{"id":30839,"date":"2024-11-13T18:02:51","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T18:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/101gold\/40th-anniversary-version-of-do-they-know-its-christmas-coming\/"},"modified":"2024-11-13T18:02:51","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T18:02:51","slug":"40th-anniversary-version-of-do-they-know-its-christmas-coming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/101gold\/40th-anniversary-version-of-do-they-know-its-christmas-coming\/","title":{"rendered":"40th anniversary version of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ coming"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Steve Hurrell\/Redferns<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” the song that invented the concept of the all-star charity record, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The occasion will be marked\u00a0with a <\/span>special new version<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0of the song, featuring vocals from the artists who’ve sung on different versions\u00a0of the song over the years mashed together.<\/span><\/p>\n

The original “<\/span>Do They Know It’s Christmas?<\/strong><\/span><\/a>,” spearheaded by Bob Geldof<\/strong>, was released\u00a0in 1984 and credited to Band Aid, a collection of U.K. stars that included\u00a0U2<\/strong>‘s\u00a0Bono <\/strong>and Adam Clayton<\/strong>, Sting<\/strong>, Phil Collins<\/strong>, Duran Duran<\/strong>, Paul Young\u00a0<\/strong>and dozens more.\u00a0The song was later revived in 1989, 2004 and 2014, each time with the artists who were popular at that moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to\u00a0<\/span>the BBC,<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0the 40th anniversary “ultimate mix” will be released Nov. 25, and a new video will be released featuring archival footage of the late\u00a0David Bowie\u00a0<\/strong>introducing the singers. The song will be part of a compilation album due out Nov. 29.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

The BBC reports that voices appearing on the new version will include Sting, Bono, Boy George<\/strong>, Sam Smith<\/strong>, Coldplay<\/strong>\u2019s Chris Martin<\/strong>, Harry Styles<\/strong>, Ed Sheeran<\/strong>, the late George Michael<\/strong> and the late Sin\u00e9ad O’Connor<\/strong>, singing to music recorded over the years by Paul McCartney<\/strong>, Collins, members of\u00a0Radiohead<\/strong>,\u00a0Blur\u00a0<\/strong>and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?”\u00a0raised millions for famine relief in Ethiopia and led to the 1985 all-star benefit concert Live Aid.\u00a0Over the last\u00a040 years, the Band Aid Charitable Trust has raised nearly $180 million for that cause and others.<\/span><\/p>\n

The original version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was the bestselling single in U.K. history until it was eclipsed by\u00a0Elton John<\/strong>‘s Princess Diana<\/strong> tribute, “Candle in the Wind ’97.”<\/span><\/p>\n