I think the coolest benefit song of all time is "Do They Know it's Christmas" by Band Aid - I think it had some of the best artists contributing to it and the genius of Bob Geldof who organized it.

I think the coolest benefit song of all time is "Do They Know it's Christmas" by Band Aid - I think it had some of the best artists contributing to it and the genius of Bob Geldof who organized it.


I wholeheartedly agree!!! I picked that one as well. It kicks both "We Are The World" and "Tears Are Not Enough" (the Canadian Ethiopian famine relief effort) in the arse!!! ;D

But let's not forget that, while Bob Geldof organised the whole thing and got everyone together, it was he and Ultravox' Midge Ure who wrote the song!! ;)

Absolutely Vile

Definitely "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Kryllith

Do They Know Its Christmas is one of my favorite songs. Benefit or otherwise.

Do They Know It's Christmas definitely.  I felt We are the World was a bunch of artists just copying what Geldof had done.

Another vote for "Do They Know It's Christmas?"  :)

The Band Aid effort is pretty hard to top...(apparently, Live Aid 2 is on its way...)

That said (and us Brits are something of a sucker for a 'charidee' record), I do have a soft spot for Bananarama*/LaNaNeeNeeNooNoo's take on 'Help' (for Comic Relief 1989)...


*...no laughing, please!

"Do They Know It's Christmas"  8)




Let's not forget Hear N' Aid. (Though I like to forget about it since it's a very long song)

Do They Know It's Christmas was definitely the best.  I also liked Stars by Hear N' Aid and Sun City, but I can't remember what they called themselves for that group....I know that Little Steven organized it.

I'm sorry, but I never could stomach We Are the World.  :P

The Band Aid effort is pretty hard to top...(apparently, Live Aid 2 is on its way...)

That said (and us Brits are something of a sucker for a 'charidee' record), I do have a soft spot for Bananarama*/LaNaNeeNeeNooNoo's take on 'Help' (for Comic Relief 1989)...


*...no laughing, please!


What about Cliff Richard and The Young Ones doing "Living Doll?" That was great! Hilarious! ;D

Absolutely Vile

"Do They Know it's Christmas?"

"Do They Know it's Christmas?" - But I do like "We Are The World" very much also. :)

Do They Know It's Christmas was definitely the best.  I also liked Stars by Hear N' Aid and Sun City, but I can't remember what they called themselves for that group....I know that Little Steven organized it.

I'm sorry, but I never could stomach We Are the World.  :P


I think the group that did Sun City called themselves Artists Against Apartheid.

Do They Know it's Christmas

I also like We are the World.

Do They Know It's Christmas definitely.  I felt We are the World was a bunch of artists just copying what Geldof had done.


Actually, I thnk Geldof was involved in "We are the World", too.

We are the world is my fav.  I also like "Voices that care"...anyone remember that one?  I guess I dont know "do they know its christmas"  :-\\

Do They Know it's Christmas?

I liked "Sun City," but I wish Peter Garrett got to sing a few more lines.

The Band Aid effort is pretty hard to top...(apparently, Live Aid 2 is on its way...)

That said (and us Brits are something of a sucker for a 'charidee' record), I do have a soft spot for Bananarama*/LaNaNeeNeeNooNoo's take on 'Help' (for Comic Relief 1989)...


*...no laughing, please!


Band Aid for me as well.

I remember Bananarama with French and Saunders as well!

I don't think I realised how many charity records have been done in Britain. Here are a few . . .

'You'll never walk alone' - Crowd (Football disaster)
'With a little help from my friends' - Wet Wet Wet (Childline)
'Let it be' - Crowd (Ferry Disaster)
'Ferry across the Mersey' - Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson, Christians, Stock Aitken Waterman and Gerry Marsden (Hillsborough Football Disaster)
'Knockin' on heavens door' - Dunblane (Dunblane shooting disaster)

That's excluding The Comic Relief songs . . .

'Living Doll' - Cliff Richard and The Young Ones
'Stonk' - Hale and Pace
'Stick it out' - Right Said Fred

I Love "We Are The World". I can't resist Cyndi Lauper's part. It gets me every time.

SmithsGirl

 I guess I dont know "do they know its christmas"   :-\\
Oh, I would highly recommend trying to find it on the internet or seeing if a friend has a copy. I think they still play it on top 40 stations during Christmas time.

We are the world is my fav.  I also like "Voices that care"...anyone remember that one?  I guess I dont know "do they know its christmas"  :-\\

Yeah, it's typically played at Christmas, though not nearly as much as a lot of crap that gets played. When I djed around Christmas time I'd mostly play "Do They Know it's Christmas?" for my Christmas music, though I tossed a few other 80s Christmas songs.

I remember "Voices That Care". My mother bought the video for it. Course it was released in the 90s... :)

Kryllith

The opening strains of...*Do They Know It's Christmas?* tug on my heartstrings, even almost 20 years later.

We Are the World

I voted We Are The World... Kenny Loggins was ace, as was the young MJ.

Though my vote would've gone to the 1986 Charity record "Cantare Cantaras"... which had Julio Iglesias, Gloria Estefan, Menudo, Irene Cara, Placido Domingo and other "Latino" artists. Great great song! Worth tracking down or downloading! It's all in Spanish - which I don't understand - but still.

Most definitely "Do They Know It's Christmas"....however I wasn't overly impressed with the updated version that was released in the last couple of years. Still prefer the original!!  ;)

Though my vote would've gone to the 1986 Charity record "Cantare Cantaras"... which had Julio Iglesias, Gloria Estefan, Menudo, Irene Cara, Placido Domingo and other "Latino" artists. Great great song! Worth tracking down or downloading! It's all in Spanish - which I don't understand - but still.

Are we allowed to quote ourselves?  :D

Either way it saves a lot of explaining. Just to say I've found my song on You Tube! In addition to the stars above you'll also spot Richard "the plane the plane" Montalban, Cheech, Apollonia and of course a young Ricky Martin from Menudo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSclk7CO404

Definitely Do They Know it's Christmas?

I think the group that did Sun City called themselves Artists Against Apartheid.


Correctamundo!

Back at the time it was an issue, I didn't even agree with disinvestment as a policy stick to get DeKlerk and company to join the late 20th century, but I still loved the song.  At least he had the sense to dismantle his big boom-toys and biolabs before abdicating.  All worked out in the end. 

Actually , my favorite was the one benefitting the free-range chickens.  :D ;D

"Do They Know It's Christmas" for me.  Last year I made a disco-house type remix of that track.