'Do They Know It's Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix' has just been released. The song was originally created by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 order to raise money for a famine in Ethiopia which eventually killed an estimated 1 million people.
Let's just remind ourselves of some of the lyrics:
'Pray for the other ones'
'Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears'
'Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you'
The answer to the question is, yes. Yes, 'they' do know it's Christmas. 'They' knew in 1984, 1994, 2004 and 2014, but were we too busy singing decade after decade, to actually ask 'them' whether or not this song is doing more harm than good? The song generated over £8million and no doubt helped many many people.
In recent days, people such as Fuse ODG and Ed Sheeran have voiced their displeasure at this song being released for the 5th time. Ed Sheeran's voice appears on the new mix, and he said that if he had a choice, he would have declined for his vocals to be used again.
"A decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed, eloquently explained by [Fuse ODG]. This is just my personal stance."
Bob Geldof's response to Ed Sheeran, I think, highlights the shortsightedness of the song and the general attitude towards this criticism. It is the idea that, just because something does good, it doesn't really matter how it's done. Geldof's response in The Sunday Times, was as follows (paraphrased my me), “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? Because of an abstract wealthy-world argument, regardless of its legitimacy?”
... just because something does good, it doesn't really matter how it's done.
I think many people have no problem with a song which generates money for people in need - the issue is, after 40 years, the language which back in 1984 distanced 'us' from 'them' hasn't been addressed. The lyrics put forward the idea that everything is great here, but over there... well... thank God it's them and not us. When folks like Fuse ODG say that the song has done more harm than good, it's to question the impact of a song which portrays Ethiopia (and the continent of Africa at large) as a place of famine and poverty, rather than a place of innovation, technology and culture. Ethiopia/places in Africa could be a potential holiday destination for many people, but to what extent do songs like this turn people away from visiting? Upon meeting someone from Ethiopia/a place in Africa, how quickly do images in one's mind turn to starving children, deserts and poverty?
In addition to this, the official artwork of the single depicts a naked child (I've edited the image above). Since when was it acceptable to show a vulnerable child in this way?
Over the years, there have been a few music videos that mock the Band Aid efforts, showing how some Africans view conditions in the UK and Europe.
While it's all fun, it makes a serious point. We have constantly been told that Africa needs help, without understanding how the UK, Europe, the Americas and other regions around the world have benefitted economically from the exploitation of Africans over hundreds of years. We need more music which informs us of how interconnected our stories are, and the wonders of the African continent as opposed to revisiting these saviour narratives decade after decade.
I wonder what the impact of a song would be, if prominent musicians came together to make a song about the impact of Brexit. Or foodbanks. Or homelessness.