The mystery surrounding why Prince did not participate in the recording of the iconic 1985 charity single “We Are the World” has been a topic of discussion once again, particularly with the release of the Netflix documentary, “The Greatest Night In Pop,” NME reports. While Prince was known to be in Los Angeles during the American Music Awards, held on the night of the song's recording at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, he did not appear on the record. Tom Bahler, the vocal arranger tasked by Quincy Jones to arrange vocals on the track, has shared his theory on why Prince might have declined and it involves Michael Jackson.

Bahler expressed his belief that Prince may have had an issue with collaborating with men, noting that the artist was more comfortable working with women. Bahler stated, “I had a feeling Prince had a problem with men. With him, everything was with women. It made him feel good.” The theory aligns with historical accounts, suggesting that the Minnesota artist declined the opportunity to sing on “We Are the World,” and Quincy Jones rejected his offer to play guitar on the track.

Additionally, Sheila E, an associate of the late singer who participated in the recording, revealed that Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones had urged her to convince Prince to join the project. However, despite efforts from various individuals to bring the Purple Reign singer into the studio, he did not appear on the charity single.

Only Speculation?

The longstanding feud between Prince and Michael Jackson has also been linked to the speculation surrounding Prince's absence from “We Are the World.” Rumors suggest that Jackson wanted Prince to duet on the title track of his “Bad” album, but Prince reportedly declined, possibly due to discomfort with the lyrics or a perceived fear of Jackson.

While Bahler acknowledged that these insights were speculative, he suggested that Prince's decision might have been influenced by a certain level of apprehension or fear of Michael Jackson.