Remember a few weeks ago the World Development Movement condemned the Band Aid lyrics for a "negative and inaccurate picture of Africa and its problems" with lyrics that are "patronising, false and out of date"? Link

Well I listened to the chart rundown on Radio 1 last evening and Midge Ure was on the phone giving his comments as you might expect. Was OK until he said Bob was "in deepest darkest Sudan".

Wonder if the WDM heard that comment?

Actually, has he even been to Africa!?
Last edited by Weierstrass : 06-12-2004 at 18:06

I was actually trying to explain that to someone in the channels and programming forums, people do believe that everyone in Africa is starving and know little or nothing about the main issue of fair trade and it affects Africa.

I think Midge went twice (to the best of my knowledge) once when he went to deliver the food and the second time to see how the food changed the Ethiopians lives.

this has to be the funniest alternative lyrics added:

"It's Christmas time
There's no need to feel afraid
It's Christmas time
Bono's here and he's got his shades"

and i was in deepest darkest welsh wales last w/e.

i don't get your point?

i don't get it - really i don't. what bandaid stood for, and what it achieved, and continues to achieve is a truly great thing.

and yet, every which way, people are ignoring that, and reading all sorts into the smallest detail and doing their best to be critical.

Iain

Well said, Iain. I've just posted on the TV forum re last night's Band Aid 20 programme on BBC1. I was moved to tears, and now feel much less cynical about the whole Bank Aid 20 single (although I've always supported their aims, I wasn't sure about the motivation of some of those taking part). After watching last night's programme the song took on a much greater significance, and I gained a lot more admiration for (most of) those taking part, and I'll definitely buy a copy or two today.

i only saw the second half - but that clip of joss stone singing the harmony over fran's "feed the world" bit (which i presume didn't make the final cut) - are we really to believe she was faking any apparent emotion.

and seeing that girl from the end of the cars clip 20 years ago. not a dry eye in the house i tells ya.

stil - bandaid's just a load of old pointless tosh that hasn't a clue, huh?

Iain

I meant no harsh criticism. I just wanted to point out that the man who co-wrote the song repeated recently an old-fashioned statement about Africa. And that the song he helped write was also criticised recently for the same things. I like the song and just thought it was quite funny actually.

I watched the documentary last night, too. Call me cynical, but I can never help but feel it's a set up for the cameras when you see famous people crying like that. However, they should feel some sympathy-these people need some serious help, and, to their credit, at least they're making inroads. People these days love to be "cool", they can't stand anything that's old hat and "cheesy", and that's probably why we're so quick to judge a new take on a classic '80's hit. My message is this-shutup you cynics, let's all get behind Band Aid and say, top song, top money, top man, Mr Geldof.

The issues I have with Band aid are:

1) It doesn’t proffer a long term solution to issues in Africa. So we give money this year, are we going to give money next year? Or in the next ten or twenty years? Yes, it is a good cause, but I think we should look at the big picture, the countries in Africa will still owe money to the world leaders and the world bank, both are not too keen to do anything (other than buy two CDs) about it.

2) A LOT of people don’t really know what’s going on, even some of the celebs that took part were only there because it was band aid and the publicity it would generate.

1) Isn't that why they called it 'Band Aid in the first place? It was a play on words. A plaster will cover a small problem but not a big one.

2) If people don't know what is going on or why it is going on then it gives them the chance to educate themselves.

in 1984 the crisis was immediate, and what people needed was food, which was the main objective of band aid.

however, in the 20 years since, money has gone on more long term projects such as health and education.

in part of course not enough has been done politically and economically on a larger scale that would benefit Africa enormously. and that is reflected in the different emphasis now, compared to 20 years ago - ie on fair trade and debt cancellation. releasing band aid now, so soon after the conference on africa earlier in the year will hopefully raise awareness and put pressure on governments, most notably our own as current head of the G8, in the next year, when the G8 countries are hoped to actually carry through on a lot of the issues raised at the conference for africa.


this is exactly what i meant earlier. why are people more concerned about slagging off those involved, just because of what they "think" about the artists, rather than simply acknowledge that its a good thing, and if it raises money, and awareness, then thats ultimately far more important.

what would you rather celebs did? say "well, actually i don't know enough about it, so i'll pass thanks"?

should "the man in the street" not buy the record unless they have a full understanding of the relationships between african politics and ecomomy and those of the west? a full understanding of the failed policies of the IMF and World Bank? and a grasp of what they should rather do to address inequities in trade between Africa and the west?

Iain

Hang on, you talk about "Africa" as if it's one place with one problem, when it's so much more complicated and diverse than that. The original Band Aid was to help starving Ethiopians have something to eat, clean water, shelter etc. This time it's for the immediate problem of what's happening in Darfur, Sudan. Of course longer-term projects, development and trade are happening, but they're beyond the scope of Band Aid.

Africa isn't one place with one problem but at the rate things are going, people are going to see it as such, there pare people (on this forum) who actually believe based on images they've seen from oxfam and based on things like these that the whole of africa is full of starving kids and fail to realise that countries like S/africa, Egypt e.t.c are part of Africa.


Then why do people belive than band aid is the be all and end all of africa?

That what I was thinking, not enough has been done to help politically and economically, we buy charity Cds but still endorse unfair trading standards. People belive that its just about saving some staving people but there are deeper issues that need to be resolved.




Saying people don't have to know anything about it, is quite frankly wrong and has lead to a vast number of people not knowing what is really going on, a level (how ever little ) of understanding is necessary. People are going to buy the CD, it would properbly end up being a coster and in the next 2-3 years,and forget they even raised money for an African country.People should be aware that the issues in Africa is ongoing and do not come round every 20yrs.