Today, we look at the song that Prince wrote about not appearing on “We Are the World.”
In Pop Culture Questions Answered, I answer whatever questions you folks might have about movies, TV, music or whatever (feel free to e-mail questions to me at brian@pop culture references.com).
The recent hit documentary on Netflix, Greatest Night in Pop, did a great job discussing how Prince was very much wanted for the performance of “We Are the World”, but he just wasn’t interested in participating, although he DID give a song, “4 Tears in Your Eyes,” for the album featuring “We Are the World.”
Now, you see, the problem for Prince about not appearing on “We Are the World” is not only did he have to deal with some negative publicity from declining an appearance on a huge hit charity record, but at the same time that “We Are the World” was being recorded, Prince was out on the town, and after he and Jill Jones, a singer that Prince was working with (and dating. As she noted in an interview a few years ago, “When you got an album completed, you were done as a romantic interest. Like, you were still there but he was putting you in a place where you weren’t going to just be a happy power couple. You were given your wings to go do your thing. His ability to let go of your how fast or slow, that’s because he was juggling, like we say, the inspiration for all these women. Some guys send you flowers, Prince would just give you an album (laughs)”), got into their limo after leaving a restaurant, a paparazzo got into the car and sat next to him. Prince’s bodyguards threw the guy out of the car, and banged the guy’s head and knocked his camera to the ground in the process.
Prince was asked about in a 1985 Rolling Stone interview, and he noted, “A lot of times I’ve been accused of sicking bodyguards on people. You know what happened in L.A.? My man the photographer tried to get in the car! I don’t have any problems with someone I know trying to get in my car with me and my woman in it. But someone like that? Just to get a picture?”
That bodyguard then actually sold a story to the National Enquirer about Prince, which was very odd.
So anyhow, long story short, Prince was getting a lot of grief for not singing on “We Are the World” and instead being caught up in the drama of his bodyguard assaulting a photographer the same time that a bunch of other famous music stars were doing a song for charity.
Prince, then, decided to answer the controversy the best way he knew how…by writing a song about it.
In July 1985, Prince released “Hello” as a B-Side…
It opens up with:
I tried to tell them that I didn’t want to sing
But I’d gladly write a song instead
They said okay, and everything was cool
Till a camera tried to get in my bedI was sittin’ pretty with a beautiful friend (“Oh, darling”)
When this man tries to get in the car
(“‘Ey, Prince, c’mon, give us a smile, eh?”)
No introduction, “How you been?”
Just “Up yours, smile, that’s right, you’re a star!”
(Star)You call ’em bodyguards, but I call ’em my friends
I guess I’m used to havin’ ’em around
And cameras by nature like rewards
That’s the trouble I get when I’m Uptown
He addresses both the “We Are the World” controversy, explaining that he gave them a song, so everything was cool, until the paparazzi incident gave him negative press.
However, he DOES then get into the “We Are the World” thing a little more, noting:
We’re against hungry children
Our record stands tall
There’s just as much hunger here at homeWe’ll do what we can
If y’all try to understand
A flower that has water will grow
And the child misunderstood will go
What a fascinating and FAST musical response by the music legend!
If anyone else has a pop culture question, just drop me a line at brian@poprefs.com!
