Jackson Wraps Benefit Single

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Michael Jackson has finished recording "What More Can I Give," his new star-studded single that he hopes will raise more than $50 million for families of victims of the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Since the tragedy Jackson has been crisscrossing the country to collaborate with Ricky Martin, Santana, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Tom Petty, Destiny's Child's Beyonce Knowles, the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter, Aaron Carter, Mya, Luis Miguel, Ziggy Marley, Gloria Estefan, Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman, Skakira and numerous others.

"I have no other agenda other than to just see some of these families smile again," said Jackson, who was in New York City at the time of the attacks. "A song is a mantra, something you repeat over and over. And we need peace, we need giving, we need love, we need unity. I want the whole world to sing this song."

Jackson also helped organize the USA for Africa single, "We Are the World," sixteen years ago. The song has raised more than $65 million to help fight starvation in Africa.

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Song Stories

“Everyday People”

Sly and the Family Stone | 1968

"Everyday People" managed to trailblaze in two different ways -- it was one of the first pop hits to deal with the subject of racial harmony, and it utilized Larry Graham's "slap" technique on the bass guitar, which would soon be copied by countless other bassists. Graham once said about his pulsating style, "I'd never done that before … that's where the freedom of creativity came in for the band, that we'd be allowed to do that." In 1978, the song's line "Different strokes for different folks" would be borrowed for the title of the hit television show Diff'rent Strokes.

More Song Stories entries »

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