This doc is here to make a brighter day.

“The Greater Night in Pop” is a made-for-Netflix documentary about how a variety of the greatest pop stars collaborated for a charity single for African famine relief. The recording took place on January 25, 1985, and the song is known as “We Are the World.” It sure finds its place on Netflix’s schedule, and even without that streaming site distributing it, it’s a universally important film about a song that can still be as relevant today, as it was in the past.

Since Stevie Wonder was unavailable to help write the song, the writers would be Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, while the producers would be Quincy Jones and Michael Omaritan.

Wonder would eventually appear as a singer in the song, along with Richie, Jackson, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Dione Warwick, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan, and Ray Charles. And the chorus would include Dan Aykroyd, Harry Belafonte, Waylon Jennings, the Pointer Sisters, the Jacksons, and Bette Midler.

Here are some of the topics the doc talks about.

The pop stars’ agents couldn’t be in the recording studio with them; only the pop stars set to record “We Are the World” were allowed in.

Bob Dylan was uncomfortable at the recording studio, because he felt he didn’t have the voice that Stevie Wonder has. Fortunate for him, the latter was able to help him out a bit.

Since Prince couldn’t be a soloist, Huey Lewis is the man for the job.

And it’s also about practicing, and organizing and adjusting the singing ranges for the musicians. You didn’t think these singers sang “We Are the World” with one take, did you?

The other night when I heard on the news that Phillip Petite was planning to walk a high wire over the nave of the St. John the Divine Cathedral, my father was asking how he could pull off the walk between the Twin Towers without anybody noticing. I said: “He had a team of professionals to help him pull it off.” My parents said I know more than they do on these famous events, and I said: “I don’t know about that. I still learning about certain things.” And I’m gonna level with you readers. I never heard of this charity song nor the cause for it. So, it was amazing for me to check out the music video and learn the BTS of it.

“The Greatest Night in Pop” has a few off topic elements, but it does show strength in seeing how these famous singers were able to pull off the recording, how things could have been if certain decisions were made, and what the purpose of the recording meant. It’s a movie about representing the high spirits and love for a worthy cause. We can’t solve all of the world’s problems, but we can, at least, pay or respects and inspire others to do what they can to fix them.

Whether or not you’re familiar with this song, you should still see this movie for what it is, and what it can be. Every little bit helps.

Streaming on Netflix