over the ominous opening notes is, I think, effective to anyone of any age, with or without childhood frame of reference.
• The science of microphones and why it was necessary for each performer to sing directly into them. Also just the overall aesthetic of them - so much so that my aunt made me one using a circle of cardboard atop some sorta antique broomstick.
• Cyndi Lauper's so unusual fashions shine through the crowd of her Adult Contemporary peers - as does her performance. I would hang my sister's necklaces over my ears & pretend they were Cyndi's long earrings.
• And for some reason, I designated Ray Charles as the star of the show and would always get surprised/excited whenever they got to his bit.

The 1980s was the first generation when anyone - especially kids - had the freedom and the benefit of watching something specific at any time, and as many times as they'd want. And while the choices weren't as sprawling as today's streaming services allow, I'd wear out any visual media we had -- and so "We Are the World" worked its way into my rotation. I'd learned the words (as I was still learning words in general), but I also began to mimic the stars: swaying like Ray & grunting like Bruce.
I suppose this is what kids do.

At some point in 1985 my parents took it upon themselves to audio record me as I sang along to the TV. I'm sure some amount of stage fright resulted in not-my-best performance - though I'm sure if I got another crack at it today, I'd get the part.

- Paul