Do They Know It’s Christmas? Yes. Did the Song Help? Maybe

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.

George Michael and Elton John at Live Aid with their arms around their shoulders / The Bananarama’s arriving to record the Band-Aid single / Boy George posing with his lips pursed during the recording for the Band-Aid in 1984 / Elton John and Bob Geldof posing in the stadium for the Live Aid concert / The singers of the Band-Aid single posing together for a group shot I the studio / Boy George, and Simon Le Bon having coffee backstage at the Live Earth concert to perform the Band-Aid single

Photo by FG, Bauer-Griffin, Getty Images / Larry Ellis, Express Newspapers, Getty Images / Dave Hogan, Getty Images / Peter Stone, Daily Mirror, Mirrorpix, Getty Images / Steve Hurrell, Redferns, Getty Images / Steve Hurrell, Redferns, Getty Images

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.