Band Aid's legendary "Do They Know It's Christmas?" single will be released for the third time by the end of this year. Big hit from December 1984 will be in shops 20 years later too. Alongside its 1985 remix which featured Christmas messages by the artists like David Bowie and Paul McCartney, the new release will include Band Aid II's Stock Aitken & Waterman 1989 re-work of the song as well.

http://www.cherryicecream.net/history/images/bandaid.jpg

Band Aid's original line-up:

Bananarama
Bob Geldof & The Boomtown Rats
Culture Club (Boy George & John Moss)
David Bowie
Duran Duran
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Heaven 17 (Glenn Gregory & Martin Ware)
Jody Watley
Kool And The Gang (Robert Bell, James Taylor & Dennis Thomas)
Marilyn
Ultravox (Midge Ure & Chris Cross)
Paul Young
Phil Collins
Spandau Ballet
Status Quo
Sting
The Style Council
U2 (Bono & Adam Clayton)
Wham!

"Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984) facts:

Released: December 9th 1984
Highest chart position: UK#1, US#13
Plateau status: multi-platinum selling single
Notes: the biggest selling single of the '80s
         

Band Aid II's line-up:

Bros
Cliff Richard
Chris Rea
Jason Donovan
Kylie Minogue
Lisa Stansfield
Marti Pellow (Wet Wet Wet)
Matt Goss
Sonia

"Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1989) facts:

Released: December 17th 1989
Highest chart position: UK#1


http://www.hellodita.com/bandaid.html

I am banging my head trying to remember the name of the Canadian song for the Band Aid type refief effort.  Same idea as we are the world / do theey know it's Christmas...........

Anybody help my headache?

I am banging my head trying to remember the name of the Canadian song for the Band Aid type refief effort.  Same idea as we are the world / do theey know it's Christmas...........

Anybody help my headache?



The song was called "Tears Are Not Enough", while the featured artists were: Bryan Adams, John Candy, Corey Hart, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell, Anne Murray, Aldo Nova, Oscar Peterson, Mike Reno, Neil Young and yet several others. It was released on "We Are The World" (1985) Various Artists album.
Chicago ("Good For Nothing"), Huey Lewis & The News ("Trouble In Paradise"), Steve Perry ("If Only For The Moment Girl"), The Pointer Sisters ("Just A Little Closer"), Prince & The Revolution ("4 The Tears In Your Eyes"), Kenny Rogers ("A Little More Love"), Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band ("Trapped") and Tina Turner ("Total Control") contributed their own songs to it as well.
If only the album could be released on CD.

I bought the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 7 inch back when it came out, and I now also have the 12 inch. I like it a lot more than the Band Aid II remake, and especially more than "Tears Are Not Enough" and "We Are The World!" Band Aid was the original, and by far the best one!!

By the way...it wasn't Midge Ure and Ultravox, it was Midge Ure and Chris Cross of Ultravox. ;)

Absolutely Vile

I bought the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 7 inch back when it came out, and I now also have the 12 inch. I like it a lot more than the Band Aid II remake, and especially more than "Tears Are Not Enough" and "We Are The World!" Band Aid was the original, and by far the best one!!

By the way...it wasn't Midge Ure and Ultravox, it was Midge Ure and Chris Cross of Ultravox. ;)

Absolutely Vile


I have it on 12-inch (American Columbia release to be precise) too, AV! My dad bought it for me when I was just 6 years old back in 1984 when it came out. And I like it better than the Band Aid II remake, "Tears Are Not Enough" and "We Are The World" as well. It was the first song in music history to collect so many strong names ever. It forced Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie to write "We Are The World". See, it is a miraculous work of your beloved Midge and Sir Bob Geldof. And yes, it was just Midge and Chris Cross out of Ultravox to take part in it indeed. Thanx for this little correction, matey!  :) ;)
 

So,How are they gonna release it for a 3rd time? I don't get it. ???


Howard

http://www.hellodita.com/grab5.jpg


Wow,I can't believe this picture is 20 years old. :o



Howard

So,How are they gonna release it for a 3rd time? I don't get it. ???


Howard


The single was originally released in December 1984, then for a second time at the same time a year later including the aforementioned remix with Christmas messages by David Bowie and Paul McCartney amongst others and this one will be the third time it is going to be released. So there!

I should have seen this one coming lol. It's a nice idea but I feel that some things should be left in it's proper time. The teeny-boppers that will buy this record will have little idea who the people are singing on it. I guess this release's funds are going to charity as well?

I loved tracking the singers numbered silhouettes to their names on the single sleeve.  ;D

Why don't they just release it as a rap song like "We Are The World"?  ;D


Howard

I should have seen this one coming lol. It's a nice idea but I feel that some things should be left in it's proper time. The teeny-boppers that will buy this record will have little idea who the people are singing on it. I guess this release's funds are going to charity as well?

I'm sure Sir Bob and Midgey will see that it does go to charity... As for the teeny-boppers having little idea who those people are, at least they'll be learning about GOOD music!!! ;)

I loved tracking the singers numbered silhouettes to their names on the single sleeve.  ;D


My 7 inch doesn't have that, but my 12 inch does! When I bought it (which was somewhat recently), I was looking at it going, "Oh there's Midge!" (as if I shouldn't have recognised him right off in the first place!) "Oh and Chris Cross was that little short thing in the back!" Etc...etc...etc... It was great fun rediscovering who was who (besides the obvious recognisable people) and finding out who some of those people I'd wondered about for years were. :D

Absolutely Vile

I'm sure Sir Bob and Midgey will see that it does go to charity... As for the teeny-boppers having little idea who those people are, at least they'll be learning about GOOD music!!! ;)

Very true, Vile. As long as they don't mess with the song - that's all I ask of the music industry . . .  ::)

My 7 inch doesn't have that, but my 12 inch does! When I bought it (which was somewhat recently), I was looking at it going, "Oh there's Midge!" (as if I shouldn't have recognised him right off in the first place!) "Oh and Chris Cross was that little short thing in the back!" Etc...etc...etc... It was great fun rediscovering who was who (besides the obvious recognisable people) and finding out who some of those people I'd wondered about for years were. :D


Yeah. Bands like the Style Council and Kool and the Gang were some I lost track of.

Very true, Vile. As long as they don't mess with the song - that's all I ask of the music industry . . .  ::)

Well, it is being re-released in its original form, yeah? It's not being redone...like Band Aid II <shudder>...

Yeah. Bands like the Style Council and Kool and the Gang were some I lost track of.


There were some people I wondered for years who they were, and that lovely diagram helped me out. :) I know I'd seen it before I bought the 12 inch, but I don't remember where.

Kool & The Gang were in Band Aid?!

Absolutely Vile

I'm sure Sir Bob and Midgey will see that it does go to charity... As for the teeny-boppers having little idea who those people are, at least they'll be learning about GOOD music!!! ;)


Absolutely true, AV! Sir Bob and Midge WILL see it going to charity and the teeny-boppers will learn what GOOD pop is indeed. They'll know David Bowie, Duran Duran, Sting, U2 and George Michael but it would be very hard for them to tell who Marilyn or Jody Watley for example are.




Well, it is being re-released in its original form, yeah? It's not being redone...like Band Aid II ...

Kool & The Gang were in Band Aid?!

Absolutely Vile


Yep!

It "IS" going to be released in its "original" single form...

...And Kool & The Gang were in Band Aid indeed. But only Robert Bell, James Taylor and Dennis Thomas, not the whole group.

Why don't they just release it as a rap song like "We Are The World"?  ;D


Howard


;D

..... They'll know David Bowie, Duran Duran, Sting, U2 and George Michael but it would be very hard for them to tell who Marilyn or Jody Watley for example are.



It "IS" going to be released in its "original" single form...




According to a radio report I heard this morning it is not the original being re-released but a new version with The Darkness, Travis and, I think, Coldplay amongst others.

According to a radio report I heard this morning it is not the original being re-released but a new version with The Darkness, Travis and, I think, Coldplay amongst others.


Probably alongside the original, its remix and the Band Aid II remake will include it too. I've read so on a couple of places.

Nothing can be as good as the original.

According to a radio report I heard this morning it is not the original being re-released but a new version with The Darkness, Travis and, I think, Coldplay amongst others.


Oh God, NO!!!!!! :o

Absolutely Vile

Nothing can be as good as the original.
Ditto.

I think my dad may have recorded that one. I hope the second one is as good.

;D


Hey,it seems they're gonna butcher the song "We Are The World" so why not "Do They Know It's Christmas"? ::)


Howard

Nothing can be as good as the original.



Yes.You definitely have a point there,JTH. :)



Howard

Hey,it seems they're gonna butcher the song "We Are The World" so why not "Do They Know It's Christmas"? ::)

Howard


;D Ditto!

And nothing can beat the original! Damn right! ;)