In one corner Simon Cowell. In the other Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones. The Brits vs the Yanks. We are the world vs Everybody hurts.
So within days of each other out come two charity singles for Haiti. While being so much the same, they also couldn't be more different.
We are the world is the mother of all charity singles. I always thought it was a naff song even if I did buy a copy the first time round.
Everybody hurts is one of my favourite songs and quite profound when you see it edited to the images of earthquake disaster.
Simon Cowell is a bit too cool and hip for his own good.
Lionel and Q are into popular in a big way.
Simon has Leona Lewis, Rod Stewart, Susan Boyle, lots of boy band boys, Miley Cyrus and ... I can't really remember and they really all sound a bit the same.
I've seen the photos of the US one where there was Barbra and ... well, it was done after the Grammy's so it's got most people plus a few actors and I think a rapper, god help us.
Who will win? I think they both will.
But the world is a far different place to the 80's when these sort of singles really hit the bigtime. Mainstream media doesn't cover stuff the same way and the proliferation of choices and sources means it's a much more complicated and cluttered market. There's not the same watercooler talk there used to be. On the other hand, there's youtube.
But then again, if you have a good idea, someone else will be doing it as well, soon enough.
There's Mary J Blige and Andrea Bocelli doing Bridge Over Troubled Water for the American Red Cross and numerous other charity singles too.
I've bought Everybody Hurts off itunes which I really like. It probably sent $1 to Haiti - which isn't really enough and I feel somewhat guilty about.
I haven't really listened to other one and don't really want to.
Knowing the strength of middle USA, the fact that Simon's version started well will just be a challenge to the jaunty singalong. All-together-now....
By the way - is that the same poor black child on both album covers?
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