Songs With A Cause

Hello readers! After a brief hiatus to attend an awesome Middle School and High School Summer Camp (and a little down time to recharge) the blog is back with a question for you.....

When you think of songs that were used as an anthem for a cause, charity, or as a way to spotlight an issue which one comes to your mind first?

If you are like 90% of people in the world you probably thought of  "We Are The World". This song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup United Support of Artists (USA) for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide. It was a big deal when I was a kid and it was always fun to try to pick out the people you knew in the video. 

For the remainder of this post, I want to spotlight songs that were used for charitable purposes and those songs that were used as anthems, manifestos, or a spotlight for change.  

Do They Know Its Christmas?

Cause: Anti-poverty efforts in Ethiopia

Performers: Roger Daltrey, Phil Collins, Bob Geldof, Paul McCartney, Steve Norman, Chris Cross, John Taylor (Duran Duran), Kiss, Paul Young, Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran), Simon Crowe (The Boomtown Rats), Marilyn, Keren Woodward (Bananarama), Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet), Jody Watley (Shalamar), Bono (U2), Paul Weller (The Style Council and The Jam), James "J.T." Taylor (Kool & The Gang), George Michael (Wham!), Midge Ure (Ultravox), Martyn Ware (Heaven 17 and Human League), John Keeble (Spandau Ballet), Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet), Sting (The Police), Pete Briquette (The Boomtown Rats), Francis Rossi (Status Quo), Robert 'Kool' Bell (Kool & the Gang), Andy Taylor (Duran Duran), Jon Moss (Culture Club), Rick Parfitt (Status Quo), Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats), David Bowie, Boy George (Culture Club), Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood), Big Country

Sales: More than 6 million copies in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada

One Way or Another (Teenage Kicks)

Cause: Comic Relief

Performer: One Direction


Sales: 113,000 copies its first week

Free Nelson Mandela
The worldwide campaign to Free Nelson Mandela from a South African prison was voiced in many forms – including this song by the UK band The Specials AKA. Unlike most protest songs this one is upbeat and employs the rhythms of African music.

Bonus Springsteen Version

What's Going On?
Don’t be fooled by the laid-back soul style of this Marvin Gaye classic. It’s actually a political protest! This song was written to raise political awareness of the effects of the Vietnam War.

Born in the USA

Yes if you know me, Bruce will definitely make the list. Born in the USA is the title song of an album by US rocker Bruce Springsteen. The album produced seven songs all on the theme of the ordinary mans fight to pursue the American dream. This title track is often misinterpreted as a patriotic anthem when it is really about the working class heroes that hold the American economy together.

For trivia buffs, this was also the first commercial release of an album on CD in the US.

I'll Stand By You

Cause: Idol Gives Back

Performer: Carrie Underwood

Sales: Collected over 300,000 digital downloads

Candle in the Wind (1997)

Cause: Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

Performer: Elton John


Sales: Over 33 million copies worldwide

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Irish rock band U2’s Sunday Bloody Sunday is strong political song highlighting the conflict in Northern Ireland. In particular it focuses on the effect of the Bloody Sunday incident when British troops opened fire against unarmed civil rights protesters.

Hurricane

This song by Bob Dylan was part of campaign to release Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter. He was a middleweight boxer who was wrongfully convicted of murder. After spending almost 20 years in prison, a public campaign finally secured his release.

That's What Friends Are For

Cause: American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR)

Performers: Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Elton John

Sales: Raised over $3 million 

So there you have it, a few (not all if you research) songs related to charity or issues. Which ones are your favorites here? Did I miss one?  See ya next time for our Back to School Special......