This year marks the 40th anniversary of Do They Know It’s Christmas?, a famous charity song recorded by a group of artists called Band Aid in 1984.
The song was created to raise money for people in Ethiopia during a famine, a crisis where there wasn’t enough food. To celebrate the anniversary, a special version combining the original song with a 2014 remake has been released, sparking both nostalgia and criticism.
The original track brought together huge stars like Sting, David Bowie, and Bono from U2. It was recorded in just 24 hours and released on December 3, 1984. The song quickly became a hit, topping the charts for five weeks and raising millions to help those affected by the famine. The project, led by singers Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, aimed to inspire people to donate money to buy food for Ethiopia.
While the song raised a lot of money and awareness, some of its lyrics have been criticised over time. For example, lines suggesting that Africa doesn’t see snow or that nothing grows there have been called inaccurate and harmful. These phrases, critics argue, present an unfair and negative picture of an entire continent.
Despite these debates, Band Aid’s legacy remains significant. The song, along with the 1985 Live Aid concert organised by Geldof, raised millions for famine relief and inspired other global charity efforts.
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