“There comes a time when we heed a certain call…”

That’s the famous opening lyric to “We Are The World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and tonight viewers across the globe will watch as a new set of stars come together as one, when “We Are The World 25 for Haiti” premieres during tonight’s opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The original “We Are The World” by USA for Africa was an all-star musical event in 1985, modeled after the success of Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” charity single from the previous year. Both efforts focused on famine-relief efforts in Ethiopia, and Bob Geldof, who had organized Band Aid in the UK after seeing a BBC documentary about the devastated African country, joined his Stateside counterparts in Hollywood’s A&M Studios for an all-night recording session on January 28, 1985, following that year’s American Music Awards.

As the 25th anniversary of that now-famous session was approaching, Richie and producer Quincy Jones were talking about a new version of “We Are The World,” with proceeds again going to Africa. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, they redirected their charity efforts, and stars were invited to gather in the very same studio where the original was recorded (now Henson Recording Studios) on February 1, the day after the Grammy Awards.

Over 80 artists and performers heeded the call, including Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Pink, Miley Cyrus, Adam Levine, and Kanye West, and tonight we’ll see the results, filmed by director Paul Haggis (Crash). Janet Jackson stepped in to sing her late brother Michael’s part from the original, and that’s the moment I’m most looking forward to. Whether the magic of that special time in 1985 can be re-created remains to be seen.

Remember when nearly every radio and TV station across the country played “We Are The World” simultaneously? Hear here:

A bigger hit than “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” at the time, “We Are The World” reached number one and remained in the top spot for four weeks. The single ultimately sold 7.5 million copies; I think my family bought three copies. But though “Christmas” charted lower at #13, it’s Band Aid that’s stuck around, heard every holiday season since, whereas the original “We Are The World” remains frozen in time, rarely re-aired though rightfully a classic. Maybe the song’s staid status will change with tonight’s refresh.

“We Are The World 25 for Haiti” premieres tonight at 7:30/6:30c on NBC, with both the single and video available for immediate download via iTunes. Visit world25.org to donate and to learn more, including the full list of participating artists.