Am I the only one who sings “We are the world” using bad impressions of all the singers?
Posted by Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 131 comments
Usually alone in my car.
Tinytiger1973@reddit
NO! And here I thought I was alone in this strange activity.
Not that a "bad impression" is necessary for Bob Dylan's part...he sounded awful.
fiddlenutz@reddit
Oh my. You need to search for the Bob Dylan Christmas album. I can’t get through a full minute without laughing so hard I almost piss myself.
typeXYZ@reddit
Dylan’s Oh come all ye faithful sounds like Eddie Murphy doing Buckwheat Sings on SNL.
Tinytiger1973@reddit
Dear God that's horrendous.
Thanks for the warning - the coffee I'm drinking would have shot out of my nose within the first 30 seconds of listening otherwise. 😄
Motor_Struggle_3605@reddit
PoofBam@reddit
If you can hit the Cyndi Lauper part, I love you!
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Forced falsetto
IntelligentAge211@reddit
I dont think you are trying if you do not do Bruce and Cyndi.
Starcat75@reddit
Please upload a video of yourself doing this lol
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Absolutely not. Which remind me, I’m so glad that we didn’t have smartphones and social media as teens. 😬
Motor_Meaning_7819@reddit
I do a horrendously annoying Tom Petty voice - yes I know he wasn’t in We Are the World, but I do it anyways. Also it’s a very easy shift to making it a Bob Dylan voice.
I’ve had to curtail my Petty impersonation since he died…still “too soon” for some of my friends. Hehe
lectroid@reddit
Before “Yellow Ledbetter”, there was Petty’s marble-mouth.
Ooooyyeeeaaaayooo Ohn! Aya! Oo-iv Ike-uh refugeeeeee!
Also, annoy them by calling “Running Down a Dream” “the Banana song”. Because the guitar riff goes:
Banana-nana-nana-nanaaahhh….
lectroid@reddit
Before “Yellow Ledbetter”, there was Perry’s marble-mouth on “Refugee”.
Ooooyyeeeaaaayooo Ohn! Aya! Oo-iv Ike-uh refugeeeeee!
Fair-Wishbone-1190@reddit
That would be kind of tough considering half of them were horrible, especially Cyndi lauper, they all sound like they're doing bad impressions of good singers. Lol.
PoofBam@reddit
No fucking way. Cyndi nailed her line!
Fair-Wishbone-1190@reddit
Ok
TheFightens@reddit
Yes. I can’t stand this song. Brings back memories of me asking for a Fat Boys cassette and my mom bought me this stupid song instead.
fiddlenutz@reddit
I don’t think your mom would appreciate “My Nuts” being blasted around the house.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Fat boys!!!
CrankyDoo@reddit
I have no negative associations with the song other than that I heard it incessantly for a few months when it was on the charts. As a result, I can’t stand it now.
Historical_Project86@reddit
No, but I usually sing Do They Know It's Christmas? Spoiler alert - yes they do.
My favourite anecdote to come out of the recording of We Are The World is when Michael Jackson suggested they add "Shalom" to the lyrics. It was voted down, as being possibly contentious, since Ethiopian Jews had already been evacuated by Israel under Operation Moses.
ONROSREPUS@reddit
Its been so long since I have heard this song I will have to u tubes it to even remember who wasn't in it.
seamuwasadog@reddit
Who are you? Camp Chaos?
Lockjaw62@reddit
Nope! Especially Dylan. Love his music, hate his voice.
TrickyCartographer73@reddit
No. I do it too. Have fun.
JiuJitsuNinja43@reddit
Nope. Do your thing. I sang to my lyft driver last night Whitney Houston.
Upbeat_Ant6104@reddit
He needs a kidney. No, he doesn’t need a hand!
surfinbird@reddit
I always loved the Ray Charles bit 🎶it’s true, we make a better day, just you and me…come on now, lemme here ya!🎶
Tinytiger1973@reddit
I always loved that bit too.
surfinbird@reddit
Hey hey ‘73 brother (or sister) 🙂
Tinytiger1973@reddit
Hey there 😊 73 sister here. How you doing?
CombatRedRover@reddit
If by "bad impression" you also mean my terrible singing voice, no, you are not alone.
Individual-Army811@reddit
Im a charter member to this club.
therelybare5@reddit
Could have a coronary just trying to belt it out like Springsteen.
gerwen@reddit
Sometimes i'll do Cyndi Lauper's 'no no no' outta nowhere for no reason.
ScreenTricky4257@reddit
I thought it was "Wo wo wo."
gerwen@reddit
Me too, then I went and watched the video, and was like hmm, not sure what she’s saying. Then checked the lyrics.
I’ll still be singing wo wo wo though.
ScreenTricky4257@reddit
Yes and I just wait for Steve Perry.
KeepYourMindOpen365@reddit
Nope…
don_teegee@reddit
He’s the part I always sing!
ThoughtCharming8917@reddit
My wife found herself obsessed with this song over the holidays while the kids were home. Led to a ridiculous family sing along on Christmas. I kid you not. As I type this I suddenly feel old
Hopfrogg@reddit
Not the whole song. But I'll randomly do Bruce's part for no reason out of nowhere.
Organic_Basket7800@reddit
I love him but I feel like he is a caricature of himself in that song
OreoSpeedwaggon@reddit
I'm always afraid of sharting myself if I tried.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Seems to be a popular response
Specialist-Stick-297@reddit
Does that mean your Cindi Lauper parts sound good?..
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
I’m my head they do
HereInTheCut@reddit
Speaking of We Are The World impressions... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ldEz5h4RMU
youngkpepper@reddit
I remember the eager anticipation surrounding the "World Premiere" on MTV. I also remember feeling distinctly underwhelmed when I first watched/listened to it.
wisemonkey101@reddit
To be fair they were doing bad impressions of the singers themselves.
Maximum-Tomatillo743@reddit
Except for Stevie Wonder, who by all accounts, did a great Bob Dylan impression.
Historical_Nail7271@reddit
44ariah44@reddit
No, I would switch it off
examinat@reddit
I think that’s the only way!
Opposite_Ad_1707@reddit
Nope and still do it today. AND Thanks to you I’m singing it in their stupid voices in my head right now while I’m at work.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
You’re welcome. My wife, kid and pets are pretty sick of me at the moment
Tinytiger1973@reddit
I suspect that this song, in at least one of the herein discusssed renditions, is going to be stuck in my brain for the immediate future. 😁
SmokeyFrank@reddit
I have a musical ear and when I read this song title, in my mind I “hear” the line, “As God has shown us, by turning stone to bread…” solo, in the distinct voice of an artist I won’t mention because I want my fellow GenX musician Redditors to imagine it on their own and determine his name.
Tinytiger1973@reddit
Hmmm...Steve Perry?
coolmommytm@reddit
Nope, but my Dylan’s not half bad!
the_natis@reddit
There's a song for that https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR5xGHPUEew
JohnGault67@reddit
😂🤣This must be a Gen X thing... I got caught doing it in the frozen food section in Walmart once. They were-not-amused.
Tinytiger1973@reddit
I would have joined in! Duet time.
HilariousBosch@reddit
I consider it a life highlight when I got several strangers to sing along with me as "I Will Survive" played at the grocery store. I would have joined in with your fun.
spargel_gesicht@reddit
My ring tone (back when I had a flip phone and didn’t have it muted all the time) was the Muppet Theme song and I had dreams of everyone joining in and singing along while I was out in public somewhere. Never happened.
UraTargetMarket@reddit
Why don’t I find fellow shoppers like you when I’m trudging through the grocery section of Walmart? Or, really, any grocery store?
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
My kids think it’s crazy
HighPlateau@reddit
I would've been amused.
DevolvingSpud@reddit
Bob Dylan sang it while doing a bad impression of Bob Dylan
wheresbill@reddit
And I do a great impression of Bob Dylan doing a bad impression of Bob Dylan
zionzednem@reddit
Me too. Yoooou and meeeeee
Aegis-Heptapod-9732@reddit
Hahahaha, that’s what I came here to say, I barely remember the other singers but Dylan’s “just yoooooooo and meeeeeeee” is stuck in my head forever.
Tinytiger1973@reddit
I think it's universally stuck in people's heads. 😄
nixtarx@reddit
73% of people do and the other 20% lie about it.
eastbayted@reddit
Interesting-Ice69@reddit
Yes.
lrp347@reddit
I walked in the dorm cafeteria and did a screaming Cyndi Lauper. Universal.
TXQuiltr@reddit
I thought that was the rule.
m19010101@reddit
wtf
NoSummer1345@reddit
Although I applaud the intent, it’s such a sappy song I’ve always hated it.
spargel_gesicht@reddit
Better than Do They Know it’s Xmas.
spargel_gesicht@reddit
Absolutely not. In fact I don’t sing it normally ever. I do the Stevie head bob, the Bruce neck-singing, Cyndi’s jumping around - I do it all!
ToddBradley@reddit
We all do that. My best imitation is Simon LeBon, but I do a decent Bono, also.
Express_Towel47@reddit
Kevin Meaney had a bit where he did just that. Hilarious!! THAT’S NOT RIGHT!
TwistedMemories@reddit
TBH, I don’t even think about that song or remember the words to it.
Cool-Sell-5310@reddit
🤣😂🤣😂
dcpanthersfan@reddit
I hate that song. I liked it at first but overplay ruined it for me.
itwillmakesenselater@reddit
How else would you sing it?
7eregrine@reddit
I haven't heard this song in 30 years, so to answer the question: no.
Thirty_Helens_Agree@reddit
I heard it this morning on a rerun of a 1985 Casey Kasem show.
gchance1@reddit
Me and my sister used to do it when the song was new, ping pinging the male & female singers.
Complex_Preparation9@reddit
Not by a long shot
canitouchyours@reddit
I try to be exact in my emulation when I sing it.
Jay_at_Section13@reddit
No you are not. 🤪
officially-random@reddit
Are there other options?
Frank_Meat_Tongz@reddit
Only when the song is playing somewhere and I can hear it.
iaMBictrochee@reddit
I thought that this was mandatory. I don't know any genX-er who doesn't do this!
Th1nk18@reddit
You’re not alone! I do most of parts as Dylan, but I mix in a few others once in a while
Lighteningbug1971@reddit
That’s heart wrenching
Gavin_Tremlor@reddit
Ok, so my favorite stupid thing that I have been singing in the car for decades is a rendition of Achy Breaky Heart. I've never been a fan of country, but this tune stuck with me. I changed up the lyrics a bit though. so now it goes:
Don't smell my farts,
My stinky, stanky farts,
I just don't think you understand.
Cause if you smell my farts,
My stinky, stanky farts,
They just might up and kill ya, man.
It's always a big hit on long car rides. Usually coupled with the window lock button.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Gotta stay entertained
poppinwheelies@reddit
Sorta. I sing the whole thing in Bob Dylan style.
User_not_found7@reddit
I do the annoying Cyndi Lauper “WHOA WHOA WHOA THERE’S A CHOICE WE’RE MAKIN”!!!!
Reeeeallly@reddit
Same!
surly-monkey@reddit
i thought that's what the original was
Wobbiewu@reddit
Just Bruce
CopyDan@reddit
I do good impressions.
CtrlAltDeli@reddit
Youuuuuu are not alooooone
Tired_o_Mods_BS@reddit
No. You are not.
RecbetterpassNJ@reddit
https://youtu.be/H1MEwm-o4fQ?si=ELkqkoMU9txPc-Wu
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
😂😂😂
therealfinagler@reddit
Only Bruce constipated on the toilet impression for me.
Embarrassed_Flan_869@reddit
Didn't we all when it came out and in the years following?
zaxxon4ever@reddit
I just avoid listening to that song.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Give in to it
PercentageNonGrata@reddit
Extra raspy Joe Cocker.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Extra Dylany Dylan too
PercentageNonGrata@reddit
His mumbling was so incoherent, thought he was kind of drunk or something.
Ok_Entrepreneur_8509@reddit
Yes, you are the only one. The rest of us have perfect impressions.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
That’s what I was thinking too
Subject-Stuff-2829@reddit
No.
PainRevolutionary865@reddit
Nope, bob Dylan is my fav to do
in-a-microbus@reddit
Only Cyndi Lauper
Don't get me wrong I think it's awful that the other singers made fun of her at the time, but they won't stop me.
Rough_Respect6192@reddit
You are not 🎤
Prestigious_Grape288@reddit
Omg we have so much personal lore surrounding this song.
Huey Lewis coming in after Michael Jackson is chef’s kiss perfection.
During the original hoopla, we recorded (with our mono tape recorder) a version from the radio where they said the name of whoever was singing, dubbed over the song…when it got to Springsteen, they just said “BRUCE” and we thought that was so funny & we still always say BRUCE for his part.
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
Hahaha!
Baldydom@reddit
I cannot sing along to a Bowie song without doing my own bad Bowie impression
Excellent-Ad-7394@reddit (OP)
I do more of a Flight of the Conchords style Bowie
KindaKrayz222@reddit
I'm a radio surfer.. and only get 3 stations worth listening to. But when it comes on, if the others don't have something better I'll stay & sing along.
SignificanceTop5095@reddit
Yes
No-Basis-1161@reddit
Swaying side to side Stevie Wonder style.