Do They Know It's Christmas? - Other Versions and Parodies

Other Versions and Parodies

In 1985, English rock band Slade released their own version of the song on their album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album.

UK television show Spitting Image produced a song entitled "We're Scared Of Bob" with the various artists suggesting they're only making the record because they were too afraid to say no when Bob Geldof asked them. The song was included on the B side of some versions of their number 1 hit The Chicken Song.

In 2005, a "benefit spoof" of this song was released by "The North American Halloween Prevention Initiative" made up of a wide variety of indie artists. The proceeds of the single titled "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?" were donated to UNICEF.

Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine covered this into a lounge style song on their 2006 album, Silent Nightclub.

In 2004, the Swedish singer Shirley Clamp recorded a cover of the song with a schlager rhythm that sold very well in Sweden, peaking at 28 at the Swedish singles chart.

Canadian band Barenaked Ladies recorded a version of the song, which they had played live for several years, for their 2004 release Barenaked for the Holidays. The release of the album happened to coincide with the 2004 Band Aid release. All the profits/royalties the band receive for their release are donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

There are two Polish versions of that song, both called "Daj im znak", which means "give them a sign." One is recorded by Cugowski Brothers, Maciej Silski, and Grzegorz Markowski (Perfect), and the other Magda Rzemek, Cugowski brothers (Bracia), and Artur Gadowski (IRA).

Piccolo Coro dell'Antoniano, an Italian children's choir, has also performed it occasionally, initially 2003 at their annual Christmas Concert. It has also appeared twice on their Christmas albums.

In Japan, since 2003, an interlude of this song was used as a chime in the Super express Kodama and Hikari running Tokaido Shinkansen.

In 2003, the Germany's TV AllStars released a version of the song. At Christmas 2004, Conan O'Brien of Late Night with Conan O'Brien did a segment on his show that was supposed to be a sale of a Christmas CD called "Do They Know the Singers of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'?"

In 2006, the creators of the Adult Swim cartoon The Venture Bros. recorded a cover of the song, sung in the voices of the characters they play on the show.

In 1999, The Echoing Green recorded a cover version which appeared on the album Electronica.

In 2002, Pulp did a parody of the song in the video for their single "Bad Cover Version" that featured impersonators dressed as many of the same artists from the original song.

In 2009, Toronto punk rock band Fucked Up released a version of the song, featuring vocals from GZA, Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend, Bob Mould of Hüsker Dü, Tegan and Sara, Yo La Tengo, Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene, comedian David Cross, Andrew W.K. and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio. The recording was financed using some of Fucked Up's 2009 Polaris Music Prize award. The money received from purchasing the track from iTunes was split between three Canadian charity groups, Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, DTES Power of Women Group, and Sisters in Spirit, all fighting to give voices to the murdered and missing aboriginal women who are being ignored by the police and governments.

Also in 2009, Comedy Death-Ray released a Christmas album with a version of the song, performed by "The Comedy Death-Ray Xmas Nativity Choir" featuring Patton Oswalt, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Rob Huebel, Doug Benson, Jimmy Pardo, Ed Helms and many more comedians.

In 2010, The Genuine Solutions Group released a cover version and video of Do They Know It's Christmas to raise money for Rainbow Trust Children's Charity supporting terminally ill children.

The 2011 Glee episode "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" features a cover of the song performed by members of the cast. All net proceeds from the single will be donated to the Band Aid Trust.