# In 1985, ‘We Are the World’ became the archetype charity single. It broke John Denver’s heart

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1985-we-are-the-world-became-the-archetype-charity-single-it-broke-john-denvers-heart/
- Published: 2026-11-06T10:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T10:26:58+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1985-we-are-the-world-broke-john-denver-heart/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- John Denver was rejected from ‘We Are the World’.
- He had already worked on humanitarian causes in Africa.
- The song became a major fundraiser for famine relief.

## Summary

John Denver, an established singer and humanitarian, offered to take part in USA for Africa’s 1985 charity single, ‘We Are the World’, but was turned down. The rejection mattered to him because he had long supported humanitarian causes, including efforts related to famine in Africa, and he later said it “broke my heart”.

The song was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. USA for Africa manager Ken Kragen later said some believed Denver’s public image could harm the project, so he was left out; the single went on to become a defining charity hit.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.