Do they know it’s time to stop band aid?

[NoNoRehab]

Isn't it kind of racist and patronizing for the U.K. tabloids to claim a single African musician speaks for all Africans? Africa is a continent made up of many different countries, and I guarantee most of them will not care either way.

Face it, the goal is to raise money with Westerners and releasing a track of unknown in the U.K. African musicians is not going to get it. But people will buy a pop song sung by their favorite pop artist. I'm not going to buy it, but the sales speak for themselves. There's obviously a market for this song since it's been a hit three different times over the years.

[faithanne]

Lol the "ecoloons" would probably be my main charities after animals, but lately in the city they're becoming the most aggressive so my "green" charitable acts would probably be more local, like saving parkland or helping community gardens etc

And my local shelter has a shop where I buy all my expensive cat food and litter so they get the profits instead of the retailer. That's about the limit of my giving ability right now.

[witchcurlgirl]

Isn't it kind of racist and patronizing for the U.K. tabloids to claim a single African musician speaks for all Africans? .

It would be, except they aren't making that claim.

[Bellatheball]

I loved this cheesy ass song so much in the 80s. After hearing it again as an adult, the stupidity was astounding. No, there won't be snow in Africa at Christmastime. They were all such self important assholes but at least they raised awareness.

[A*O]

If the current generation of younglings took even a shred of interest in current affairs beyond their own street they wouldn't need a bunch of wanky celebs to "raise awareness" in the first place.

[Catty]

I always thought this line was fucked up:

“Tonight thank God it’s them instead of you,”

I always took that line to be more judgemental about the listener. It's easy to see suffering on the news but most people think "well, my loved ones are okay" and then switch the channel. The song is saying this is what most people are probably thinking and they shouldn't be.

[Kathie_Moffett]

Then why not re-work an old African song with English lyrics? Why re-hash this garbage and not stop and think "hey, that sounds kind of paternalistic, no?" Why not at least change the lyrics and make it half African musicians, half western? And they've had plenty of time, the Ebola epidemic started this spring but they waited until the holiday season (ka-ching) to unleash this musical monstrosity onto the world. There was time for a better song. Trust.

Oh yes there certainly was. Since the article itself sorta-quoted David Byrne ("Road To Nowhere") I shall point out that if he'd put something like this together, many African musicians would've been part of it. Likewise Peter Gabriel. But you wouldn't find them doing something this condescending and stupid to begin with....

The original song was a sickening wad of banal treacle so I imagine this is even worse.

Let's see if the $10m raised actually pays for some constructive help where it's needed instead of ending up in a Govt officials bloated Swiss bank account or a fleet of new Mercedes limos for various aid organisation administrators.

I am also offended that a bunch of millionaire "celebs" is putting out the begging bowl for the rest of us to fill.

Exactly. STFU and donate, Bono. Oh, but you won't even pay your fucking taxes in your own fucking country despite how badly Ireland could use the cash, so whatever.

[rollo]

Yeah, the reason celebs set up charities is for tax reasons. But still, there is a real cause out there and they had to raise money quickly. We don't actually know that they didn't donate anything themselves or they probably thought they did because ... tax reasons! Cynicism vs. people dying on the ground is very depressing.

[SHELLEE]

Ugh, I just know that it's that time of year when the girls play their Christmas channels in the office and this stupid ass song keeps coming on.

[*Wookie-Chick*]

Quite a few years ago Hugh Jackman was involved in a organization that had such a great solution to the problem.

Instead of pouring money into the troubled regions, the organization would buy farming equipment, gardening tools, seeds, grains etc for the people, so they were able to start growing food and help their communities.. it was such a fantastic idea.

i can't seem to find any information on it, but as it was at least 10-12 years ago that i heard Hugh talking about it (on TV) it may of shut down, unfortunately.

Hugh seems to do a lot a charity work especially for Africa (both the people and the Environment), which is very noble of him.

Unfortunately Bob Geldof is such a rude, arrogant wanker, that it very difficult to warm to him and want to help.

Remember in 2004 when they re-released it and Bono and Justin Hawkins (the lead singer of The Darkness) nearly got into a bitch-fight over who was going to sing that line.. "Tonight thank god it's them.."), it's all just so pathetic.

There are many other charities out there that just get on with it and don't do all this Pomp n Drama bullshite.

[Kittylady]

Let's see if the $10m raised actually pays for some constructive help where it's needed instead of ending up in a Govt officials bloated Swiss bank account or a fleet of new Mercedes limos for various aid organisation administrators.

I am also offended that a bunch of millionaire "celebs" is putting out the begging bowl for the rest of us to fill.

One of my ex BF's and his family decided to move to Africa chasing the promise of well paid engineering work not long after Band Aid. They went overland in a truck hauling all their belongings with them and while it was probably an amazing life experience they eventually headed home broke and disillusioned. His dad still went into fits of rage all those years later whenever Band Aid was mentioned on television or the radio as he says they saw tons of supplies left rotting because officials wouldn't sign the paperwork for it to be released without getting hefty backhanders which, of course, weren't forthcoming. He always said that Band Aid did more for Western people's conscience and ego than it did for the people it was meant to help. I don't know how much of that is the truth or just his ranting but that was his story and he stuck to it consistently.

Oh and doesn't this put a nice shine back on St Bob and St Bono's respective haloes after they became a little sullied by Peaches ODing on heroin in front of her baby and iTunes users being royally pissed about being force fed the new U2 album. Shame Bono didn't think to cough up his share of the reported $100 million Apple paid them for the album nobody wanted.

[gas_chick]

I loved the original song and still like to hear it today but yeah if you want to raise money again how about you try something all new and leave this to the 80's kids.

[panic]

I see why people hate the song, but I associate it with the holiday season because that's mostly when I hear it so it's grown on me in a good way.

[A*O]

Overseas aid is very often a total racket and very little of the donated money and goods actually reach their intended beneficiaries. The charities themselves have staff/admin salaries, perks and overheads to pay (generously sometimes). If any resources do arrive in the country it often gets siphoned AKA stolen by locals as institutionalised corruption is part of the culture and inescapable. Welcome to the third world.

I know a former very senior admin guy at Oxfam and he eventually left because he was so completely disillusioned by the realisation that these big charities are actually creating/adding to the problem rather than solving it.

[idunno]

I don't know how this celebrity-charity thing works, but I question how Bob Geldorf became super rich on Live Aid. It can't all have been royalties from 'I hate mondays' getting extra air play. A good chunk of the donations must have ended in sir Bob's pockets. People working for charities should get paid, of course, but should they become millionaires?