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Inside the
Winter Issue:

Ken Kragen Recalls Harry's "Do Something" Motto

Editor's Note: The following letter originally appeared as the introduction in the 1985 book "We Are the World: The photos, music, and inside story of one of the most historic events in American popular music" and is reprinted in Circle! with the permission of USA For Africa.

When in doubt — DO SOMETHING. The late Harry Chapin spoke these words to me eight years ago when I tried to point out to him the enormous difficulty he faced in his almost single-handed attempt to eliminate world hunger in his own lifetime. At that time, I thought Harry was jousting with windmills, that the task he had taken on was too big to accomplish. Unfortunately, Harry's life was tragically cut short by an auto accident in 1981.

I was more bereaved than I have ever been. I thought that no one in this country could possibly work as hard or as effectively for the world's hungry and homeless as Harry. Although many of us who knew him talked about his spirit still being alive, it seemed that without his personal enthusiasm, drive, and unlimited energy, his goal could never even be approached.

But then Kenny Rogers picked up the torch that had fallen with Harry and carried it to new heights with his World Hunger Media Awards and his highly effective food drives.

Still, something was missing. Finding solutions for hunger was simply not a priority among the world's governments, nor even most of its people.

Last fall things suddenly changed. It started with a BBC-TV report on hunger in Ethiopia. Irish rock musician Bob Geldof saw the broadcast and, like so many other people, he was deeply moved by it, and he DID SOMETHING. He organized a group of musicians, called them Band Aid, and produced a song which so far has raised nearly ten million dollars for African famine relief. That one act by Bob Geldof started a chain reaction. Songs have now been recorded in Germany, Canada, Australia, South America, and here in the United States, all sparked by his effort.

Bob put it best when he said, "We in the music business have made drugs fashionable; we've made wild clothing and hair styles fashionable; now it is time we made compassion and generosity fashionable."

As you turn the pages of this book and read the text, you will learn about one of the most historic events in American popular music. You will share private moments with some of the world's most famous artists. Some of these moments, such as the discussion between Huey Lewis, Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan about the game of golf, are quite humorous. Others, such as the moment when two Ethiopian women came into the studio to thank the stars for their efforts, are quite moving and emotional.

When you have finished all sixty-four pages of this book, I hope you will have a sense of the true spirit of this momentous effort. Also, I hope you will be moved to DO SOMETHING, as Harry Chapin so aptly put it. Take action yourself to play a part, however large or small, in eradicating hunger anywhere from your own community to the far-off lands of Africa.

We outline in this book some of the things you can do to help. They are far from all of what you might accomplish. Be creative. Learn about the problems. Make your own attempts to DO SOMETHING. Let us know what you are doing so we can share it with others.

On Friday morning, February 1, four days after the most incredible experience of my life — the all-night recording session with these forty-five artists — I woke up with the startling realization that while I had helped to put together this tremendous event, I had yet to feed one child or save one life.

The event itself is only a beginning — a wonderful and inspirational beginning — but still just the start of what must be a lifelong effort if we are to make a real difference in the battle against hunger. The recording of "We Are the World" has shown that the opportunity is here now to DO SOMETHING to make a difference. With your help, we intend to do so.

Ken Kragen
USA for Africa

Watch for the Next Issue of Circle! on March 7