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Haiti charity single a 'tear jerker'
The cover of REM's haunting ballad Everybody Hurts to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims received the thumbs-up from fans following its first airplay this morning.
X Factor supremo Simon Cowell has worked with The Sun newspaper to put the single together for the Helping Haiti effort, with 21 stars taking part in the recording, including Leona Lewis, who opens the vocals.
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Susan Boyle, Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, JLS, Westlife and Joe McElderry have also contributed to the ballad, which has a similar slow backing track to the original.
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The record also reunites Robbie Williams with his former Take That bandmates Gary Barlow and Mark Owen.
Recorded in London and Los Angeles, the song was played from 8am on radio stations and is available to hear on The Sun's website at thesun.co.uk.
Writing on the YouTube website, one fan wrote that it was "gr8 that simon cowell has invited x factor singers past and present as well. cheryl cole, alex burke, jls... and leona lewis. nice 1 simon".
On Twitter, another writer described the song as "a tear jerker", while another Twitter user commented: "Just listened to the Haiti single. Mr Cowell might have his faults, but this is brilliant!!"
The single will be available for download from next Sunday and hits the shops the following day.
The Government has said that VAT on the record will be waived.
REM's anthem Everybody Hurts was a smash hit in 1993, and is one of the band's best-known hits.
The song is included on the acclaimed album Automatic For The People and the band are to waive royalties on the charity track.
Proceeds are being split between the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the Sun's Helping Haiti campaign.
Up to 200,000 people died in the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12, with hundreds of thousands more left injured and homeless.
Another charity effort for Haiti also saw stars re-recording the 1985 US anthem We Are The World in the same Hollywood recording studio where the original was cut 25 years ago.
Pink, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, the Jonas Brothers and Kanye West were among those who gathered at the Henson recording studios.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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