A Chronology of Appearances

This work-in-progress lists all currently known appearances, drawn from a variety of sources.
Researched, Compiled, and Maintained by Simon Montgomery, © 2001-2024.
Special thanks to Joel Bernstein for his contributions and assistance.
Latest Update: March 21, 2024
Please send comments, corrections or additions to: simon@icu.com

1985.02.10 Tears Are Not Enough — Manta Sound Recording Studio Toronto, ON

Northern Lights, a group of Canada’s most accomplished
artists, gathered to record the song “Tears Are Not Enough”
for inclusion on the We Are The World benefit album.
A videotape and laserdisc of the song and a “Making Of...”
documentary were also released.

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10 Related articles from the Library

Musicians, comedians, athletes, ready to sing for charity: Toronto Globe and Mail, February 7, 1985
Northern Lights recording 'Tears Are Not Enough': CBC Digital Archives, February 10, 1985
Stars gather to tape famine relief concert: Toronto Star, February 10, 1985
$10 million relief fund foreseen: Toronto Globe and Mail, February 12, 1985
Artists Join in Effort for Famine Relief: New York Times, February 27, 1985
Music Becomes Food For The Hungry: New York Times, April 21, 1985
Radio Northern Lights set to shine: Toronto Globe and Mail, April 27, 1985
Tears Are Not Enough: JimVallance.com, October 2004
Tears (still) are not enough, 30 years later: CBC News, February 10, 2015
Who was who in Tears Are Not Enough: CBC News, February 10, 2015

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In February 1985, after the "We Are The World" session, 50 Canadian stars joined together as a group called Northern Lights, to record a song written by David Foster and Bryan Adams called "Tears Are Not Enough." On Sunday morning the 10th, Joni and Neil Young arrived early for the session so as to avoid the rush of fans that arrived later to greet Bryan Adams, Corey Hart, Loverboy, and other teen idols.

Before the recording began, the entire group met an Ethiopian woman who talked to them about the trials of her people, and her heart-felt speech affected all the performers very deeply, and thus helped to put the project into perspective.

First, Foster gathered all the participants onto a platform to record the chorus. This part of the recording went very smoothly, and was completed in only an hour.

Then the recording turned to solo lines, starting with Gordon Lightfoot, then Burton Cummings, Anne Murray, etc. This segment began to fall behind schedule, and Joni had to wait around the studio for hours, keeping herself occupied by chatting with the other musicians and playing electronic pinball games.

When it came time for her solo segment, Joni spent time working on her one line "Right from the moment that we start." At one point, when Foster told her one of the notes she sang was just a bit flat, Joni laughed and replied "I think that's just my style."

As she was leaving the studio, Joni was asked why she had joined in the project and she said: "The spirit seemed right, and it was, my intuition told me that it would be a good round-up of people and that I had to be here."

A documentary was filmed during the proceedings and later shown on Canadian TV.