Back to: Kerala Board Class 8th English Guide and Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Michael Jackson’s song ‘We’re the World’, highlights the need of the hour to stand together. Lending a hand to life is the greatest gift of all. We cannot go on pretending, that someone, somewhere will make a change. When we work with unity, we can make the world a better place. The poet says that people are not helping each other.
About the poet
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was the best-known American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He was born on 29th August 1958. He was known as the “King of Pop”. His full name was Michael Joseph Jackson. As a child, Jackson became the lead singer of his family’s popular Motown group, ‘The Jackson 5’. He went on to a solo career of astonishing worldwide success, delivering No. 1 hits from the albums ‘Off the Wall’, ‘Thriller and Bad’. He died in 2009.
Lional Richie Jr.
Lionel Richie jr. is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor. He was born on 20th June 1949, in Alabama USA. Beginning in 1968, he was a member of the funk and soul band the Commodores and then launched a solo career in 1982. His TV shows are ‘American Idol’, ‘This Is…’ He was awarded Music Cares Person of the Year.
Theme
The emotion that the lyrics are creating is empathy and love. The lyrics create a sense of empathy and not sympathy because instead of pitying those people in Haiti. We should try putting ourselves in their shoes and by doing so we can try to understand how critical their situation is and instead of just pitying them, we make a change.
Line 1-10
There comes a time when we heed a certain call When the world must come together as one There are people dying And it’s time to lend a hand to life The greatest gift of all We can’t go on pretending day by day That someone, somewhere will soon make a change We all are a part of God’s great big family And the truth, you know, Love is all we need
There will be a time when all of us hear a ‘certain call’ then the whole world will become one. The people go on dying and it is time for us to give a helping hand which will be the best gift to the people suffering. Let us stop acting and let us not think that someone will make a change somewhere. All of us are a part of the world, love is what is needed and all of us know that it’s the truth.
Line 11- 21
(Chorus) We are the world, we are the children We are the ones who make a brighter day So let’s start giving There’s a choice we’re making We’re saving our own lives It’s true we’ll make a better day Just you and me Send them your heart so they’ll know that someone cares And their lives will be stronger and free As God has shown us by turning stone to bread So we all must lend a helping hand (Chorus)
We are the world and we are the children. We should make the world brighter so we must start giving. Yes, we will make a good time indeed yourself and myself together. Give your hearts to the sad people then they will understand that we care for them. Thus, their lives will become stronger. They will be free. Like God who changed the stones into bread, we will also do wonders in helping others.
Line 22- 25
When you’re down and out, there seems no hope at all But if you just believe there’s no way we can fall “Well...well...well...” Let’s realise that a change can only come When we stand together as one. (Chorus x 2)
When you are completely distressed and helpless believe that there is no way for you to fall. Everything will be fine one day. We all should recognize that we must stay together for a complete change.
