Do They Know It's Christmas

ye but it gets the problem in the public eye, and then little kids will find it catchy and buy it, it just publisises' it and gets peoplke more aware,. It may be patronising, it may be fuiking godly and bible bashing, but its helping people, and though this sounds very shallow at least when u buy this ur helping someone and getting something ur self (the record). As an aferthough, they probly dont no its christmas time becasue they probly dont belive in jesus. I don';t liek the recored but its for a good cause.

it is irrelevant wat u think of the song, nightfreak and noggins, because it surpasses like or dislike. ur opinions are insignificant, what matters is it is now on course to raise over £10million this year.

Merry Christmas!

I hate how everyone is over-thinking & criticizing this song!!! If you weren't alive in the early '80's & your only reading the lyrics then maybe... But I remember when there was no satellite tv & every channel was covering the famine in Ethiopia - the REASON for this song!!! If anyone ever looked at a map, there are no rivers in Ethiopia, only a few scattered bodies of water..not to mention, a holy place & majority Christian. They were experiencing serious drought, huge dust storms, disease with no medical near by, & everything & everyone was dying!! Nothing grows without rain. The song was done quickly after Thansgiving; telling others while your celebrating remember what's happening elsewhere- don't take your blessings for granted & also give to others! People tend to be more giving at Christmas & at that time of year, radios only play Christmas music. This disaster wasn't any different than the tsunamis & hurricanes of today, just wasn't as much coverage in those days. I'll never forget those images of those people; starving, in the desert-like conditions, having to watch every thing around them slowly die.. When you're living a humble life with no frills, trying to feed your children, your village, you forget about everything else. It changed people's lives. Stop judging things you don't know about or what others did to try to help! And yes, the greatest gift those in Ethiopia, Africa got that year was life- they survived with help of food & water from the outside!!! GET A GRIP PEOPLE!! THERE ISNT ANYTHING CONDESENDING ABOUT THIS SONG!!! IT STATED TRUE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT TIME (1984) IN HISTORY!!! STOP PICKING IT APART WORD BY WORD!!! Instead, remember any of those who are having to do without the basic needs of life; give to others & do your part to help our world, rather than sit back & think "thank God it's them & not me" - just as implied in this song. As Mother Teresa said, "if you can't feed many, then at least feed one". As far as the "saying"(as stated below) -"give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, you feed him for a lifetime" - ITS NOT A SAYING - YOU'RE QUOTING JESUS CHRIST TO HIS DISCIPLES!

Stop busying your lives with overthinking & criticism - busy yourselves with kindness, love & helping your fellow man! God's peace to all

Does anyone know who sings which bit of this song?

I think it is obvious what this song is about but I will say what I think anyways. It is saying that at Christmas time you should take some time and pray for the people who are way less fortunate than you. Its hard to when you are having fun but outside your window....in other countries there are people who might now even know that it is Christmas time. There is no snow, no rain or rivers...just them and the burning sun. They won't be getting any gifts....just the gift of life and that you should be thankful for what you have.

Hate this song and I hate the fucking remake.

Not just because its musically awful.

Why not just send money directly, rather than buying this cheesy, patronising, shitty-sleb-ego-stroking pile of shit?

I like this song, personally i like the original more though. Hey you don't nesicarily have to beleve in jesus to celebrate christmas, i don't beleive in god/jesus etc... at all but we still celebrate as most of my freinds do too. and anyway the "do they know its christmas at all?" lyric is really just putting the message thru to help the helpless. i agree with you too torrance21.

Haha, Band-Aid, hilarious. I'm going to go and buy it just for the kitschy value.

But what I really want is the Live Aid DVD. My flatmate has it on video from when it was on TV, but her video sucks. Go Bono with the Guinness Mullet!