Meandering Missive: "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Monday, November 14, 2005

"Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Some people declare that the holiday season is officially upon us when grocery and drug stores start selling Christmas cards and candy canes or Hallmark shops bring out the yearly commemorative ornaments. *grin*

I like to declare it by something subtler: the first time I hear Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? on the radio in November -- and I just heard it today! :D There's something about this song that really stirs me, even though I've heard it for 21 years. (JEEZ that makes me feel old!) The lyrics are, of course, moving, but there's something about the melody that's downright haunting (in a good way)! Some things you just can't explain; you just feel.

If you're under 30, you may know of Band Aid after-the-fact, but you probably didn't watch (or don't recall watching) the video on MTV or hearing "Do They Know It's Christmas" on the radio back in 1984. Band Aid's organizers were Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, who wrote the song Band Aid sang. (Am I leaving out another songwriter?)

Band Aid was a huge number of popular singers and bands from the U.K. and Ireland (many in my favourite genres of "new wave" and "synth pop") who got together to record this song. It was an effort to raise awareness of famine and to "feed the world" (part of the chorus), although the funding actually just benefited Africa. (Ethiopia mainly)

In 1985, this would later influence and inspire the United States' We Are the World, another smash hit performed by USA for Africa. This was a veritable who's who of American singers and bands at the time. Quincy Jones produced the project, and Lionel Ritchie and Michael Jackson wrote the lyrics.

Later in 1985, July 13 to be precise, we had Live Aid. (Great info here and here). Also organized by Geldof and Ure as a famine-reliever, it was a 16-hour concert extravaganza in London and Philadelphia with performers from England, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan and elsewhere. Some folks hailed this as the "Woodstock of the 80s." I think Band Aid was far and away better than Woodstock for many reasons, but that's neither here nor there.

At any rate, if you'd like more info about any of these three events, please click the links. The Band Aid link also has a Midi file of the song, but I must warn you that it's NOT the original melody. It's close, but there are some places where the rhythm, meter and actual notes are jarringly different. I don't know how to compose electronic music, but I'd think it's just as easy to get it right than to get it wrong. Anyway, enough rambling. :) I'm going to stop walking down memory lane and get ready for bed. (My melatonin is kicking in!)

Today I am feeling reminiscent and

sleepy.

posted by ScaryShari @ 10:53 PM

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