Band Aid 20
| "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Band Aid 20 | |
| Released | 2004 |
| Format | CD |
| Recorded | November 2004 |
| Genre | Pop, synthpop, alternative dance |
| Writer(s) | Bob Geldof and Midge Ure |
| Producer | Nigel Godrich |
Band Aid 20 recorded a third version of the song in November 2004 for the twentieth anniversary of the original recording, and again got to #1. The idea was prompted by Coldplay singer Chris Martin, although Geldof and Ure both got quickly involved. Geldof did the publicity and educated the younger artists on the issues (some of the artists weren't born when the original was recorded) while Ure assisted producer Nigel Godrich and filmed the event for the corresponding documentary.
This version of the song featured an extra segment—a rap by Dizzee Rascal in the midst of the "here's to you" section. Bono arrived at the recording to sing the same line as two decades earlier, making him the sixth artist to appear on two versions, in addition to Geldof, Ure, Paul McCartney,Sarah Dallin and Keren Woodward (Bananarama). While the 1989 and 2004 versions of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" had notable chart success (despite both being criticized for their very "pop" oriented sound which lacked the earnestness of the original recording), the popularity of the 1984 recording has remained unmatched and the record has seen numerous re-releases in small numbers around Christmas over the years.
Read more about this topic: Do They Know It's Christmas?
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