By Nell Geraets
Forty years ago, Do They Know It’s Christmas? was hailed as a monumental charitable act, an all-star anthem capable of feeding the hungry. But now, with its 40th anniversary re-release, its reception has become far more complicated.
This week, the “ultimate mix” of the song, which incorporates an array of famous voices from each of the past four versions, was released. It features vocals from the late singer Liam Payne, who died in October in Buenos Aires, as well as the late Sinead O’Connor and David Bowie.
Forty years ago, Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? was lauded as a charitable masterpiece. Now, people are looking at it very differently.
Led by Irish musician Bob Geldof and singer Midge Ure, Do They Know It’s Christmas? raised $15 million for Ethiopian famine relief within 12 months of its 1984 premiere. The charity supergroup, known as Band Aid, evolved over the years, as new versions of the song were recorded with different artists in 1989, 2004 and 2014.
However, despite its long-standing history, the 40th-anniversary release has come under scrutiny. British singer Ed Sheeran, who contributed to the 2014 version, blasted the recent “ultimate mix” on Instagram last week, claiming he had not been asked permission to be featured.
“Had I had the choice, I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals,” he wrote on his Instagram Story.
Alongside his comments, Sheeran re-posted a statement from rapper Fuse ODG, who argued the anthem is an example of white saviourism.
“While they may generate sympathy and donations, they perpetuate damaging stereotypes that stifle Africa’s economic growth, tourism and investment, ultimately costing the continent trillions and destroying its dignity, pride and identity,” the rapper wrote.
He went on to release his own charity song, We Know It’s Christmas, and promised that all of its profits would “go towards grassroots innovative projects that aim to better communities across Africa”.
ODG also spoke about the possible impact of Band Aid’s recent track on BBC’s breakfast show last week.
“It’s great that we’re raising money to help a crisis, that’s fantastic. But we need to be very wary of how we execute it, especially when there are lyrics like, ‘there’s no peace and joy in Africa this Christmas’ ... That was a crisis that happened in one place, but it was used to paint the whole continent.”
However, Geldof continues to defend the song, arguing that it is, and always has been, for a good cause.
“This little pop song has kept millions of people alive. Why would Band Aid scrap feeding thousands of children dependent on us for a meal? Why not keep doing that? Because of an abstract wealthy-world argument, regardless of its legitimacy?,” he told The Times of London earlier this month.
“No abstract theory, regardless of how sincerely held, should impede or distract from that hideous, concrete real-world reality. There are 600 million hungry people in the world – 300 million are in Africa. We wish it were other, but it is not. We can help some of them. That’s what we will continue to do.”
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