1984’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?”  was the very first of the star-studded charity songs of the ’80s. 1984’sDo They Know It’s Christmas?” 

Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats  and singer/songwriter  Midge Ure wrote the song to raise funds for Ethiopian famine Relief…and cobbled together Band Aid: a who’s who of more than 40 British and Irish artists to sing it. 

The song  became a massive hit, selling over 11.7 million copies worldwide. It was the fastest selling single in the history of The UK at the time, and spent 5 weeks at #1 on top of the  British Charts. Here in the US, it initially reached #13 on The Hot 100, while raising more than 10% of those 11.7 million copies.

“Do They Know It’s Christmas” has not only  raised millions of dollars for famine relief, it has inspired other charity songs like “We Are the World” and events like Live Aid. It’s been re-recorded several times, including versions in 1989, 2004, and 20-14……but this week, we’re highlighting the original from 1984!

FYI: Here’s a partial list of artists appearing on the track: Paul Young. George Michael, Bono,

Boy George & Culture Club, Sting, Phil Collins, Jody Watley, Duran Duran, Kool & The Gang,

Bananarama, The Boomtown Rats. and Spandau Ballet.

— Mike Cook