What is Known About Diana Ross' Participation in WE ARE THE WORLD??

[Ollie9]

Poor Smokey Robinson is all but ignored in the song's video [you can see him briefly when the chorus is panned] as well as in the special on the evening.
Just the consequences of editing? Did Diana mostly ignore her old boyfriend? The Motown club that night seemed to be Diana Michael and Stevie.... and Lionel. Maybe Diana put her attentions on those she thought she might most benefit from by schmoozing.

But now comes this:

Smokey will get a voice at last and maybe some footage of him will emerge.



NOT adding new input [apparently] is Diana Ross. Odd since she gets so much attention in both the video for the song and of the recording session. As has been reported, she was the star that was there the longest, being one of the very last to leave that morning.

She has nothing she wants to say about it?

Im guessing she wasn’t being paid.

[Boogiedown]

Im guessing she wasn’t being paid.

Good grief they should have told her she'd be getting the same as everyone else.
I'm gonna bump this info forward so its on this new page :

Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

From RollingStone.com-

A new documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, will dig into the history of the 1985 charity smash, “We Are the World.” The film will have its premiere at Sundance on Jan. 19 and then hit Netflix not long after on Jan. 29.
Directed by Bao Nguyen, The Greatest Night in Pop will feature a plethora of previously-unseen footage as it traces the “We Are the World” story from the planning stages through the all-star recording session. The movie will offer a glimpse at Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson’s writing sessions and all the work that went into getting 46 of the globe’s biggest music stars in the same studio on the same day to record the hit track. [Producer Quincy Jones famously placed a sign on the door to the studio: “Check your egos at the door.”]
The Greatest Night in Pop will feature interviews with several of the artists who appeared on the song, including Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Dionne Warwick, Huey Lewis, and Kenny Loggins. Other personnel, including the session musicians, engineers, and production crew, will also share their recollections.


“We Are the World” was originally the brainchild of Harry Belafonte, who came up with the idea following the success of the Band Aid charity Christmas single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The song was recorded on Jan. 28, 1985, at Hollywood’s A&M Studios [now known as Henson Studios], with many of the artists heading right to the session after attending that night’s American Music Awards.
Upon its release in March 1985, “We Are the World” became one of the biggest songs ever made, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and becoming the first single to earn multi-platinum certification from the RIAA. It’s estimated the song helped raise over $63 million [in 1985 dollars] for humanitarian aid in Africa.

It really is a shame if Diana doesn't appear here.....here's hoping she just got left out as a mention ....

As for Smokey , I meant to add he got no solo part so he was strictly a member of the ensemble. I believe he was at the AMAs [reese?] that night , but don't think he was particularly "hot" in the business about then.

It'll be interesting what new tidbits are brought forward. I wonder if Diana will get mentioned ...especially by her old flame, Smokey, "It was a great night of meeting people and for reunions and particularly to see Diane. She looked sexy as hell, and she was all over me."

and here we go:





what is Billy Joel saying at 1:50??

[Ollie9]

I’m really looking forward to this.

[Boogiedown]

I’m really looking forward to this.

I'm with you Ollie!

yes Smokey was at the AMAs. He and Larry Gatlin presented an award together

Billy Joel says, I don't want to open a can of werms


here's some great footage....I had been under the impression that Huey Lewis nailed his line effortlessly ....



I have to give Michael a lot of credit ...with everyone trying to make their part the song's one climatic moment ... he delivered his with a needed balance of restraint... in other words he didn't try to steal the show although it was certainly his to steal....

Also a no show for this new look at that event .....Stevie Wonder ... most odd considering how much he put into it ....

[Ollie9]

Poor Smokey Robinson is all but ignored in the song's video [you can see him briefly when the chorus is panned] as well as in the special on the evening.
Just the consequences of editing? Did Diana mostly ignore her old boyfriend? The Motown club that night seemed to be Diana Michael and Stevie.... and Lionel. Maybe Diana put her attentions on those she thought she might most benefit from by schmoozing.

But now comes this:

Smokey will get a voice at last and maybe some footage of him will emerge.



NOT adding new input [apparently] is Diana Ross. Odd since she gets so much attention in both the video for the song and of the recording session. As has been reported, she was the star that was there the longest, being one of the very last to leave that morning.

She has nothing she wants to say about it?

This is quite funny. The only person i remember seeing mess up time and again was Al Jarreau. Rather odd since he only had one line to get right. In fairness to Cindy Lauper, her part is a little more complicated.
Shame about Diana, but i bet she nailed it in one.

[jobeterob]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mo...235792276/amp/

[midnightman]

Lionel may have meant Top 10 R&B. Missing You struggled on the pop charts while rising to #1 R&B. The song was falling from its #46 peak when it rebounded into the pop top 10. Many feel that the attention given to the song during the AMA’s is the reason it became a top 10 pop hit.

This is true, the AMA showing of the "Missing You" video and the tribute to Marvin helped it. I think also Motown had just released "Nightshift", another Marvin-ish tribute and that was rising on the charts as well. It had a better performance on the pop charts [[#3) than Diana's.

[midnightman]

Hmmm I have trouble hearing her voice on that. The poor man's Barbra, Bette Midler,
was there and she got nodda.

I read that John Denver wanted to attend but was turned down and big regrets on that decision were stated.

How you gonna deny John Denver? JOHN "ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH", "TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS" DENVER?! The guy who made humanitarianism COOL? Oh even when folks were bragging about how they didn't come in the studio with any ego there still were egos. JOHN DENVER NOT BEING ALLOWED TO BE ON WATW?! Give me a break. LOL yeah I bet they did have regrets, they need to. YEESH.

[midnightman]

I used to have an internet friend who worked as a sound technician [[something like that) on We Are teh World and I asked him specifically about what DR was like on the set. He said she could not have been nicer or easier to work with. He did say that all he remembered specifically was that she wanted to stand next to Michael Jackson in the video, and then she wanted to be by Stevie Wonder, so they put her in between them. He didn't see it as ego or anything--more like she knew them the best out of all the singers. My memory is a bit cloudy at this point, but I could swear that he said DR was originally supposed to be next to the Pointer Sisters, but didn't want to for whatever reason.

Knowing of her history with fellow female performers, she likely felt intimidated. Diana strikes me as "I like to be with the guys" type going back to the early years. That could be it. Another reason may have been "they are part of the Motown family so I wanna be with them". Though that's probably not true since Smoke was cut out of this. LOL we'll probably never know.

[midnightman]

If you mean Janet.....it isn't as though she wasn't around ....they show her in the audience at the Awards show ... Brother Michael failed to mention the session to her??


another topic that's not been looked at .... after Lionel Richie hosts the AMAs both in '84 and '85; the next year Diana Ross hosts ....how did she do ??

According to some Jackson insiders, Janet got pissed with MJ for not telling her of the WATW session. LaToya and Rebbie went but Janet didn't. Maybe that's one reason when MJ asked her to do a duet in the late '80s/early '90s, she turned him down because she still felt some type of way of MJ doing that to her.

[midnightman]

Michael was at the AMA ceremony in 1984, when THRILLER won big.

MJ likely didn't go because he knew he'd lose. Thriller wasn't exactly rocking the charts anymore after February 1984. It was basically the year of Lionel, Tina and Prince. Plus the Jacksons got no nod for Victory [[I don't know if they ever WERE nominated for an American Music Award now that I think about it!).

So MJ figured, "why bother showing up? Lionel and Prince are just gonna win everything." Which they did.

[midnightman]

Im guessing she wasn’t being paid.

Diana didn't even show herself to the cameras when her family did that 40th anniversary "documentary" to the Central Park concert [[if you can call it a documentary, it looked more like a family tribute lol). It's interesting that in her heyday, the attention had to be on her because she was a star but these days, she's like a hermit unless she's on the stage.

[khansperac]

Diana,Quincy, and Sheila E. We’re featured on a magazine cover/ in the Sunday newspaper speaking about “We are the world” about 10 years ago.

[midnightman]

Diana,Quincy, and Sheila E. We’re featured on a magazine cover/ in the Sunday newspaper speaking about “We are the world” about 10 years ago.

Sheila was sent as Prince's representative lol

We all know that infamous Prince story.

Actually the story of WATW in general was fascinating to begin with. To start with, it wasn't the brainchild for MJ and Lionel as some think.

It was actually the brainchild of Ken Kragen and Harry Belafonte. Ken was Lionel's manager at the time and Harry came to Ken in late 1984 after the Band Aid song "Do They Know It's Christmas" came out and said they should do a similar version for the US.

Ken asked Lionel, who then asked Quincy, who then asked MJ and Stevie to be co-writers with Lionel. Now when it comes to the actual song, yeah, MJ and Lionel were the writers [[Stevie backed off adding composition/lyrics because his schedule wouldn't allow it but he still contributed to it). Lionel wrote the composition along with MJ, who basically had come up with the title and the chorus and improvised lyrics to the verses.

It was said that when Quincy heard MJ's demo the song bothered him because it seemed dark.

This part of the chorus for instance was originally:
There's a chance we're taking
We're taking our own lives

Quincy hated it so Lionel switched it to:
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives

Lionel then rewrote the lyrics to the verses that you now know of.

Another part in the song that was eventually taken out:
Sha-la
Sha-lin-gay

There was actually a big argument during the actual session because none of the stars there wanted to sing that part and then Stevie suggested singing something in Swahili [[though the song was about ETHIOPIAN famine relief, not South African; no one in Ethiopia spoke Swahili least not in 1985, this would happen much later). This led to some angrily complaining and Waylon Jennings actually made a scene and walked out. Ray Charles also was pissed at this.

Lionel was the one to smooth things over and said "how about 'one world, our children'?" Everyone was like "that's it!"

Initially some folks wanted to lock Waylon out of there but it was said Waylon either came back on his own or Willie Nelson [[Waylon's friend) brought him back in and explain things and he came back in and apologize profusely to Quincy, Stevie, etc. for his outburst.

Lionel and Michael then would coach singers on their part [[which is why there's a video of MJ going over with the singers and their parts and getting agitated that they weren't getting it; look how he looked at Huey Lewis at one of the clips).

It will be interesting to see what everyone participating will say about what happened that night.

[Ollie9]

Sheila was sent as Prince's representative lol

We all know that infamous Prince story.

Actually the story of WATW in general was fascinating to begin with. To start with, it wasn't the brainchild for MJ and Lionel as some think.

It was actually the brainchild of Ken Kragen and Harry Belafonte. Ken was Lionel's manager at the time and Harry came to Ken in late 1984 after the Band Aid song "Do They Know It's Christmas" came out and said they should do a similar version for the US.

Ken asked Lionel, who then asked Quincy, who then asked MJ and Stevie to be co-writers with Lionel. Now when it comes to the actual song, yeah, MJ and Lionel were the writers [[Stevie backed off adding composition/lyrics because his schedule wouldn't allow it but he still contributed to it). Lionel wrote the composition along with MJ, who basically had come up with the title and the chorus and improvised lyrics to the verses.

It was said that when Quincy heard MJ's demo the song bothered him because it seemed dark.

This part of the chorus for instance was originally:
There's a chance we're taking
We're taking our own lives

Quincy hated it so Lionel switched it to:
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives

Lionel then rewrote the lyrics to the verses that you now know of.

Another part in the song that was eventually taken out:
Sha-la
Sha-lin-gay

There was actually a big argument during the actual session because none of the stars there wanted to sing that part and then Stevie suggested singing something in Swahili [[though the song was about ETHIOPIAN famine relief, not South African; no one in Ethiopia spoke Swahili least not in 1985, this would happen much later). This led to some angrily complaining and Waylon Jennings actually made a scene and walked out. Ray Charles also was pissed at this.

Lionel was the one to smooth things over and said "how about 'one world, our children'?" Everyone was like "that's it!"

Initially some folks wanted to lock Waylon out of there but it was said Waylon either came back on his own or Willie Nelson [[Waylon's friend) brought him back in and explain things and he came back in and apologize profusely to Quincy, Stevie, etc. for his outburst.

Lionel and Michael then would coach singers on their part [[which is why there's a video of MJ going over with the singers and their parts and getting agitated that they weren't getting it; look how he looked at Huey Lewis at one of the clips).

It will be interesting to see what everyone participating will say about what happened that night.

Enjoyed reading your post midnight, and very much looking forward to seeing this dvd.
No Diana histrionics to mark the occasion this time.

[Boogiedown]

How you gonna deny John Denver? JOHN "ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH", "TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS" DENVER?! The guy who made humanitarianism COOL? Oh even when folks were bragging about how they didn't come in the studio with any ego there still were egos. JOHN DENVER NOT BEING ALLOWED TO BE ON WATW?! Give me a break. LOL yeah I bet they did have regrets, they need to. YEESH.

I agree with your outrage.
Yes it sounded like that decision kind of haunted them ...wish I could remember who expressed that regret.

I'm imagining the logistics here were so enormous....trying to keep it under wraps ....and then as certain people found out ...like John Denver .....keeping things on time which was so limited, they couldn't keep adjusting the scheduling of the participants' voices to fit in each person popping up. Who knows who all got turned down ....only Denver was mentioned as a specific regret.
Plus there was the balancing act of it not getting too this or that ....too country with Waylon and Willie and Kenny already in there. Too retro.

I'd love to know how Ray Charles got included . Pure genius. I vote his performance as what took this record over the top ...

Added:
Ken Kragen set a goal for himself to secure two major artists each day until he had 15 to 20. "I made call after call all day but none was more important than the one on which I convinced Bruce Springsteen's manager, Jon Landau, to get him to do it," he said. "After that, the flood gates opened and I had to turn all sorts of people down. John Denver was the hardest one -- several people felt his image would hurt the credibility of the recording as a pop/rock anthem. I didn't agree."

[Boogiedown]

I'd love to know how Ray Charles got included . Pure genius. I vote his performance as what took this record over the top ...

I just remembered Quincy Jones and Ray Charles were very tight when still young and struggling in the Seattle area. I bet Quincy wanted his good buddy to be included in this monumental occasion. I bet it is he is who chose to give Charles so much prominence.

I also bet Quincy was 70% , no make it 85% the reason the whole WE ARE THE WORLD recording was pulled off.

[Ollie9]

I just remembered Quincy Jones and Ray Charles were very tight when still young and struggling in the Seattle area. I bet Quincy wanted his good buddy to be included in this monumental occasion. I bet it is he is who chose to give Charles so much prominence.

I also bet Quincy was 70% , no make it 85% the reason the whole WE ARE THE WORLD recording was pulled off.

I’m guessing Quincy would also have been involved in including the late, great James Ingram.

[Boogiedown]

I’m guessing Quincy would also have been involved in including the late, great James Ingram.

Good point. I think at that time Ingram was Quincy's focus as a promising artist. I wonder what happened ....Ingram's releases were rather sparse.

Interestingly I just looked up Qwest , Quincy's label at the time in Wikipedia and there's no mention of James Ingram there or over at Quncy's direct page. Also narry a mention at either pages, Donna Summer. [oh, Donna Summer was never on Qwest]

correction here is the extent of an Ingram mention at Quincy's page:

His 1981 album The Dude yielded the hits "Ai No Corrida" [[a remake of a song by Chaz Jankel), "Just Once", and "One Hundred Ways", both sung by James Ingram.

now I'll read Ingram's page.

[Ollie9]

Good point. I think at that time Ingram was Quincy's focus as a promising artist. I wonder what happened ....Ingram's releases were rather sparse.

Interestingly I just looked up Qwest , Quincy's label at the time in Wikipedia and there's no mention of James Ingram there or over at Quncy's direct page. Also narry a mention at either pages, Donna Summer. [oh, Donna Summer was never on Qwest]

correction here is the extent of an Ingram mention at Quincy's page:




now I'll read Ingram's page.

There was certainly a lengthy gap between that first acclaimed album [[It’s Your Night)
and the second which i think hurt his career. I always thought his voice would have complemented Diana’s really well.
I wonder whose idea it was to include Diana in the lineup. It’s well known that Quincy held no love for The Wiz soundtrack, comparing it to polishing s—t. He was also in no rush to produce her first album for rca, preferring to take his time perfecting Patti Austin’s classic album “Every Home Should Have One”
My guess is that it was probably MJ, as they were still fairly close this being pre marriage to Arne.

[Boogiedown]

There was certainly a lengthy gap between that first acclaimed album [[It’s Your Night)
and the second which i think hurt his career. I always thought his voice would have complemented Diana’s really well.
I wonder whose idea it was to include Diana in the lineup. It’s well known that Quincy held no love for The Wiz soundtrack, comparing it to polishing s—t. He was also in no rush to produce her first album for rca, preferring to take his time perfecting Patti Austin’s classic album “Every Home Should Have One”
My guess is that it was probably MJ, as they were still fairly close this being pre marriage to Arne.

Maybe she invited herself ....
...just walked up to Richie at the awards show and said, "Don't you worry Lionelkins, I'll be there , front and center!"

Somebody decided she should be standing by Michael and somebody decided she should share a part with Michael once Prince was a no show.

[Ollie9]

Maybe she invited herself ....
...just walked up to Richie at the awards show and said, "Don't you worry Lionelkins, I'll be there , front and center!"

Somebody decided she should be standing by Michael and somebody decided she should share a part with Michael once Prince was a no show.

She might well have done lol. It’s easy to see why they put Dorothy and the Scarecrow together again.

[Boogiedown]

../


I have to admit when I first saw this group photo and looking at Michael I thought ,"whoaa"




LIFE Magazine - Michael Jackson - We Are The world



Fact : Michael wears sunglasses indoors that night most of the time.


To be fair he wasn't the only one. there are a couple of others in the choir that night that can be seen hiding their eyes: one of the Pointer Sisters and Sheila E., and in the photo for LIFE suddenly so is Cyndi Lauper .... and a couple of the guys that night do too, but their reason was more legit ....


So now there's this:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YIkbzPSVIXs


..

[Boogiedown]

from:

https://people.com/diana-ross-asked-...-world-8549478


“Diana is one of my favorite artists that I’ve ever worked with, but at first, she is so on it that you better be ready for her. So I had my eyes on her, and I saw her coming toward Daryl,” the song’s vocal arranger Tom Bahler tells PEOPLE of the special moment. “Diana was walking toward Daryl, and when she got there, she opened up her book like a little girl getting an autograph and she said, ‘Daryl, I’m your biggest fan. Would you please give me your autograph?’”

what does this mean?? .....what is she on that she has to be watched??

[reese]

from:

https://people.com/diana-ross-asked-...-world-8549478


“Diana is one of my favorite artists that I’ve ever worked with, but at first, she is so on it that you better be ready for her. So I had my eyes on her, and I saw her coming toward Daryl,” the song’s vocal arranger Tom Bahler tells PEOPLE of the special moment. “Diana was walking toward Daryl, and when she got there, she opened up her book like a little girl getting an autograph and she said, ‘Daryl, I’m your biggest fan. Would you please give me your autograph?’”

what does this mean?? .....what is she on that she has to be watched??

By saying "she is on it," I thought Tom meant that Diana was really intense about her work and not afraid to offer an opinion.

I had read before that Diana was the first to ask for an autograph from one of her peers and that opened the floodgates for everyone else to follow suit. I just find it strange that it was Daryl Hall, considering she had just worked with the him the previous year on the hit SWEPT AWAY and could have gotten his autograph then. But it is a cute story nonetheless.

[Boogiedown]

By saying "she is on it," I thought Tom meant that Diana was really intense about her work and not afraid to offer an opinion.

I had read before that Diana was the first to ask for an autograph from one of her peers and that opened the floodgates for everyone else to follow suit. I just find it strange that it was Daryl Hall, considering she had just worked with the him the previous year on the hit SWEPT AWAY and could have gotten his autograph then. But it is a cute story nonetheless.

reese, you're always two steps ahead of me !

So, what does he mean then when he says he had his "eyes on her"? What was he worried about??

And I found the story odd too ....Daryl Hall ?? They're on the same label ....IF she's his biggest fan .....heck get him into the studio with you ...

I didn't know they already had on SWEPT AWAY......so now this story really has holes in it....

[reese]

reese, you're always two steps ahead of me !

So, what does he mean then when he says he had "his eyes on her"? What was he worried about??

And I found the story odd too ....Daryl Hall ?? They're on the same label ....IF she's his biggest fan .....heck get him into the studio with you ...

I didn't know they already had on SWEPT AWAY......so now this story really has holes in it....

It could be possible that Tom Bahler is just remembering the wrong celebrity. It was almost 40 years ago. Or maybe it was Daryl Hall, and Diana was "swept away" with the moment. I mean, WATW was a historical occasion.

[Boogiedown]

well which celebrity then was Bahler worried about Diana Ross approaching when she's "on it" as he describes it??

added: he spots her ....there's something about her he's worried about ...he's keeping an eye on her .... here she comes ... he's relieved its just about an autograph ...

[Ollie9]

well which celebrity then was Bahler worried about Diana Ross approaching when she's "on it" as he describes it??

added: he spots her ....there's something about her he's worried about ...he's keeping an eye on her .... here she comes ... he's relieved its just about an autograph ...

One has to remember it had only been two years previous that she had left Mary Wilson standing shaken and bruised on a Pasadena stage.

[Boogiedown]

One has to remember it had only been two years previous that she had left Mary Wilson standing shaken and bruised on a Pasadena stage.

I don't know that story ....was she "on it" that night??

I do think it was a clever idea of Miss Ross, the autograph thing ....and it does make sense for her to approach Daryl first since they knew each other and had worked together recently. She understood apparently he was someone she could do this with ....and yes everyone in the room could relate to the fan who comes up sheepishly for an autograph.

All this still does not explain though why when Diana is "on it" you gotta worry as to why she's coming across the room to you.

Also this is an important part of the night ....its a good footnote ..everyone gathering autographs from each other.... Diana has some story to tell here and more:
her time with Stevie ...being the last star to leave ...

....why has she then not contributed to this Netflix special??

[lucky2012]

It could be possible that Tom Bahler is just remembering the wrong celebrity. It was almost 40 years ago. Or maybe it was Daryl Hall, and Diana was "swept away" with the moment. I mean, WATW was a historical occasion.

Whether it started in jest, or for her kids, or from the overriding emotion of such a momentous occasion, it was a welcome gesture! Maybe she was most comfortable and in humorous spirit to approach Daryl Hall first. After all, they did produce a hit together just a few months before. The gesture would have worked wonderfully as well if she had approached any of the others first - Michael, Lionel, Quincy, Stevie, Tina, Dionne, Bruce, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, etc. That gathering boggles the mind.

[Ollie9]

I don't know that story ....was she "on it" that night??

I do think it was a clever idea of Miss Ross, the autograph thing ....and it does make sense for her to approach Daryl first since they knew each other and had worked together recently. She understood apparently he was someone she could do this with ....and yes everyone in the room could relate to the fan who comes up sheepishly for an autograph.

All this still does not explain though why when Diana is "on it" you gotta worry as to why she's coming across the room to you.

Also this is an important part of the night ....its a good footnote ..everyone gathering autographs from each other.... Diana has some story to tell here and more:
her time with Stevie ...being the last star to leave ...

....why has she then not contributed to this Netflix special??

A story best forgotten…
I’m sure nearly all of the other performers would have been aware of Diana’s volatile nature. Perhaps seeing her striding purposely towards you might evoke just the slightest feeling of alarm. He must have felt genuinely relieved to find it nothing more than an autograph being sort lol.

[midnightman]

Did the other artists KNOW about Diana's unpredictable nature? I mean this was less than two years after that episode on Motown 25 after all... LOL

Diana could be quite eccentric heh

As for excluding Denver for ruining it as a pop-rock anthem is interesting cause this song got parodied and mocked anyway afterwards! LOL

I think Quincy did get Ray and James Ingram on there for his personal volition... I don't recall RC being at the AMAs that night in 85. I think James was, though.

I'm gonna be honest though. These voices helped to make WATW the big hit it became:
Springsteen
Uncle Ray
Stevie
Cyndi Lauper [[her part is still very remembered to this day)

[Ollie9]

Did the other artists KNOW about Diana's unpredictable nature? I mean this was less than two years after that episode on Motown 25 after all... LOL

Diana could be quite eccentric heh

As for excluding Denver for ruining it as a pop-rock anthem is interesting cause this song got parodied and mocked anyway afterwards! LOL

I think Quincy did get Ray and James Ingram on there for his personal volition... I don't recall RC being at the AMAs that night in 85. I think James was, though.

I'm gonna be honest though. These voices helped to make WATW the big hit it became:
Springsteen
Uncle Ray
Stevie
Cyndi Lauper [[her part is still very remembered to this day)

I'm guessing they would have been pretty aware of Diana’s volatile nature. This was after all the same year she attacked Paris news reporters with a high heel shoe, leaving one with blood running down his face. Friends sent me a newspaper cutting, being well reported at the time.
On to something more pleasant. Everyone involved in the “WATW” did such a marvellous job. Would there ever again be such a collection of superstars in one room.

[lucky2012]

Originally Posted by Boogiedown
from:

https://people.com/diana-ross-asked-...-world-8549478


“Diana is one of my favorite artists that I’ve ever worked with, but at first, she is so on it that you better be ready for her. So I had my eyes on her, and I saw her coming toward Daryl,” the song’s vocal arranger Tom Bahler tells PEOPLE of the special moment. “Diana was walking toward Daryl, and when she got there, she opened up her book like a little girl getting an autograph and she said, ‘Daryl, I’m your biggest fan. Would you please give me your autograph?’”

what does this mean?? .....what is she on that she has to be watched??



By saying "she is on it," I thought Tom meant that Diana was really intense about her work and not afraid to offer an opinion.

“Diana is one of my favorite artists that I’ve ever worked with,...

I thought the same, too, reese. He says Diana is one of the favorite artists he's ever worked with. I wonder when he worked with her. I know he wrote "She's Out of My Life" and, from Wikipedia, he "is an associate of Quincy Jones" and he's been associated with Jan of Jan & Dean, the Partridge Family, and the awesome LA session musicians the Wrecking Crew.

[Jaap]

I thought the same, too, reese. He says Diana is one of the favorite artists he's ever worked with. I wonder when he worked with her. I know he wrote "She's Out of My Life" and, from Wikipedia, he "is an associate of Quincy Jones" and he's been associated with Jan of Jan & Dean, the Partridge Family, and the awesome LA session musicians the Wrecking Crew.

He was involved in The Wiz, as music arranger.

[Levi Stubbs Tears]

"I don't want this to end"

[lucky2012]

He was involved in The Wiz, as music arranger.

Thank you, Jaap.

[reese]

He was involved in The Wiz, as music arranger.

That makes sense. Quincy Jones praised Diana's work ethic during THE WIZ project, saying that she was singing a minor third higher than she ever had previously, and how she and Richard Pryor spent the whole day with Ashford and Simpson while they were trying to write one of the new songs for the film.

[Ollie9]

That makes sense. Quincy Jones praised Diana's work ethic during THE WIZ project, saying that she was singing a minor third higher than she ever had previously, and how she and Richard Pryor spent the whole day with Ashford and Simpson while they were trying to write one of the new songs for the film.

Quincy appeared to get along with Diana on the surface, but for some reason hated the film soundtrack. I personally don’t understand this as have alway’s thought it sounded rather good.

[BobbyC]

Hi everyone--I find it interesting how some of you interpreted Diana not wanting to stand next to the Pointers! What came to my mind was a little different. I assumed she thought people might think the Pointers were the Supremes, and she was at that point a very established solo star. We completists know the Supremes when we see them, but as a college kid in 1985, I can tell you the average person on the street really didn't know who was who. Kind of like how most of the public assumed Aretha was a Motown artist, even though she never was. So anyway, my friend the sound tech guy really didn't seem to know any "inside information"--he just observed what was going on because he was in the same room, basically. I haven't talked to him in 20 years and don't even know if he is still alive. I recall him saying that Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones seemed to be steering things on the surface, but that Michael Jackson was much quieter and seemed to be this mega-powerful, silent force that everybody wanted to please. Michael kept to himself most of the time, off to the side, and only spoke when it was absolutely necessary. In hindsight,MJ had everybody coming at him since the success of Thriller, so maybe that's why he distanced himself.

[carlo]

I'm guessing they would have been pretty aware of Diana’s volatile nature. This was after all the same year she attacked Paris news reporters with a high heel shoe, leaving one with blood running down his face. Friends sent me a newspaper cutting, being well reported at the time.
On to something more pleasant. Everyone involved in the “WATW” did such a marvellous job. Would there ever again be such a collection of superstars in one room.

It's interesting you brought up that paparazzi story, Ollie. I am making my way through Barbra Streisand's book and she mentioned how brutal the paparazzo can be. She mentioned that they were particularly bad when she was in Italy in the 80's, and I would not be surprised if the same could be said about the paps in Paris that Diana also encountered around that same time. Barbra said that she was shopping in Italy and the photographers swarmed her like 'locusts' and were 'incredibly aggressive', rushing right up to her. She had made a bargain with them, asking if she allowed them to take her photo, if they would agree to leave her alone. She said that they continued to be incessant. She was so frightened that she had to hide in a nearby shop and the owner was kind enough to give her refuge and locked their door. Her security guard was trying to protect her from a belligerent photographer who got in her face, and he had a big vicious dog that attacked her security guard. The security guard was acting in defense, yet he was the one who was arrested. She said the papers were happy to twist the story and reported on the security guard's arrest, stating that the guard was the one who attacked photographer's dog, which was not true. I read a similar story in Tom Jones' book as well, involving the arrest of one of his security people overseas, after a brutal encounter with the paparazzo in the 80's. I guess Diana could have benefitted from having security personnel with her at all times, so she would not have had to literally take the situation into her own hands, by attacking the photographer with her shoe. It's possible she was acting out of feeling frightened, much like Babs. These photographers have known how to legally 'cross the line' and provoke celebrities, in order to get them to react. This would mean more money in their pockets if they get the photo. There weren't laws on this in the 80's and 90's, like there are now in many countries.

[carlo]

"I don't want this to end"

I loved that story too! Great documentary.

[midnightman]

I'm guessing they would have been pretty aware of Diana’s volatile nature. This was after all the same year she attacked Paris news reporters with a high heel shoe, leaving one with blood running down his face. Friends sent me a newspaper cutting, being well reported at the time.
On to something more pleasant. Everyone involved in the “WATW” did such a marvellous job. Would there ever again be such a collection of superstars in one room.

They have to have been. I guess it was a "stand and wait for it" moment. If she acted nice, they would think "there must be some motive behind it" because of that reputation she was carrying for being "difficult" and wanting to be the "center of attention" at that time.

[Boogiedown]

“Diana is one of my favorite artists that I’ve ever worked with,...

I thought the same, too, reese. He says Diana is one of the favorite artists he's ever worked with. I wonder when he worked with her. I know he wrote "She's Out of My Life" and, from Wikipedia, he "is an associate of Quincy Jones" and he's been associated with Jan of Jan & Dean, the Partridge Family, and the awesome LA session musicians the Wrecking Crew.

actually the quote is:

“Diana is one of my favorite artists that I’ve ever worked with, BUT ..."

[Ollie9]

It's interesting you brought up that paparazzi story, Ollie. I am making my way through Barbra Streisand's book and she mentioned how brutal the paparazzo can be. She mentioned that they were particularly bad when she was in Italy in the 80's, and I would not be surprised if the same could be said about the paps in Paris that Diana also encountered around that same time. Barbra said that she was shopping in Italy and the photographers swarmed her like 'locusts' and were 'incredibly aggressive', rushing right up to her. She had made a bargain with them, asking if she allowed them to take her photo, if they would agree to leave her alone. She said that they continued to be incessant. She was so frightened that she had to hide in a nearby shop and the owner was kind enough to give her refuge and locked their door. Her security guard was trying to protect her from a belligerent photographer who got in her face, and he had a big vicious dog that attacked her security guard. The security guard was acting in defense, yet he was the one who was arrested. She said the papers were happy to twist the story and reported on the security guard's arrest, stating that the guard was the one who attacked photographer's dog, which was not true. I read a similar story in Tom Jones' book as well, involving the arrest of one of his security people overseas, after a brutal encounter with the paparazzo in the 80's. I guess Diana could have benefitted from having security personnel with her at all times, so she would not have had to literally take the situation into her own hands, by attacking the photographer with her shoe. It's possible she was acting out of feeling frightened, much like Babs. These photographers have known how to legally 'cross the line' and provoke celebrities, in order to get them to react. This would mean more money in their pockets if they get the photo. There weren't laws on this in the 80's and 90's, like there are now in many countries.

I’m sure it must be extremely frustrating and a little scary at times Carlo.
This particular incident happened with Diana’s children present, so it must have been quite frightening for them seeming their mother so out of control. On reflection, Diana was extremely lucky that she did not end up blinding one of the reporters or causing a serious injury.
Most of us have to face difficult, frustrating and sometimes scary episodes at some point in our lives. It’s how we as individuals deal with those situations that makes us the people we are. It’s noteworthy that M’s Streisands heels remained firmly on her feet when faced with such a tense situation.

[lucky2012]

actually the quote is:

I know, Boogie. I included the whole quote in my response to reese. I agreed he probably knew her to be intense about her work. I was just wondering when and where he worked with her, how intense and "on it" she was, lol. She apparently remains one of his favorite artists to work with.

[carlo]

Most of us have to face difficult, frustrating and sometimes scary episodes at some point in our lives. It’s how we as individuals deal with those situations that makes us the people we are.

Inspiring Were you Diana's ghost writer for her Secrets of a Sparrow book? lol

It’s noteworthy that M’s Streisands heels remained firmly on her feet when faced with such a tense situation.

True. This is why Barbra is "The Greatest Star". She knows how to be the 'pip with pizzazz' around the paparazzi. Say that five times fast.

[Ollie9]

Inspiring Were you Diana's ghost writer for her Secrets of a Sparrow book? lol



True. This is why Barbra is "The Greatest Star". She knows how to be the 'pip with pizzazz' around the paparazzi. Say that five times fast.

LOL. Nice to read a post with a little dry humour thrown in.

[Boogiedown]

Guess this new netflix look at that night is a waste of effort .... nothing new .... and nothing Diana

Smokey supposedly got some airtime ....did he explain what his "family emergency" was that caused him to leave early, I wonder?