Do They Know Do They Know It's Christmas?

[Loony BoB]

It's Christmastime,
there's no need to be afraid
At Christmastime,
we let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty
we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world
at Christmastime

But say a prayer,
pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it's hard,
but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window,
and it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing
is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there
are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them
instead of you

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life(Oooh)
Where nothing ever grows
No rain or rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Here's to you raise a glass for everyone
Here's to them underneath that burning sun
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Feed the world
Feed the world
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again

Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again

I was chatting in #eoff and it's come to my attention that some people don't even know what is probably the biggest charity song in history, and was a #1 in it's time and (although sung by a much lesser group of people) may well be #1 again right now for all I know.

The above song was sung by Adam Clayton (U2), Phil Collins, Bob Geldof, Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Chris Cross (Ultravox), John Taylor (Duran Duran), Paul Young, Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran), Simon Crowe, Marilyn, Keren Woodward (Bananarama), Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet), Jody Watley, Bono (U2), Paul Weller, James Taylor, George Michael, Midge Ure (Ultravox), Martin Ware (Heaven 17), John Keeble (Spandau Ballet), Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet), Roger Taylor (Duran Duran), Sarah Dullin (Bananarama), Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama), Peter Briquette, Francis Rossi (Status Quo), Robert 'Kool' Bell, Dennis Thomas, Andy Taylor (Duran Duran), Jon Moss (Culture Club), Sting, Rick Parfitt (Status Quo), Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Johnny Fingers, David Bowie, Boy George, Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) and Paul McCartney.

For those who don't know, this was released the same time as USA For Africa released We Are The World, however this one's more of a Christmas song (and is in my opinon a lot more to the point and far less manufactured/poppish). So, while we all have happy days, I figured someone should bring up in this forum that we should inded spare a thought, a prayer, a dollar or a quid to the hungry, homeless, starving, sick, dying people around the world. But at the very least, the thought and prayer.

I was gonna make this thread as a "Let's all sing a few lines each out of the song and compile them just like they did!" kind of thing but then (for the whatever-ith time) the lyrics hit home so it ended up like this. Whoop.

So tonight, thank God it's them instead of you.

[Psychotic]

I hate that song. I hate the video. I hate the people in the new version. I'll just donate to charity without buying a horrible song instead

[Craig]

The new version sucks so much.

[Loony BoB]

I'm not asking whether you like it, I'm asking people to see the point of it. =P Don't spam up the thread with that crap.

[theundeadhero]

I remember they got pissed off because a bunch of Heavy Metal artists got together at the same time and made thier own Christmas thing to say they could do it too.

[fire_of_avalon]

I hear that song about five times a day. I don't really understand the point of manufacturing stuff like that as a one time event to give to charity. Why don't they give their incomes for this cause? Because they suck, and they do what they do because of guilt.

Guilt is the wrong reason to do charity work. However, as BoB has implied, gratitude for the life you have is the right reason. Yay BoB for this thread. Let's all of us go work in a homeless shelter, mmkay?

[Yamaneko]

The '80's are back!

My family sends clothes to needy people. My grandmother especially sends a lot to Russia and Belarus.

[Loony BoB]

I hear that song about five times a day. I don't really understand the point of manufacturing stuff like that as a one time event to give to charity. Why don't they give their incomes for this cause? Because they suck, and they do what they do because of guilt.

To be fair, the amount of money they contribute to charity probably far outshines anything we give, so I'm grateful for 'em anyway. Also, the amount of money given to charity apparently (according to research by someone in my newspaper's letters page) outshines how much they themselves would have been able to give.

[Psychotic]

To be fair, the amount of money they contribute to charity probably far outshines anything we give, so I'm grateful for 'em anyway. Also, the amount of money given to charity apparently (according to research by someone in my newspaper's letters page) outshines how much they themselves would have been able to give.

I don't remember this well, but when I was 6 I remember sitting in assembly and hearing a bible story.

Some rich man gave a lot of money to charity. A LOT. But then a poor woman gives one coin to charity, as it was all she has. Jesus says she will go to heaven because she has given all she can, whereas the rich man has not.

[Loony BoB]

I don't remember this well, but when I was 6 I remember sitting in assembly and hearing a bible story.

Some rich man gave a lot of money to charity. A LOT. But then a poor woman gives one coin to charity, as it was all she has. Jesus says she will go to heaven because she has given all she can, whereas the rich man has not.

Yup! I know that one too. However, although I'm not sure on every artist, I do know that quite often they put huge amounts of their budget and life towards charities. Bono in particular is very vocal on humanitarian issues (AIDS in particular), too. I've been pretty surprised at the amounts they give.

Jesus also said "Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone." Don't say they should give more until you've given all you have. I know I'm too greedy to do that, myself (although I'm in debt, I could probably give more than I do, if, say, I sold my PC).

[fire_of_avalon]

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, what they do. I'm just saying I feel it's usually motivated by the wrong reasons. There are some fine examples of celebrities who would probably be highly involved in charity work regardless of their fame.

However, the point I failed to make was there are much much more important things involving charity. Time. What good is the nicest homeless shelter in the world without the volunteers to staff it? And you don't see many celebrities give up their time like that.

I think I'm just playing Devil's advocate now, seeing as we basically agree that charity is good and everyone should do it, so I'll hush.

[Baloki]

Orginal = classic

New one = Urge... to... kill... rising....

The only reason I will buy the new one and not cut out the middle man by going to Oxfam is because it has the orginal and the orginal live version

[Cz]

This post is going to be divided in to sections, since I've got a number of points to make, but can't really link them together with decent paragraphing.

On the song: It's an awful song, no doubt. They tried to inject some character into this one (with Justin's glam-rock guitar solo, Dizee Rascal's raps and Dido's...lack of character) but failed miserably. Not that the original was any good either. As a song, even a Christmas song, it's dreadful (especially Bono's line, which everyone seems to adore for some reason). I know it's for a good cause and all, but that's the only reason that anyone should purchase this CD.

On the participants: It seems that everyone over thirty in the country finds it amusing that they've got no idea who any of the participants are. They remain blissfully unaware that everyone under thirty looks back on the original version and thinks the same thing. It's actually rather impressive that they've managed to gather such a group of people for what should have been a cheap remake. It's nice to see that they're taking this seriously, at least.

On their motives: If a few dozen ordinary people were to get together and release a Christmas single, with all the profits going to charity, it would go nowhere. These celebrities are using their position as public figures to facilitate a massive charitable event, and in doing so will turn lives around, and save many more. They could give a large chunk of their earnings to charity, but why should they have to do that simply because they can? If they hadn't made the effort to record this single then no money would be going to charity at all, so in getting the ball rolling they've done far more than they could have achieved simply by donating all of their cash directly.

On charitability in general: Guilt is not a good reason to give to charity, correct. But it is a reason to give to charity. If it takes a bit of guilt to make someone donate to a worthy cause, then so be it, and to hell with having morally righteous motives. I don't give to charity under normal circumstances, and I'm rarely moved to do so by those godawful telethons, but if a worthy cause comes along I'll donate. It won't be because some celebrity got splattered with cream or coloured goo, but because it is worth donating to. That's what motivates me to give money to the less fortunate. If someone else is motivated by guilt, don't criticise them for it, because they're still motivated. The recepients of your aid don't care why you donated, they're just happy that you did. In the case of charitable donation, the end really does justify the means.

This isn't a reply to anyone in particular, just an expression of what I think. If you don't agree, though, please feel free to call me a big jerk.

[Baloki]

This isn't a reply to anyone in particular, just an expression of what I think. If you don't agree, though, please feel free to call me a big jerk.

I do agree with most of it but I want to call you a big jerk anyway

[Dr.K]

I despise the new version with a passion - but the original version is easily my favourite christmas song, and probably one of my general faves - it had all the mainstream musical legends of the time. The new version sadly seems to have been forced....with cringeworthy results.