[Music] Band Aid 40 years on

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I still like the tune and the vocals but the lyrics haven't aged well

I don't generally take much notice of lyrics, being a Black Sabbath fan in the early 70s.

If Geezer had written the lyrics we might have had:

It's Christmas time, and there's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time, we let in light and aren't afraid
And in our world of plenty
We can spread a lot of plenty
Throw your arms around the world
At Christmas world

 

[Brovion]

Yeah, the nature of aid has changed, Africans quite rightly bridle at anything that smacks of 'white saviour'. However it's easy to mock it now, forty years on, but at the time it was done with the very best of intentions. And it was thrown together very very quickly. Having said that they shouldn't keep re-recording it, every version other than the original is utter utter shit. And as has been mentioned the lyrics have not aged at all well.

 

[zefarelly]

He's the **** overseeing planning in Faversham.

But he lives in a wombat enclosure on Sheppy.

It's all wrong.

Doesn't he play lead electric triangle in a Kajagoogoo tribute band as well

 

[WATFORD zero]

He's the **** overseeing planning in Faversham.

But he lives in a wombat enclosure on Sheppy.

It's all wrong.

Sorry Harry, I know I shouldn't, but

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

And American

Unusual for it to be that way round.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

The line 'And there won't be snow in Africa in Christmas time.' is totally wrong. There are bloody great mountains in Africa and I've been up them, and got lost in a snowstorm in the winter there.

 

[stewart12]

The line 'And there won't be snow in Africa in Christmas time.' is totally wrong. There are bloody great mountains in Africa and I've been up them, and got lost in a snowstorm in the winter there.

Also would it actually be that big a deal if it were true?

I'm 37 and I don't think it's ever snowed on Christmas day in Sussex during my lifetime ?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Yeah, the nature of aid has changed, Africans quite rightly bridle at anything that smacks of 'white saviour'. However it's easy to mock it now, forty years on, but at the time it was done with the very best of intentions. And it was thrown together very very quickly. Having said that they shouldn't keep re-recording it, every version other than the original is utter utter shit. And as has been mentioned the lyrics have not aged at all well.

While as you say Band Aid, and Live Aid, had the best of intentions, neither actually achieved very much in the fight against hunger. There's still plenty of hunger in Africa now - and throwing money at it isn't the answer and never was.

 

[marlowe]

To put the passage of time since that song was released in a comparable context which will make you feel even older.....at the time that song was released the exact same passage of time took you back to 1944, WW2, the Normandy landings, which to most of us was a totally different age in history, far removed from us.... which is how that song and that time is probably now viewed by most 20 somethings

 

[dejavuatbtn]

It’s the time of year for old Bob to ruffle a few feathers - this year he has crucified what was a piece of our music history. A dreadful version. Does he know it’s crap?

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Also would it actually be that big a deal if it were true?

I'm 37 and I don't think it's ever snowed on Christmas day in Sussex during my lifetime ?

2010 and 2015 were technically classed as white Christmases according to the Met Office.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

 

[carlzeiss]

While as you say Band Aid, and Live Aid, had the best of intentions, neither actually achieved very much in the fight against hunger. There's still plenty of hunger in Africa now - and throwing money at it isn't the answer and never was.

As I recall Band Aid was formed in response to the famine in Ethiopia in 1984
Since then the situation appears to have improved as the population has increased from then approx 39 million to now close to 130 million and projected to reach 300 million by the end of the century
So do they still need a charity pop single at all 40 years on ?

 

[Brovion]

While as you say Band Aid, and Live Aid, had the best of intentions, neither actually achieved very much in the fight against hunger. There's still plenty of hunger in Africa now - and throwing money at it isn't the answer and never was.

Oh I agree. In some ways (and I stress 'some'), its like helping out a struggling football club. We hear that a club are in trouble and might fold. We say "Ah the poor fans" and buy a brick or whatever. It might stave off the immediate threat, but it does nothing to solve the underlying problem of why they got into trouble in the first place, or stop them from getting into trouble in the future.

And Band Aid was initially intended to be a one-off disaster relief fund, like helping victims of an earthquake or whatever. I don't think anyone, not even Geldof himself, imagined it would still be going forty years later. Yes it has suffered from 'mission creep' and yes in that respect it has failed, but at the time it did make a difference. More to the point at the time it was us, the ordinary people, doing what we could, even if it was just pissing in the wind.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

As I recall Band Aid was formed in response to the famine in Ethiopia in 1984
population has increased from then approx 39 million to now close to 130 million and projected to reach 300 million by the end of the century
So do they still need a charity pop single at all 40 years on ?

View attachment 193712

Maybe to buy them some condoms?

 

[Cotton Socks]

Who gets the royalties from it now?

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I've just seen, while looking to see where the money goes at this point, that as well as Ed Sheeran being against it Morissey thought it was shit as well.

I've decided it's an excellent idea and a sound cause.

 

[marlowe]

Oh I agree. In some ways (and I stress 'some'), its like helping out a struggling football club. We hear that a club are in trouble and might fold. We say "Ah the poor fans" and buy a brick or whatever. It might stave off the immediate threat, but it does nothing to solve the underlying problem of why they got into trouble in the first place, or stop them from getting into trouble in the future.

And Band Aid was initially intended to be a one-off disaster relief fund, like helping victims of an earthquake or whatever. I don't think anyone, not even Geldof himself, imagined it would still be going forty years later. Yes it has suffered from 'mission creep' and yes in that respect it has failed, but at the time it did make a difference. More to the point at the time it was us, the ordinary people, doing what we could, even if it was just pissing in the wind.

So what you're saying it was like putting a sticking plaster over the problem....which makes the name rather apt...

 

[dazzer6666]

I've just seen, while looking to see where the money goes at this point, that as well as Ed Sheeran being against it Morissey thought it was shit as well.

I've decided it's an excellent idea and a sound cause.

Morissey thinks EVERYTHING is shit. He’s made a living singing about it

 

[aftershavedave]

I worked at the time for the production accountants supporting band aid & live aid. I do remember sitting with huge piles of letters to open, taking out the $ bills and binning the letters. I also remember meeting geldof who was an absolute self-centred bell-end. he nudged midge ure off centre stage for his own purposes, knowing that his boomtown rats career was descending. absolute tool