Band Aid 30

I just think it's utter shite! The original one was alright, every re-make since has been terrible. If they wanted to do a charity song they should have come up with something original.

Totally agree with this

Yeah, the lyrics are awful. I read a great piece by Fuse ODG on why he refused to take part - unfortunately for some reason my PC won't let me paste in the link. But the question is - do people dying of Ebola care? Do they mind which words some white pop stars they've probably never heard of sing, if it means they get much needed money? I don't know. And the issue of why Geldof doesn't just donate himself is a whole different one. I do think it's fascinating that for the first time, Band Aid is experiencing a backlash - it's a great demonstration of how society is changing.

But Geldof recruited Seal to sing: 'Bring peace and joy this Christmas to West Africa' in an african accent...

I haven't actually heard the reboot (and, from the reports I've heard, thank goodness) but my general opinion on this is that rehashing the same old thing is rarely a good idea.

From a charity employee perspective, I don't think celebs participating in something to raise awareness is a bad thing, but I do at least think they should be putting their money where their mouth is. I'm lucky enough to have worked with a number of celebs who do this, even if the gift they give is not thousands, they at least commit to the amount of money they're asking the public for - it's really not hard.

By the way, my absolute favourite proponent of the celebrity give is Patrick Stewart's "Ice Bucket Challenge", which is both funny and classy, and in the original spirit of the ask.

As and when I become famous and invited on to Strictly Come Dancing (which will obviously be any day now) I shall back all of this up myself, of course ?

Oh yeah, excellent point. I had forgotten Seal was even on it. And Emeli Sande too, come to think of it. Perhaps "British pop stars" would have been a better phrase in the circumstances.

I've been banging on about this to anyone who would listen ?

I disliked the second version, but this one I actively hate which is highly unlike me as I usually have a real soft spot for charity singles. I don't know if anyone heard Geldoff on Chris Evans' radio show a few weeks before he made the announcement that they would be remaking it, but at that point he was saying he wouldn't ever do anything connected with band aid again.

Kind of smacks of a little self-publicity after that doesn't it? Then the changed words are atrocious and I don't think it even sends the right message. In my humble opinion, if they were going to do something, a new song would have been better.

I still like the Dizzy Rascal bit on the last one ?.

It's started a conversation ...

I think if it raises awareness and money for a charity it can't be a bad thing (even if the lyrics are shockingly sh!te).

However, I think it's a bit rich (pardon the pun) for Geldof to publicly attack Adele for not participating when she actually did more 'good' by privately donating instead.

I actually prefer the new lyrics and hated the original! The line “Well, tonight thank God it’s them instead of you.” is horrible and I've always disliked ''And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmas time.”. Why would they want snow, we never get any at Christmas either. ? Meh they're both rubbish.

I have so far managed to avoid hearing this new version, I'm not sure I want hear it now!

I suppose it's meant to be that snow is traditionally festive and them not having any implies that their Christmas is worse than ours? It doesn't really take into account the practical difficulties that snow causes.

Ha! Course it doesn't snow in Africa at Christmas, South Africa is the other side of the equator, wrong season altogether anyway! I have had this song (the original) stuck in my head since I saw this post, thanks!

So have everyone at work!

Bit of a blonde question but has there been 30 band aid songs released? or has it always been called band aid 30?

Its been a long day!!

❤️

No...it's 30yrs since the original Band Aid single

It's called Band Aid 30 because it's 30 years since the original was released.

I heard this version for the first time yesterday, and I hate it:

1) the lyrics are sh!te ("Well, tonight we're reaching out and touching you" - isn't that kind of the last thing you want to do with an Ebola victim? At least without gloves and a mask?; "How can they know it's Christmastime at all?" - they know, they just don't care (the affected countries are mostly Muslim))

2) none of the singers on there can bl00dy sing! Some of them have dreadful tone (partly Sir Bob's fault for putting people who clearly aren't belters immediately after artists who feel the need to shout their lines out, so the difference is obvious), and at least two of them are painfully out of tune.

3) sort of feeds into 1) again, but is such a big thing it needs a bullet point of its own: "Feed the world". Seriously, Bob? You rewrite 90% of the song and leave in the one bit that has absolutely no relevance to the current crisis whatsoever? "Feed the world" makes good sense when you're trying to save the starving. It's not so helpful if you're raising money for people suffering from an illness which includes severe vomiting and diarrhea.

I have only heard it once and that was more than enough. As other people have said, then a new song would have been a better idea and hopefully more appropriate

I haven't heard the song, but have read some of the lyrics.

As soon as one-song-Bob had a go at Adele for giving to charity in a way he disagreed with I lost all remaining respect for him. Let her do her part the way she wants to. I doubt any of the money he raises will go anywhere useful. I read somewhere that they still haven't paid out all the money from the original Band Aid.

Personally I'd prefer to pay my money to a charity that has experience of dealing with these situations and doesn't just waltz in like Mr Superhero having a go at everyone else.

In short I think Bob Geldof has lost the plot.

Wasn't that keen on the first one, grumbled about the second and the third just makes me angry. Sir Bob can do one. Along with Bono.

Agree with every word Pompey. I also agree with BlissBalloons that the original "tonight thank God it's them instead of you" line is really horrible. Geldof is a sanctimonious prick and needs to bore off.

You know this one is the fourth, right? Or has everyone forgotten about Band Aid 2, featuring such musical greats as Bros and Sonia?

I think people forget about the 1990s version. I swear it's like once a decade Bob Geldoff suddenly starts panicking that he might run out of cash or people might forget that one thing he was famous for years ago. Have you seen he's asking people to delete it and re-download it to raise more money? You know, rather than just donating a fiver to one of the many high-profile charities that are already running campaigns to fight ebola (e.g. Unicef, Save the Children, DEC, Medicin Sans Frontieres, Action Aid, the British Red Cross, Oxfam etc, etc).