In 1984, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wrote a song, Do They Know It’s Christmas?, to raise money for the poverty stricken people of Ethiopia. They gathered together some of the biggest names in British music to provide the vocals, calling the supergroup Band Aid.
Thirty years later, they’ve done it again, this time by the request of the United Nations to raise money to fight the pernicious illness that is still ravishing West Africa: Ebola.
The band has been renamed Band Aid 30, and following the lead of the previous three incarnations, brought together some of biggest stars of Britain and Ireland. You may recognize many of them, including Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran, along with Bono, One Direction, Ellie Goulding, and Sinead O’Conner, among others.
The video opens with a short clip documenting the effects of the disease. Although this is difficult to watch, it’s an important reminder that not everyone is able to join in the joys of the holiday season.
The lyrics were tweaked to reflect what the money is going to.
Learn about the band and buy the song today. All proceeds go to fighting the disease.
All proceeds and donations go to fighting the disease in West Africa.