Thriple Threat Battle : Band Aid vs USA for Africa vs Hear N'Aid

[J-Lo Biafra]

Do they know it's Christmas? We're all stars, so let's start giving! Who will wind the battle of the benefit groups?

[Minstrel Boy]

1. Hey, don't forget the "Northern Lights"!

The chorus of Canadian pop stars who recorded "Tears Are Not Enough" in aid of Ethiopian relief.

Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, Bryan Adams (well, it was the 80s).




'Tears Are Not Enough'. Pop song written in aid of Ethiopian famine relief efforts in 1985. It was recorded by the ad hoc Northern Lights, an unprecedented gathering of Canadian pop stars brought together by Bruce Allen and organized according to the format established by Britain's Band Aid (which had recorded 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' in late 1984). Northern Lights predated a similar US project, USA For Africa (which made 'We Are The World').

'Tears Are Not Enough' was composed by David Foster (music), Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (words), with additional French lyrics by Rachel Paiement. Paul Hyde and Bob Rock (Payola$) have also received credit for their contribution.The recording was produced by Foster 10 Feb 1985 at the Manta Sound studios in Toronto using an instrumental track previously recorded in Vancouver. Over 50 singers participated. Solo roles (a line or partial line each) were taken by, in order of appearance, Gordon Lightfoot, Burton Cummings, Anne Murray, Joni Mitchell, Dan Hill, Neil Young, Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, Bruce Cockburn, Geddy Lee (Rush) and Mike Reno (Loverboy).

Also heard in duos or trios were Reno with Liberty Silver; Carroll Baker, Ronnie Hawkins and Murray McLauchlan; Véronique Béliveau, Robert Charlebois and Claude Dubois; Adams with Don Gerrard; Salome Bey, Mark Holmes and Lorraine Segato; (Lisa) Dalbello and (Alfie) Zappacosta; Paul Hyde and Carole Pope. Chorus members included Liona Boyd, Tom Cochrane, Tommy Hunter, Kim Mitchell, Oscar Peterson, Paul Shaffer, Jane Siberry and Sylvia Tyson.

The recording was issued as a 12-inch single by CBS (BEN-7073) in March of 1985 and reached No. 1 on Canadian charts by late April, eventually selling more than 300,000 copies. It was later included on the USA For Africa LP We Are The World (Col BEN-40043). A video of the song was shown frequently in 1985 on Canadian TV and a 90-minute documentary of the recording session, directed by John Zaritsky, was telecast 22 Dec 1985 by the CBC. The documentary was subsequently made available commercially on home video. Administered by the Northern Lights for Africa Society in Vancouver, proceeds from the project exceeded $3.2 million by 1990, with 10% going to Canadian assistance programs and the remainder to Ethiopian famine relief.
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0003376