>>> NOW, LET'S REWIND ALMOST FOUR DECADES TO THE NIGHT 46 OF AMERICA'S BIGGEST MUSIC STARS GATHERED IN THE SAME STUDIO TO RECORD A CHARITY SINGLE "WE ARE THE WORLD."

THEY WERE TOLD TO, QUOTE, CHECK THEIR EGOS AT THE DOOR TO HELP PEOPLE.

THE RECORD BECAME ONE OF THE TOP SELLING SINGLES OF ALL TIME, RAISING $60 MILLION FOR THE CAUSE.

THE REMARKABLE ALL NIGHTER BEHIND IT IS THE FOCUS OF A NEW NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY "THE GREATEST NIGHT IN POP."

HERE IS A CLIP FROM THE TRAILER.

>> WE JUST THOUGHT WE WOULD PULL TOGETHER AS MANY ARTISTS AS WE COULD AND FIGURE IT OUT.

IT WAS A WISH LIST.

>> I SAID YES WITHOUT KNOWING WHO WOULD BE ON IT.

>> BOB DYLAN.

>> STEVIE WONDER.

>> ALSO THERE WAS BOB BAYLOR.

WE SPEAK TO HIM ALONGSIDE THE FILM'S DIRECTOR.

>> THE DIRECTOR AND THE VOCAL ARRANGER, THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

TOM, YOU WERE THERE THAT NIGHT.

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS PROJECT?

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?

>> QUINCY JONES AND I STARTED WORKING TOGETHER EARLY IN THE '70s.

HE HAD HEARD SOME ARRANGEMENTS.

I GOT A CALL.

HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

DO YOU HAVE TIME TO COME OVER?

I SAID, SURE.

I WENT OVER.

HE SAID, I JUST HEARD FROM -- I JUST HEARD FROM KEN KRAGEN.

THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.

HE SAID, YOU KNOW THE SONG, "DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS"?

IT'S A WONDERFUL SONG.

HERE IS THE CONCEPT.

LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID.

WE WILL DO IT WITH MORE PEOPLE.

WE KNOW THE AMERICAN MUSIC -- THEY PUT THIS TOGETHER IMMEDIATELY.

HE SAID IT TOOK FIVE MINUTES TO REALLY MAKE THE MAP THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW FROM THERE ON.

>> THERE'S A NIGHT WHERE YOU ARE ABOUT TO RECORD A SONG WITH PROBABLY THE BIGGEST NAMES IN MUSIC IN AMERICA CERTAINLY, ALL ASSEMBLING UNDER ONE ROOF FOR A FEW HOURS.

>> BY THE TIME THE STARS CAME IN, THE SONG WAS WRITTEN.

IT WAS ONLY WRITTEN A FEW DAYS BEFORE THAT.

IT WAS WONDERFUL BEING ON THAT TEAM.

WE HAD MEETINGS WHERE WE NORMALLY -- WHEN WE GO IN TO RECORD, WE DON'T THINK OF, WHAT COULD GO WRONG.

WITH THIS, WE HAD TO GO IN AND SAY, WHAT COULD GO WRONG AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO HAVE FOR IT?

QUINCY WAS THE GENERAL.

WE WERE LOOKING AT IT AS GOING TO WAR.

YOU ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT.

YOU DON'T GO OUT THERE AND SAY, I FORGOT MY BULLETS.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF THE WAY IT STARTED.

>> ONE, TWO -- ♪ WE ARE THE WORLD ♪ WE ARE THE CHILDREN >> THE GREATEST ARTISTS OF A GENERATION CAME TOGETHER TO SAVE SOME LIVES.

>> MUST BE IN A DREAM.

>> HELLO.

>> WE ONLY HAD ONE NIGHT TO GET THIS RIGHT.

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

>> WHAT MADE YOU INTERESTED IN MAKING THIS FILM?

>> YEAH.

I SHOULD SAY I WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD WHEN THE SONG CAME OUT.

>> I DIDN'T WANT TO EMBARRASS YOU THERE BUT YEAH.

>> I MEAN, I REMEMBER THE SONG GROWING UP BECAUSE MY PARENTS, THEY HAD RECENTLY COME OVER TO AMERICA.

THEY WERE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES.

THEY SPOKE VERY LITTLE ENGLISH AT THAT TIME.

IT WAS THE MID '80s.

THEY HAD KENNY ROGERS RECORDS.

THEY HAD THAT RECORD.

I REMEMBER HEARING THAT SONG.

THE WAY IT WAS A BRIDGE TO MY AMERICAN UPBRINGING AND MY PARENTS.

IT HAD PERSONAL RESONANCE.

I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE GLOBAL IMPACT OF THE SONG UNTIL MY PRODUCER, WHO I PRODUCED MY LAST FILM WITH, SHE CAME TO ME WITH THE STORY OF "WE ARE THE WORLD."

DO YOU KNOW THE SONG?

OF COURSE.

WHETH WHEN SHE TOLD ME HOW IT HAPPENED IN ONE NIGHT AND THE GLOBAL IMPACT OF THE SONG ONCE IT CAME OUT, IT BECAME REALLY INTERESTING FOR ME AS A FILMMAKER TO SEE HOW I CAN TURN WHAT WAS SEEMINGLY -- OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A VERY ICONIC SONG.

FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WORK IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE.

TO HEAR HOW UNIQUE IT WAS AND AS TOM WAS SAYING, IT WAS ONE NIGHT.

IT WAS A LOT OF SORT OF TROUBLESHOOTING, A LOT OF IMPOSSIBLE TASKS THAT HAD TO BE DONE IN GETTING ALL THESE 40 PLUS SUPERSTARS IN ONE ROOM TO RECORD A SONG THAT WAS JUST WRITTEN A COUPLE DAYS EARLIER.

I FOUND THE THE STOS STORY TO B COMPELLING.

>> WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE STUDIO, I REALIZED, IT WAS THE CREAM OF THE CROP OF POP MUSIC FOR THAT TIME.

>> OH, MY GOD.

>> OH, MY GOD.

>> OVERWHELMING.

>> WALKIE-TALKIES IS HOW WE COMMUNICATED.

WHO WAS SHOWING?

WHO JUST GOT HERE?

>> THERE'S A POINT IN THE FILM WHERE YOU MENTION QUINCY JONES PUT UP A SIGN THAT SAID, CHECK YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT'S CORRECT.

>> HOW DO THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LITERALLY ON THE TOP OF THEIR GAME EXTOLLED BY EVERYONE IN MUSIC, SHOWING UP AT A MASSIVE AWARDS -- LOU ARE THEY EXPECTED TO DO THAT?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE WERE THERE FOR A HIGHER PURPOSE, ALL OF US.

IT WAS TOLD TO US EARLIER, EVERYBODY THAT WORKED ON THAT DID IT PRO BONO.

ALL THE CAMERAMEN, THE STUDIO.

IT HAS BEEN EVER SINCE.

THEY RAISED SO MUCH MONEY.

SO WE KNEW GOING IN THAT WE WERE THERE TO SAVE LIVES.

>> HOW DID YOU KIND OF DISCOVER THIS ARCHIVE?

WHAT WAS AVAILABLE?

WHAT STRUCK YOU WHEN YOU REALIZED WHAT YOU HAD TO WORK WITH?

>> I MEAN, I THINK I OWE IT ALL TO MY PRODUCER WHO -- WE HAD NEVER WORKED ON A MUSIC DOCUMENTARY TOGETHER.

WE HAD NO CONNECTION TO MICHAEL JACKSON'S ESTATE.

JULIA WAS WORKING WITH THIS COMPANY CALLED MRC WHICH AT THE TIME OWNED DICK CLARK PRODUCTIONS.

THEY PRODUCED "THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS."

WE KNEW IT WAS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE STORY.

MRC TOLD JULIA TO CALL THIS GUY LARRY KLINE WHO IS IN THE FILM.

HE IS A PRODUCER OF THE "AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS."

SHE COLD CALLS HIM AND DOES A PITCH OF THE FILM.

LARRY IS LIKE, I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CALL FOR 35 YEARS.

HE WAS THE ONE WHO CONNECTED US TO USA AID FOR AFRICA, THE ENTITY THAT WAS FORMED FOR THE SONG.

THEY HAD ALL THIS FOOTAGE.

OVER THE COURSE OF DECADES, THE FOOTAGE HAS BEEN DAMAGED AND IT HASN'T BEEN KEPT IN THE BEST SHAPE, TO BE HONEST.

SOME WAS FOUND IN THE TRUNK OF A CAR.

THEY MADE THIS RECORDING FOR THE MUSIC VIDEO AND THERE WAS A TV SPECIAL THAT JANE FONDA HOSTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SONG CAME OUT.

THAT WAS THE INTENTION.

THERE WAS NO -- NO ONE WOULD THINK 40 YEARS LATER THAT A FILM WOULD BE MADE AND PUT ON NETFLIX.

WE GOT LUCKY.

IT GOES TO THE TENACITY OF OUR PRODUCERS.

I THINK THE RICHNESS OF THE FOOTAGE ISN'T JUST THE VISUAL.

A LOT OF THE ARCHIVAL THAT WAS RECORDED DIDN'T HAVE ANY AUDIO, OR IT WAS GOING STRAIGHT INTO THE RECORDING MIX.

SO YOU WOULD ONLY HEAR WHEN THEY WERE SINGING THE SONG.

ALL THESE SIDE CONVERSATIONS CAME FROM THE WORK OF DAVID BRESKIN, A JOURNALIST COVERING THE RECORDING FOR "LIFE" AT THE TIME.

HE TURNED ON HIS DICTAPHONE.

HE DID INTERVIEWS.

WE HEAR A LOT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM.

IT WAS ALSO HIM HOLDING UP THE DI DICTAPHONE TO BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN WHEN HE IS RECORDING AND DO THE SIDE TAKES WHERE WE GET THAT TEXTURE AND THAT RICHNESS OF THE AUDIO MATCHING WITH WHAT WE GOT FROM U.S. AID FOR AFRICA.

>> WHEN YOU SEE FOOTAGE OF THE SUPERSTARS WITHOUT THEIR ENTOURAGES, IT'S ALMOST LIKE GOING BACK TO SOME SORT OF HIGH SCHOOL BAND CAMP VIBE.

THEY ARE JUST NORMAL HUMAN BEINGS.

>> NORMALLY, WHEN AN ARTIST GOES INTO A RECORDING STUDIO, WE START IN THE BOOTH TO LEARN THE SONG OR TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, HOW WE'RE GOING TO RECORD IT AND EVERYTHING.

IT'S LIKE A WOMB.

IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN AND BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TONIGHT.

WITH 46 PEOPLE, WE COULD NOT PUT THEM IN THE BOOTH.

WE HAD TO DO IT IN THE STUDIO, WHICH IS HUGE.

WHEN WE GOT IN THE BIG ROOM, I FELT AN UNSETTLEDNESS.

MY JOB WAS TO GET THEM ALL SINGING IT.

I FELT NO NEGATIVITY.

IT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF LOOKING AROUND AND I LOVE HER, I LOVE HIM.

ALL OF THE STARS WERE DOING THAT.

IT WAS GREAT.

IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.

THERE WAS NO ENTOURAGE.

THEY ENTERED, AND THEY ARE LIKE AT BAND CAMP.

YOU NAILED IT.

WHAT REALLY BROKE THE ICE WAS DIANA ROSS.

>> DIANA WALKS UP TO DARRYL HALL WITH MUSIC IN HER HANDS AND SAYS, I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN.

WOULD YOU SIGN MY MUSIC FOR ME?

WE ALL LOOKED AROUND AND SAID, HOLY MOLEY.

>> IT STARTED HAPPENING ALL OVER THE ROOM.

>> THAT'S DOPE THAT THEY WANT EACH OTHER'S AUTOGRAPH.

THEN THEY COME AND ASK ME.

I'M LIKE, THEY WANT MY AUTOGRAPH?

WOW.

THAT'S REALLY COOL.

>> FOR THE NEXT 45 MINUTES, WE SIGNED EACH OTHER'S MUSIC.

AT THE END OF THAT 45 MINUTES, WE WENT FROM BEING UNSETTLED TO BEING A FAMILY.

THAT BROKE THE ICE.

IT WAS -- QUINCY COMES OUT OF THE BOOTH AND SAID, LET'S CHOP SOME WOOD.

>> WHAT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING PART WHEN YOU LOOK THROUGH THIS?

IS THERE A MUSICIAN OR A PERFORMANCE OR A LOOK THAT SOMEBODY GAVE THAT STUCK OUT TO YOU OR WAS UNEXPECTED?

>> AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT, I THINK SEEING THESE ICONS OF ICONS BE AT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

IT FELT LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN.

I THINK ANYONE AROUND THE WORLD KNOWS THAT FEELING OF BEING THE FIRST -- AT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

TO SEE DIANA ROSS AND MICHAEL JACKSON, BOB DYLAN, BRUCE S SPRINGSTEEN FEEL THAT WAS CREATED THIS PROXIMITY THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE FILM.

TO TAKE THESE GREAT ARTISTS AND BRING THEM INTO A ROOM AND BRING THEM INTO A SPACE WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY FELT THE SAME WAY.

IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC SCENES, I THINK BOB DYLAN FOR ME AND HIS JOURNEY IN THE FILM AND THROUGH THE NIGHT WAS REALLY UNIQUE AND REALLY INSPIRING IN MANY WAYS.

HE COMES INTO A SPACE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SPACE THAT HE IS USED TO.

THEN HE ASKS FOR HELP.

HE ASKS FOR STEVIE WONDER'S HELP TO HELP HIM SING HIS LINE, WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL, TOUCHING, VULNERABLE MOMENT THAT BOB DYLAN IS BOB DYLAN, STEVIE WONDER IS STEVIE WONDER.

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

>> TOM, I HAVE TO ASK, HOW IN THE WORLD -- HOW DOES YOUR BRAIN WORK WHERE YOU PUT THESE PAIRINGS TOGETHER?

>> YOU USE THE MAGIC WORD.

YOU SAID, HOW DID YOU GET YOUR BRAIN TO DO THIS?

I DIDN'T.

I FOLLOWED MY INSTINCTS.

I MADE A LIST OF -- QUINCY AND I MADE A LIST OF THE PROBABLE SOLOISTS.

QUINCY SAID, I HAVE TWO REQUESTS.

BECAUSE LIONEL WAS THE FIRST TO START THIS SONG, TO WRITE IT.

I WOULD LIKE FOR HIS VOICE TO BE THE FIRST VOICE WE HEAR.

THEN ON THE FIRST CHORUS, BECAUSE MICHAEL FINISHED THE SONG, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MICHAEL TO SING THE FIRST CHORUS.

THEN HALFWAY THROUGH -- THIS IS QUINCY'S WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOR -- HE SAID, I WANT DIANA, BECAUSE THEY ARE SO CLOSE.

THIS WILL PROVE TO PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE NOT ONE PERSON.

ANYWAY, THAT WAS THE WAY -- THAT WAS WHAT -- THAT WAS MY TEMPLATE.

HE SAID, THE REST OF IT IS YOURS.

ONCE WE HAD -- IF YOU LISTEN TO FIRST CHORUS, MICHAEL HAS A VERY PURE VOICE.

SO DOES DIANA.

AFTER THAT, I KNEW THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER CHORUS COMING UP.

WHO WAS GOING TO DO THAT?

IMMEDIATELY, IN MY IMAGINATION, THESE SINGERS STARTED STANDING UP.

IT WAS SPRINGSTEEN TO COME IN AND SING THE WAY I'M TALKING RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW?

IT WAS -- ♪ WE ARE THE WORLD ♪ WE ARE THE CHILDREN >> THAT IS SO DIFFERENT THAN MICHAEL.

THAT BEAUTIFUL, PURE, LOVING SOUND.

THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKED.

THEN I STARTED LOOKING AT -- AS I LOOKED AT THE NEXT SOLO POSSIBILITY, THE PERSON THAT I PICKED POPPED UP IN MY IMAGINATION.

I'M SERIOUS.

IT WAS LIKE THEY WERE WAITING AND I OPENED THE DOOR BY LOOKING AT THE LYRIC AND IN THEY COME IN.

THAT'S THE WAY IT CAME TOGETHER.

IT TOOK ME ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO ASSIGN.

>> THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES WHERE YOU REFERENCE THE FACT THAT IT'S NOW LATER AND LATER AND LATER IN THE NIGHT.

IT'S NOW EARLIER AND EARLIER IN THE MORNING.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS AN ALL NIGHT JAM SESSION WITH THESE HUGE NAMES.

>> THESE VOICES ARE THE VOICES OF A GENERATION.

IT'S EASY TO SHINE A CAMERA ON SOMEONE AND JUST LET THEM GO.

IT'S REALLY CREATING THOSE MOMENTS OF TENSION, OF VULNERABILITY, OF ANXIETY THAT CREATED THE NIGHT AND MAKING IT NOT JUST KIND OF A CONVENTIONAL MUSIC DOCUMENTARY BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ENGAGING TO AUDIENCES WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW WHO SOME OF THE ARTISTS ARE AND MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THE SONG IS.

I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO ENGAGE THE STORYTELLING ASPECT WITH ALSO THIS FLY ON THE WALL OBSERVATIONAL STYLE OF JUST BEING IN THE ROOM WITH ALL THESE AMAZING ARTISTS.

TO SEE HOW IN ONE MOMENT THEY ARE VERY NERVOUS AND WHEN THEY STEP UP TO THE MIKE, YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTY OF HUMAN CREATIVITY AND ARTISTIC CREATIVITY SHINES.

HOW NERVOUS THEY GET RIGHT BEFORE THEY HAVE -- I THINK SOMETIMES THAT SENSE OF GRIT, THAT PRESSURE AND ALL THESE ARTISTS AROUND THEM MAKE THEM SHINE EVEN MORE.

>> DO YOU THINK THIS IS POSSIBLE TODAY?

>> I THINK THE GLUE FOR THIS ENTIRE ENDEAVOR WAS THAT WE WERE SERVING A HIGHER PURPOSE.

IT WASN'T ABOUT US.

WE WERE TOOLS.

DOING SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO FEED PEOPLE, GIVE THEM MEDICINE AND GIVE THEM CLOTHING.

THAT WAS WHY WE WERE THERE.

OTHERWISE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE.

I THINK THAT THAT PERMEATED THE ENTIRE NIGHT.

I FELT IT.

IT REALLY WAS A FLOWING, LOVING NIGHT.

I LOVE THE FACT THAT BOW PUT THE LAST STATEMENT IN THERE WHEN WE WERE LEAVING AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING, AND IT WAS DOWN TO KEN, QUINCY, DIANA ROSS AND ME WALKING OUT OF THE STUDIO.

OF COURSE, THE SUN IS UP MUCH IT'S 8:00 IN THE MORNING.

WE ARE WALKING TO OUR CAR.

ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEAR DIANA CRYING.

QUINCY IS WALKING WITH HER.

HE SAYS, DIANA, ARE YOU OKAY?

SHE SAID, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE OVER.

THAT WAS, TO ME, REALLY THE HALLMARK OF THE NIGHT IS THAT IT WAS SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE OF, WE WERE THERE TO MAKE SOMETHING, AND WE DID IT.

>> TOM THE VOCAL ARRANGER, AND BOW, THE DRETIREC, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.