When the BBC aired journalist Michael Buerk’s harrowing reports of Ethiopian famine in 1984, few could have imagined the enduring legacy they would inspire.
Among those watching was Irish musician Bob Geldof, who became determined to help in the only way he knew how.
An unlikely pairing of pop music and activism was born that would inspire other charity singles like ‘We Are the World’ and lead to the historic Live Aid concerts.
The iconic 1984 Christmas single, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, was written by Geldof and Midge Ure and brought together a supergroup of British and Irish artists, including David Bowie, U2 and Paul McCartney.
It shot to number 1 in the charts for five weeks, raise £8 million for Ethiopia within a year and forever changed the relationship between charity and celebrity.
While few would question the spirit of the original project, today there are many who question whether the lyrics are a relic best left in the past.
Ellen Coyne is joined by John Meagher to mark 40 years of a song that changed the world.
This episode of the BelTel was produced by our sister podcast, the Irish Independent’s Indo Daily.
40 years of Band Aid: Christmas, charity and controversy
