In 1984, Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats teamed up with Ultravox’s Midge Ure to create one of the most politically influential singles of the 20th century, “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” The song was born out of a sincere concern about the famine in Ethiopia, and it aimed to raise funds to target that cause.
The song’s “supergroup” included British and Irish musicians who flew over to London to record the emotional (yet controversial) lyrics. Some sentences were a bit off, and many claimed that the song misunderstood Ethiopia’s problems altogether. In any case, Geldof argues he meant well.
Here’s the story of this iconic Christmas carol.