Willie Nelson Brings New Life to a 40-Year-Old Classic With an Enhanced Version Fans Can’t Miss. ML

Key Points

• Willie Nelson announces enhanced “We Are the World” audio release for its 40th anniversary.
• The iconic charity single originally raised funds for Africa with an all-star lineup.
• A 2010 remake featured new artists and supported earthquake relief in Haiti.

Willie Nelson is bringing back an ’80s gem.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of “We Are the World,” Nelson announced that an enhanced audio version of the iconic USA for Africa charity single will be released on streaming platforms on Friday, Nov. 21.

Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, “We Are the World” was first released in 1985 to raise funds for famine relief in Africa. It famously featured vocals from some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Quincy Jones and several other notable names.

Nelson, who harmonizes with Dionne Warwick and even sings a few solo lines on the track, took to Instagram on Thursday, Nov. 20 to share photos from the making of the song and its accompanying video ahead of the upcoming anniversary re-release.

In the photos, Nelson can be seen reading the music next to Jones and Springsteen, while another shot shows him posing for a group picture alongside Richie, Lauper, Turner, Dylan, Jackson and Springsteen.

“Throwin’ it back in honor of the 40 year anniversary of #WeAreTheWorld!” the 92-year-old country singer wrote in his Instagram post on Thursday. “To celebrate, the enhanced audio version of ‘We Are The World’ will be released to all streaming platforms tomorrow.”

The industry already honored the 25th anniversary of “We Are the World” in 2010, remaking the track with a younger generation of music artists to raise money for earthquake relief in Haiti.

Along with returning artists like Wonder, Warwick, and Richie who sang on both of the charity singles, “We Are the World: 25 for Haiti” featured a wide range of artists, from Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus to Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand. Other singers on the 2010 track include Jamie Foxx, Pink, Tony Bennett, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige and many more.

Additionally, even though the remake was recorded after the death of Jackson, they reused his chorus and added his sister, Janet Jackson, to the vocals to keep the foundation of the original song.