Ok, this is something that has been driving me absolutely mad for 20 years now.  I see all the great posts for USA for Africa and Band Aid and that's just great.  But as a Canadian I'm more then offended at the fact that everyone seems to have forgotten all about the tribute that CANADA did.  David Foster composed it, the band was Northern Lights and the song was Tears are not Enough which in my opinion absolutely blew away the Brits and the Americans put together.  But everyone seems to have forgotten about it.  Everywhere I look I see USA for Africa and Band Aid but no Northern Lights.  I heard We Are the World on the radio today.  At Christmas I hear Do They Know It's Christmas.  Yet, most radio DJ's don't even know that Tears are not Enough exists!!!!  So how about some exposure for us Canadians???  We didn't sit idly by in the 80's and do nothing for Africa.  Also, a few points of interest.  1:  Although I am not completely sure about the "check your ego at the door" in the envelopes (but I suspect somebody got their facts crossed), during the making of Tears are not Enough, composer David Foster hung a sign on the recording room door that stated "Please Check Your Egos At The Door".  Although he wasn't sure the reaction the sign would garner, he was sure that it was necessary to remind everyone as to why they were there.  Fortunately the sign met with favourable results and even a few humourous comments from artists Ronnie Hawkins, Anne Murray and John Candy.  2:  I haven't the foggiest idea why Dan Akroyd appeared in the USA for Africa video, and this is something that really aggravates my brother and I, because Dan Akroyd IS CANADIAN!!!!!  (born July 1st 1952 in OTTAWA, ONTARIO our frakkin' nations capital) I'm just very disappointed that for whatever reason our efforts to do our part for Africa have faded into relative obscurity.  I would like very much for people to remember those artists who shed their tears and sweat for Africa to make what is in my opinion to be the best benefit song of the 80's.  Am I right?

I guess if we're talking about the song itself, Band Aid's "Feed The World" is a fantastic song for a great cause.
I still own the 45' which has an instrumental on the B-side of all the artist chiming in with there best wishes for a great christmas.

-Kaja

Canada had 3 benefit songs in the 80s ...

There was 'Tears Are Not Enough' by Northern Lights

and there was also ..

- "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" by Action, which came out in 1986 and reached the Canadian Top 40.  Artists who appeared were: Darby Mills (The Headpins), Mike Reno (Loverboy), Matthew Frenette (Loverboy), Paul Dean (Loverboy), Tad Campbell (Idle Eyes), Paul Hyde (The Payola$), Murray McLauchlan, Johnnie Dee (Honeymoon Suite), Derry Grehan (Honeymoon Suite), Marc LaFrance (Crowcuss), Carole Pope (Rough Trade), Nancy Nash (Touché), Lovena Fox, Lou Blair, Cliff Jones and Bob Roper

- "Really Me" as performed by various artists, which came out in 1989, but never charted.  It was performed by Alan Frew (Glass Tiger; He also co-wrote it), Tom Cochrane, Candi, Rique Franks, Gil Moore (Triumph) and Wendy Lands (Doubledare).  It was released via a CBS compilation titled "Canada's Best Rock"

Tears Are Not Enough was my favorite.

.  1:  Although I am not completely sure about the "check your ego at the door" in the envelopes (but I suspect somebody got their facts crossed), during the making of Tears are not Enough, composer David Foster hung a sign on the recording room door that stated "Please Check Your Egos At The Door".  Although he wasn't sure the reaction the sign would garner, he was sure that it was necessary to remind everyone as to why they were there.  Fortunately the sign met with favourable results and even a few humourous comments from artists Ronnie Hawkins, Anne Murray and John Candy. 

I think Quincy Jones did something similar the night they recorded "We Are The World", perhaps inspiring David Foster.

Sorry, Joe, but American radio doesn't acknowledge Canada unless it's Bryan Adams, Sarah McLaughlin, Rush, or Bob & Doug McKenzie.  ;D

We in Britain just love the dam' things...here gives you a list of the worthy and the otherwise...

However, the first charted charity single we had was way back in 1956 with a thing called 'The All-Star Hit Parade', the beneficiaries being the National Playing Fields Association...

...which didn't exactly work as most of the playing fields of Britain eventually got sold off!

We in Britain just love the dam' things...here gives you a list of the worthy and the otherwise...

However, the first charted charity single we had was way back in 1956 with a thing called 'The All-Star Hit Parade', the beneficiaries being the National Playing Fields Association...

...which didn't exactly work as most of the playing fields of Britain eventually got sold off!


IT almost seems like every month, there is a benefit song in the UK.  You guys had alot of good ones.

I really enjoyed 'With A Little Help From My Friends' by The Wets

IT almost seems like every month, there is a benefit song in the UK.  You guys had alot of good ones.

We've also had a fair share of, shall we say, 'indifferent' ones, for example...

I really enjoyed 'With A Little Help From My Friends' by The Wets


This was actually promoted as a double-'A' sided record...the other side was 'She's Leaving Home' by Billy Bragg...

Sadly, Billy has a voice which is, erm...an 'acquired' taste and he was some way out of his depth tackling this!

Even when the record was a hit, the radio stations would never play his side of the record...

Now here is something I would like to know and I would kill to get it...there was a documentary made of the making of Tears are not Enough...I used to watch it as a kid on VHS...then my idiot parents taped over it...but there has to be an original somewhere...how can I get a copy of this documentary?!?!  I really want to watch it again with my family....