Anyone watch the making of Do They Know Its Christmas Doc on BBC

[I8toys]

Such a lovely slice of nostalgia. I now have major crush on Midge Ure - such a lovely creative and extremely calm man in the face of potential chaos.

Lovely to see the process and the genius of a young George Michael and Boy George bringing in the smut and humour.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I was 24 at the time, DS2 was a month away from being conceived.
In the later years I learned how disquieted Midge Ure was by the Geldof centric applause.
Watching this I understand why. He was the hands, Geldof, the Unmusical, was the chipped nail varnish. Travesty that it wasn't known as widely at the time.

And, while I'm no fan of Boy George because of his trans stance, I think he was as overwhelmed as everyone else there that day. I agree with a pp, we saw that he took time to say hello to a baby who shouldn't have been there

Oh, totally!

Why shouldn't babies have been there?

Exactly, it was a Sunday. I thought it refreshing seeing them toddling around and getting hugs.

It was a thing of its time and maybe we now view this historically?

My teenage daughter understands the problems with the the white savoir narrative and with Ethiopia's president saying he thinks the song dissuades investment in Ethiopia portraying his country as helpless with no agency to helps its own people it is time to stop. Also someone did point out that Ethiopia knew Christianity a long time before the UK........

With many parts of the world that are suffering from famine and deprivation being majority Muslim countries e.g. Sudan really how does the lyric 'Do they know it's Christmas' sound??

I think we are more diverse in society know and are a little more critically appraising so now is the time to may be put a lid on the box.....

I was trying to figure out what Annabel Giles was doing there as she appeared briefly but then remembered she married Midge.

what a little diva Boy George was

He can still be very unpleasant online.

I have very little time for the people who now criticise the whole concept of it, using 21st century values to do so. It came from an impulsive desire to do good, to use that celebrity power for something purposeful. There was no ‘white saviour’ narrative; there was a group of people (one man?) who saw unimaginable suffering and wanted to do something to help.

I’d take that guy over the people who sniff and sneer about how politically problematic it is any day of the week. Until they show me how they are getting off their arses and raising millions of pounds for charity themselves, of course.

From what I remember they basically said 'who can be at this studio on this day' and took whoever was available and willing

Kate Bush would have been awesome on the song. I wonder if she was asked?

Well said.

I honestly don't think she was much of a thing in 84.

The point of the record was that is was (largely) saleable pop artists with fan followings (possibly with added Weller for some cool!) - ergo Durannies, Spandau fans and Wham (or George anyway)

Midge Ure wrote the solos for male voices, although I am sure he would have changed it.

The biggest obvious female omission for 84 is Annie Lennox. She may have been touring. I can't remember of Eurythmics did Live Aid. Off to check!

Gary was in the doc a lot which kind of confirms the thinking that he was the attention seeker of pop ! Martin v quiet.

Just checked Kate B:

Biggest hits all around Wuthering Heights time (so late 70s - 80). Then Running Up That Hill was her UK reinvention and was in 85. This was also when Hounds of Love came out.

Hardly a reinvention when there was only 4 years between Babooshka and Band Aid. She released an album in 1985, maybe she was too busy working on that a the time.

That’s pretty unnuanced. It’s perfectly possible to acknowledge that many fairly problematic ‘white saviour’ initiatives were entirely well-intentioned and did some good, but are part of a fairly damaging colonial narrative.

Can someone tell me who was the blonde chap with the gold chain round his neck, singing with Simon le Bon, Paul Young and Tony Hadley (I think, or might have been GM) He was shown quite a lot, and i just can't place who he is.

Glenn Gregory. Heaven 17.

But it was a complete reinvention - it was a totally different genre and style. At the time, it was badged as a comeback. As I am old, I remember that clearly. It was much more stateside friendly. She literally did disappear in people's thoughts until then. Hounds of Love is the famous 1985 album.

I always took the "do they know its Christmas time at all"bit , not as religious but not having the food, presents, parties, warmth, decorations that lucky us in the UK would be enjoying

Ahhh. Brilliant thanks, I wasn't really a massive fan of theirs but he seemed really good as well

I just came across the spparent open secret that Sade turned it down. She did do Live Aid, however. Human League also reputed to have refused.

It could have been so much worse. The Band Aid participants were quite cool compared to other big acts at the time... Cliff, Bucks Fizz, Dollar, Shaky.

I really enjoyed the programme- I was impressed at how the song sounded so good as some of the performers appeared to be struggling a little in the first few run throughs (understandably!).
It was very much of its time, but shows what a desire to make a difference can do.
Definitely agree re George Michael being super talented (he seemed head a shoulders above some) and Midge Ure being the main driving force (and never being recognised as such).

I saw Paula, George and the Status Quo bloke who did I miss?

I was struck by what a joyless, chaotic day it seemed. All hanging about looking bored, singing their 3 words over and over again.

OK - please share the nuanced way you would have addressed the problem that Geldof saw in 1984 to avoid becoming part of a fairly damaging colonial narrative? In all seriousness, what should he have done?