January 15: That's What Friends Are For

Ah, 1985. You gave us so much. Marty McFly, The Goonies, Gorbachev, Calvin and Hobbes, and most importantly, the American (and far superior) version of the Celebrity Charity Song. While “We Are The World” gathered a plethora of the day’s top recording artists and Dan Aykroyd to fight African famine, the real legends gathered to sing a song of friendship and raise money for… something.


AIDS, I think. Yes, that’s right, AIDS. Thanks, Wikipedia. And look at that! “That’s What Friends Are For” was written by Carole Bayer-Sager and Burt Bacharach! Who else, of course! In fact, it was written for the 1982 film Night Shift when they were at their peak of writing legendary movie themes, such as “Arthur’s Theme” as performed by Christopher Cross, and Neil Diamond’s “Heartlight”! (The producers of E.T. sued them over the latter for unauthorized use of their intellectual property. Who cares, they still made a ton of money off that monster hit!)


These are some people who have been through some stuff. Dionne Warwick. Elton John. A Pip-less Gladys Knight. And Mr. Stevie Wonder. When they sing this saccharin-sweet pap, they mean it and make you believe it. And at the time, their friends were dying of AIDS and there was no reliable treatment yet. So Dionne gathered her friends and their combined superpowers raised $3 million for AIDS research, as well as awareness of the disease. Awesome job, you guys.


As we pass from one era to another, I can only hope that activism will be on the rise and people from the heights of celebrity and success to those less fortunate whose lives have already been compromised will take a cue from Dionne and Friends; take a stand and make a difference for the good of all people. After all, that’s what friends are for.