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Original poster

I never look for offense, but "Do They Know its Christmas Tume" lyrics...

427 replies

SecondUsername4me · 23/12/2023 20:41

I mean, it's a bit iffy right?

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time,The greatest gift they'll get this year is life

The whole of Africa?

Where the only water flowing, Is the bitter sting of tears

On the whole continent?

Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

Err.....

OP posts:
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7
Jeannie88 · 24/12/2023 21:42

It was quickly and passionately made in the 80s by a man who wanted do all he could to help and look how much has been funded since. Yes some lyrics may sound a bit exaggerated but that's how Bob felt and hats off to him for indeed feeding the world!

CountessWindyBottom · 24/12/2023 22:08

I didn’t know one could ‘look’ for ‘offence’ 👀

Esmerelda2024 · 24/12/2023 22:15

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Lacyy · 24/12/2023 22:21

Always thought it's such a patronising song - 49% of the population are Christians, of course they know it's Christmas!

x2boys · 24/12/2023 22:29

Lacyy · 24/12/2023 22:21

Always thought it's such a patronising song - 49% of the population are Christians, of course they know it's Christmas!

Those Ethiopians that were dying in their thousands at the time e probably didn't give a fuck wethet r it was xmas or not the point is it raised a huge amount of money that was needed to feed them
I get in today,s eyes the lyrics can be considered as problematic. And patronising but the song did what it was intended to do .

Pointynoseowner · 24/12/2023 22:29

Yes its bloody terrible.

Lacyy · 24/12/2023 22:32

x2boys · 24/12/2023 22:29

Those Ethiopians that were dying in their thousands at the time e probably didn't give a fuck wethet r it was xmas or not the point is it raised a huge amount of money that was needed to feed them
I get in today,s eyes the lyrics can be considered as problematic. And patronising but the song did what it was intended to do .

Show quote history

The money could have been raised without the problematic lyrics.

stomachamaleon · 24/12/2023 22:35

@Lacyy actually at that time and that speedily I am not sure it could.

x2boys · 24/12/2023 22:41

Lacyy · 24/12/2023 22:32

The money could have been raised without the problematic lyrics.

Show quote history

Maybe but it took.them ten minutes to write them and then they got a load of famous singers to sing them and raise huge amounts of money
Rather than pissing around worrying about how future generations night view those lyrics

Aubree17 · 24/12/2023 22:41

The song was written many years ago before the hyper sensitive snowflake generation of today.

Does it matter how widespread it was? The poverty was real.

thecatsthecats · 24/12/2023 22:50

Allthatwegotisthispalebluedot · 23/12/2023 21:01

Is the ‘tonight thank god it’s them instead of you’ not meant to be taken in a slightly ‘there but for the grace of god go I’ sort of way? Bono makes the lyric sound very dramatic and overwrought - best line in the song IMO (but yes also wtf? How about no one has famine? Also is not finite amount of famine, we could all end up fucked).

It's very Siegfried Sassoon, isn't it?

"You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go."

Messyhair321 · 24/12/2023 23:09

Does anyone here's know that this song was written about the very real crisis happening at the time in Ethiopia? Children starving & people just dying because there was no food. It was a charity song, the first of its kind, designed to raise funds & awareness of this crisis. Personally I think it's a real song, a bit uncomfortable but Bob Geldof went to Africa as far as I remember, & openly cried, was incredibly moved by what was happening & live aid was born. I'm not a huge fan of Sir Bob but I think he did something good here. No-one needs to get picky about the words.

WingsofRain · 24/12/2023 23:12

ughChristmas · 23/12/2023 23:56

Anyone remember We Are The World? It was kind of like the American sister effort to this one.

I was going to say to the OP, if you think “Do They Know It’s Christmas” is bad, don’t listen to “We Are The World”. Even at the time I was utterly horrified by it.

Messyhair321 · 24/12/2023 23:12

Lacyy · 24/12/2023 22:32

The money could have been raised without the problematic lyrics.

Show quote history

No it couldn't. It raised awareness & people were on board. That's how the money was raised

Sensibleandboring · 25/12/2023 00:56

I actually think it’s musically impressive, cobbled together by midgure in about 10 minutes. But I always like his stuff

Christmasconcerts · 25/12/2023 01:14

WingsofRain · 24/12/2023 23:12

I was going to say to the OP, if you think “Do They Know It’s Christmas” is bad, don’t listen to “We Are The World”. Even at the time I was utterly horrified by it.

Show quote history

It’s very mawkish but what horrified you?

Blueink · 25/12/2023 01:25

MrsRachelDanvers · 23/12/2023 21:34

There but for the grace of God doesn’t mean thank god it’s not your problem. It’s an acknowledgment that due to circumstances/luck/mistakes it could be you in that situation. And therefore to show empathy and comradeship as you hope someone would show to you.

Show quote history

Yes, this.
It’s also meant to be a song of contrast eg hence mentioning snow in contrast to images shown in news reports, and the usual petty obsession with snow at Christmas.
It was well known to be referring specifically to Ethiopia, due to the context of the time.
It was the first charity single I remember and inspiring how quickly the artists of the time got together, but never seen as perfect.

Circularargument · 25/12/2023 02:11

bjs2310 · 23/12/2023 20:45

I'm from Africa and was living there when this song first came out. I hate it as a lot of patronising bollocks! Show me where the money raised from this song was spent and whose lives it changed and I might change my mind, but until then I cringe every time it is played Hmm

Much if it ended up in the hands of warlords. Sorry.

Boombadaboom · 25/12/2023 07:24

That’s exactly what I was thinking

bananamangoes · 25/12/2023 08:17

perhaps they should have sung

And there wont be snow in Ethiopia this Christmas time

🤔

TootsyPants · 25/12/2023 08:26

It a song of its time....I can't listen to it because of Bono. I want to punch him in the throat.

NooNakedJacuzziness · 25/12/2023 09:34

Programme on R4 now about it.

x2boys · 25/12/2023 09:40

People were not stupid in the 80,so don't I think.people thought the song referred to.the whole of Africa ,only the part of Africa we were seeing on the TV, with people dying in their bucket loads ,who didn't care that in the privileged West it was Xmas and cared more about he fact they and their children were starving

JustEnoughPlates · 25/12/2023 09:47

It’s fine to discuss it. Things can be discussed even if they have already been surely?! All the eye rolling at the OP because it’s been discussed before is making me roll my eyes!

I was a teen and thought it was the best thing ever when it came out. All those famous pop stars singing together, wow! The Bono line made me cringe but didn’t detract from how amazing I thought it was. And the images from Ethiopia were awful. They are still blazoned on my mind.

This was the first event of its kind. I cant emphasise how ‘big’ it felt.

Yes it has dated. Like Friends. The lyrics in part are indeed patronising and factually incorrect.

It is possible to be uncomfortable with lots of aspects of the song now. Whilst recognising the intent at the time then.

ImFloatingInAMostPeculiarWay · 25/12/2023 09:52

MrsTwatInAHat · 24/12/2023 10:32

And yes I remember Jim Davidson etc, and I remember finding him shockingly racist at the time. May I and my friends/family weren’t “of our time” either?

70s / 80s society wasn’t full of people with identical thought and attitudes, and racism, homophobia, misogyny, stereotyping etc were challenged then too - and amazingly, even before that!

What I meant was he was of the 1980s and lots of people (not you or myself) thought he and his like were acceptable