‘We’ve Got the Love,’ Jersey Artists for Mankind (J.A.M.)

by JAY LUSTIG
The cover of the "We've Got the Love" single.

The cover of the “We’ve Got the Love” single.

In 1986, a year after “We Are the World” and Live Aid, dozens of musicians banded together under the name Jersey Artists for Mankind (J.A.M.) to record an anti-hunger benefit single, “We’ve Got the Love.”

Bruce Springsteen plays a little guitar on it, Southside Johnny sings a little, Bobby Bandiera co-wrote it, Garry Tallent co-produced it, and many other E Streeters and Asbury Jukes were involved. (Clarence Clemons, Max Weinberg and Nils Lofgren are among those who can be spotted briefly in the video.) Anyone who is a longtime fan of the Jersey rock scene will see a lot of familiar faces popping up.

The YouTube clip below, taken from MTV, has a brief intro by VJ Martha Quinn, plus some interview commentary from Weinberg (whose name MTV misspelled).

New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday in 2014. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, from September 2014 to September 2015 — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. To see the entire list, click here.

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