Happy hump day, everyone! The sun is shining and temps are well above average once again in Minnesota! I’ve got another double-review post today as these two music-themed docs are very much related, I highly recommend these, especially if you grew up in the 80s like me.

The Greatest Night in Pop

Directed by: Bao Nguyen

On January 25th 1985, dozens of the era’s most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song that would make history.

If there is a film that brings a sense of nostalgia, this would be it! As an 80s kid, We Are the World was huge for me growing up and I’d even still hum the song once in a while. Yet I never knew who wrote the song and how they made this incredible USA for Africa recording happen, bringing SO MANY famous music stars in a room together for a few hours has got to be an arduous endeavor. Well, it sure was, I tip my hat off to Quincy Jones the legendary multi-hyphenate music genius who organized the event and served as a conductor, plus the song-writing team Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson! Richie’s story of how MJ lost his beloved snake while they were working together in the studio is hilarious!!

Glad that filmmaker Nguyen also included interviews with the team that put this event together: fundraiser Ken Kragen and the head of his creative services Harriet Sternberg and Wendy Rees, recording engineer Humberto Gatica, as well as the tech crew like cameraman, lighting/sound guys, most of them worked as volunteers! The most ingenious line came from Quincy Jones: ‘Check your egos at the door’ taped above the door like Ted Lasso’s ‘Believe’ that became a mantra for the night. I mean, this effort is akin to herding cats, except they were herding big cats, those at the top of the food chain musical echelons, and not everyone gets on well with others.

The artists went to record this right after the American Music Awards that Richie himself hosted, so they worked from midnight until 8 in the morning. It’s hard to imagine just the intense pressure to get things done in a matter of hours while dealing with a bunch of antsy, exhausted, and in some cases, inebriated artists all in one room. The chaos certainly made for some tense but also funny moments, I can never forget how Stevie Wonder coached Bob Dylan to sing his line like Bob Dylan, is it any wonder that Stevie is such a legend!! That bit is definitely one of the highlights and it always brings a smile to my face whenever I think about it. There’s also the bit about the amusing ‘blind leading the blind’ bit which I think you can guess who that reference is for.

Shout out to Irish singer/songwriter Bob Geldof, the organizer of the British Live Aid and the smash hit charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? which became the template for this event. His inspirational remark at the beginning clearly explained why they were all there and the utmost importance of the song for the famine relief cause. We Are the World became the fastest-selling U.S. pop single in history and went on to be the first single to be certified multi-platinum. This documentary was so well-edited, well-paced, and immensely entertaining that I definitely don’t mind watching it again.

Now that I listen to the song again, I was struck by just how powerful music can be, and having seen this behind-the-scene look, it made me appreciate the finished product all the more. Though there’s a follow-up to this charity single with new artists, I don’t think it could compare to this version. Just like most sequels, it’s tough to top the original.

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QUINCY

Directed by: Alan Hicks and Rashida Jones

An intimate look into the life of icon Quincy Jones. A unique force in music and popular culture for 70 years, Jones has transcended racial and cultural boundaries; his story is inextricably woven into the fabric of America.

After watching The Greatest Night in Pop documentary, my hubby and I immediately remembered we hadn’t watched QUINCY so it made for a fun double feature. Quincy Jones is a multifaceted American music impresario, producer, and composer, one of those musical geniuses that just by his first name alone, people would know who he is, just like Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, etc. Hence this documentary title is absolutely fitting, plus it also makes him seem more personal, given that it’s co-directed by one of Jones’ own daughters Rashida Jones.

The 90-year-old Jones’ career longevity is incredible, spanning over 60 years, demonstrating not only his talent but also his ability to adapt and remain relevant in the ever-changing music industry. Growing up in the south side of Chicago, what Jones once called a special breeding ground for gangsters of all colors, discovering music (a piano to be exact) proved to be a positive outlet and led him on a path to becoming the legend he is today. This doc was quite eye-opening regarding Jones’ immense talent, inspirational work ethic, and discipline, but also his vast influence on many we consider icons today: Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and even Frank Sinatra.

I had no idea that Jones worked as an arranger and conductor during Sinatra’s collab days with Count Basie in the early ’60s and the Ol’ Blue Eyes praised Jones for his musicianship and innovation. As for the famous collab with Michael Jackson, as Jones produced three of MJ’s biggest albums–Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad–the film didn’t go into the falling out between the two. I suppose it could be a deliberate decision as it’s surely a sour topic for Jones, but I wish the film had probed a bit more deeply into Jones’ extraordinary life.

What the film did show is how Jones’ workaholic nature and constant traveling contributed to his health problems. he had suffered two brain aneurysms when he was in his early 40s, then later went into a diabetic coma after suffering a stroke. It was heart-wrenching to see how his work also affected his love life as his marriage failed one after another. His third (and last wife so far) Peggy Lipton lamented on how everyone wanted a piece of him and Jones had trouble saying no. But Jones has been and still is ever so charming and was model-handsome in his prime, so no surprise that beautiful women just flocked to him.

At a little over two hours, the film felt a bit long and dragged a bit, but the subject matter was so fascinating that it retained my interest. I love how even in his later years, Jones remains so generous to the next generation, there are scenes of him mentoring young musicians and encouraging them. I love what Jones said to Kendrick Lamar ‘Your music can never be more or less than who you are as a human being’ – a word of wisdom to all artists everywhere.

I got teary-eyed a bit when Jones visited the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture and he reflected on how so many of his friends have passed away. To most people, they are legends and key historical figures, but to Jones, they are his personal friends. By the end of the film, I became even more in awe of Jones’ unparalleled creativity and vision that transcend racial and cultural boundaries.

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Have you seen these documentaries? Let me know what you think!

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