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One of my shameful holiday pleasures is the cloying, condescending, tone-deaf “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by British New Wave super group Band Aid. At least, that’s how the tune would be described if it were written today.
At the time, it was a progressive project: the Ethiopian Civil War and related famine inspired the songwriters, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, to write a song to raise funds for the people there. That’s actually quite noble, and it’s an enjoyable and fun song.
It also spawned millions of pounds in sells and royalties to help Africans, and sparked the United States to respond with “We Are the World” in 1985 (and, later, a heavy metal variant).
I’m not sure how it was received upon its release in 1984, but many of the lyrics are unintentionally hilarious. Today the very same progressives who can’t wait to sign on to the latest cringe, woke charity project would call these lyrics Eurocentric or anti-African
My favorite line is “And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmastime.” Never mind Mount Kilimanjaro, which stays capped in snow year-round.
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The Portly Politico 
Tina and I call this song Guilt Aid, because that’s pretty much what it is. A bunch of overpaid primadonnas wailing at you to dig deep and help. Not that it ever matters.
The causes for which they were wailing have received billions if not trillions for the last 60 or so years and they’re still in poverty which proves that the money is not going where it’s supposed to. So the stars of Guilt Aid can whine and wail as much as they like and if poor saps are suckered in by it, more the fool them. Me? I like to know if my money is going where it is supposed to be going.
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Hahaha, “Guilt Aid!” Very apt. Maybe the money is going to keep snow out of Africa.
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Think about it though. Those destitute countries in Africa have been receiving trillions every year for about 60 or more years. Those countries should be on a par with the richest countries in the world and yet they’re still poor, their children still dying from starvation. Where has all that money gone? It’s not just foreign aid from our country, it’s charitable donations from things like Guilt Aid. And that’s just our country. How much money is being funnelled in from other countries, yours included?
It’d be interesting to find out where that money has gone and is still going.
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It’s going to the organizations themselves or going to corrupt officials in those countries. It’s all a shell game!
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Can you mail me this piece, mate? I can’t see it because of the subscription. Cheers. 🙂
Tina’s ‘favourite’ lyric in this song, ‘and tonight thank God it’s them instead of you.’ She says it’s so blooming heartless. I believe they dropped that lyric in the latter version, both of which are saccharine laced dog turds. We, unfortunately, have this song on our Christmas albums and we always skip it.
One of my favourite lyrics in it is ‘there’s a world outside your window and it’s a world of dread and fear.’ I find it hilarious that coveted pop stars, as removed from ordinary life as you can get, have the bare faced cheek to talk about something existing outside their precious bubble. They wouldn’t know reality if it jumped up and bit them on their oversized backsides.
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Hahahaha, I also like Tina’s preferred line.
I will e-mail you a PDF of it shortly! Murphy and I are only just now rousing from our wintry slumber. I’ll take her out and send it along!
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I’ve just e-mailed you the PDF, old chum. Happy Reading, and Merry Christmas!
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Cosseted not coveted. Geez! You’d think I’d be at least able to get the right word down! 🙂
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