People point out Michael Jackson’s reaction while recording ‘We Are The World’

People are pointing out Michael Jackson’s reaction while recording the infamous song ‘We Are The World’.

A new Netflix documentary, The Greatest Night in Pop, shared never-before-seen footage from the recording of the song back in January 1985.

The synopsis for the new film says it ‘chronicles the massive undertaking to assemble the world’s most impressive supergroup in a world before cell phones and email’.

Watch the clip from the legendary recording that’s gone viral again:

After The Greatest Night in Pop landed on Netflix earlier this week, viewers are bringing the hilarious moment up again.

It’s been famous for decades that the ‘Beat It’ singer seemed to give a rather shady look to some of his fellow musicians.

After recording one of his lines, Jackson quickly stops swaying along and pulls a rather straight, stony face as he listens to the artist’s voice.

And the artist in question? Huey Lewis, the lead singer from the News.

He followed with the line ‘But if you just believe, there’s no way we can fall’, which was originally designed for Prince.

After more solo moments, Lewis sings with Cyndi Lauper and Kim Carnes as Jackson can once again be seen reacting with a seemingly shady look.

Netflix

I mean, Daryl Hall can even be seen covering up his ears in the background, so who knows just what it sounded like to them at the time.

It’s deservedly a viral moment, and something people say was essentially a meme back in the 80s when the internet didn’t even exist.

More behind the scenes footage even shows Jackson telling Cyndi Lauper: “Sounds like people are talking or laughing or something every time you sing.”

There’s plenty of shady and interesting content in this major piece of music history and people are loving watching the Netflix doc.

Netflix

On the night of this famous recording, the artists were led by the song’s co-writers Jackson and Lionel Richie with the song made to benefit African famine relief.

More of the synopsis reads: “Featuring never-before-seen footage, the film details the early planning stages, including the writing sessions with Richie and Jackson, and goes inside the famed Henson Studios where 'We Are the World' was recorded. Many of the artists who were there that legendary evening -- Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Loggins, Dionne Warwick, and Huey Lewis -- reminisce alongside musicians, engineers, and production crew about one of the most storied nights in music history.”

Topics: Michael Jackson, Music, Netflix, TV and Film, Viral

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_