Sunday, December 20, 2009

Band aid - do they know it's christmas

EDIT - In a timely manner I;ve just found out that Rage Against the Machine beat X-Factor's Joe to the number one spot int he UK Christmas chart!  Listen to the song here.

Anyway, back to Band Aid:

Such a ridiculously horrible smug song.  It's written by rich people with fuck all empathy and understanding of anyone different to themselves.  Emphasis is mine.


It's Christmastime
There's no need to be afraid
At Christmastime, we let in light and we banish sa shade
And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world at Christmastime

But say a prayer

Pray for the other ones
At Christmastime it's hard, but when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging
chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you


And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life
(Oooh) Where nothing ever grows
No rain nor rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

(Here's to you) raise a glass for everyone
(Here's to them) underneath that burning sun
Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

Feed the world
Feed the world

Feed the world

Let them know it's Christmastime again

Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmastime again


Ugh.   Let's see:
And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom - really?  only ever doom?
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you - oh that's a lovely sentiment.

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime - Snow doesn't make christmas. We don't get snow in England either.

Where nothing ever grows - what never? never ever ever?
Do they know it's Christmastime at all? - if they're Christian, yes, I expect they do. If they're not Christian I expect they don't care.  However I think the song is asking whether they know it's Christmas as in a period of spending stupid amounts of money, putting up shiny plastic, stuffing yourself silly and generally being smug and self centred.


I've finally got Christmas songs this year.  My sign choir has done a a few performance recently and it turns out I love Silent Night and Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Mistletoe and Wine. Ahem.  But that bloody Band Aid song is horrible.  Grrr.


Apologies for the lack of comics posts recently.  Life has got busy and I don't have time to do lots of interesting things.  If you want comics thoughts head on over to New readers....  The first manga review has gone up, along with other superhero books.  Non superhero titles will be up before Christmas.

2 comments:

Simon B said...

That "snow in Africa" line always pissed me off. Africa's an entire continent, not just a desert filled with starving people waiting to be patronised by westerners. They have mountains there. Some of those may have snow on their tops. Just a thought.

( Rant over. But I'm glad it's not just me that song annoys. )

BTW Rage Against The Machine:
Best. Xmas. Number 1. Ever.

Saranga said...

Good point about the mountains.
It's just so arrogant isn't it? Written and performed by people who have seen a few news stories and assume that this means they know everything about the continent. In reality they know bugger all. So smug and so self satisifed.