DESCRIPTION:
Chicago "Good For Nothing" from the album "We Are the World" (1985).
"Good For Nothing," a song recorded during the Chicago 17 sessions that was co-written by Foster and Robert Lamm with famous singer/sonwriter Richard Marx.
This tune was originally part of the 1985 multi-artist charity album, "We Are The World" and was never included on a Chicago album. "Good For Nothing" is
also the last song that Peter Cetera recorded with the band before going solo. It is a solid pop up-tempo thing with a light funk groove that features Lamm on lead vocal. The trademark Chicago horns have some room to shine together with prominent guitar licks courtesy of session ace Paul Jackson plus the usual Foster show on various keyboards and synthesizers. Like all his works with the band, Foster's production on this one is elegant and high tech.

"We Are the World was" a 1985 album that contained USA for Africa's "We Are the World" superstar charity recording for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia.

In addition to the title track, the album included nine previously unreleased songs by donating artists, including Prince, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (a rendition of Jimmy Cliff's obscure "Trapped" recorded live at Meadowlands Arena on their Born in the U.S.A. Tour, which achieved considerable album-oriented rock radio airplay and topped the Mainstream Rock chart), Tina Turner and others.

The album also included another famine relief fundraising song, "Tears Are Not Enough," which was performed by Canadian supergroup Northern Lights.
Prince and The Revolution recorded "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" for the album. A rare live version of the song was included on Prince's The Hits/The B-Sides.

Track listing

Side one

USA for Africa - "We Are the World" (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie) -- 7:02
Steve Perry - "If Only for the Moment, Girl" (Randy Goodrum, Steve Perry) -- 3:44
The Pointer Sisters - "Just a Little Closer" (Robbie Nevil, Mark Mueller) -- 3:53
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - "Trapped" (Live Version) (Jimmy Cliff) -- 5:11

Side two

Northern Lights - "Tears Are Not Enough" (David Foster, Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) -- 4:21
Prince & The Revolution - "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" (Prince) -- 2:45
Chicago - "Good for Nothing" (Richard Marx, Robert Lamm, David Foster) -- 3:35
Tina Turner - "Total Control" (Martha Davis, Jeff Jourard) -- 3:38
Kenny Rogers - "A Little More Love" (Thom Schuyler, Fred Knobloch) -- 2:54
Huey Lewis and the News - "Trouble in Paradise" (Live Version) (Johnny Colla, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes, Sean Hopper, Huey Lewis, Mario Cipollina) -- 4:34

Lyrics

I helped my good friend's brother
Out of trouble when he was in jail
I was rushed 'cause I got lucky
Paid his lawyer and I paid his bail

Glad to be able just to pay the price
The price it took to set him free
I never heard a single "thank you" at all
You'd think by now I could see

All the good that I did was for nothing, aah
All the good that I did was for nothing
Why don't I just let it be?

I fought for two young lovers
New York artists they were on the run
Got them out to California
One was gifted and the other was fun

Merchants will always be merchants, of course
But an artist's is a fragile life
And it's something I have always believed
The memory cuts like a knife

All the good that I did was for nothing, aah
All the good that I did was for nothing, aah
All the good that I did was for nothing
All the good that I did
(All the good that I did)
Why can't I just let it be?

All the good that I did was for nothing, aah
All the good that I did
All the good that I did was for nothing
All the good I did
All the good I did
All the good I did was for nothing