Bob Geldof brushes off Ed Sheeran’s criticism of Do They Know It’s Christmas?

While many of us may have nostalgic holiday associations with this track, we can also recognize that asking “do poor African citizens know it’s Christmas” is actually a kind of paternalistic condescension by white Christians. Time can change your perspective on something like this, as happened with Ed Sheeran, who participated in the new version of Band Aid in 2014. Now there’s another version coming out that mashes up three versions of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (1984). , 2004 and 2014), Sheeran released a statement on Instagram (via Guardian), saying, “This new Band Aid 40 release did not require my approval, and if I had a choice, I would respectfully decline to use my vocals. Ten years have passed and my understanding of the narrative surrounding it has changed.”

Sheeran shared a post by British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG claiming that the Band Aid track “(perpetuates) destructive stereotypes that stifle Africa’s economic growth, tourism and investment, ultimately costing the continent trillions of dollars and destroying its dignity, pride and identity”, according to Guardian. Further: “By displaying dehumanizing imagery, these initiatives incite pity rather than partnership, discouraging meaningful engagement.”

Bob Geldof, organizer of the original Band Aid, disagrees in a new interview with the publication Times. “This little pop song has saved the lives of millions of people. Why would Band Aid refuse to feed the thousands of children who depend on us?” Speaking in favor of the Band Aid charity, he adds: “Why not keep doing it? Because of an abstract argument for a rich world, regardless of its legitimacy? No abstract theory, no matter how sincerely held, should hinder or distract from this disgusting, concrete reality of the real world. There are 600 million hungry people in the world, 300 million in Africa. We wish things were different, but they are not. We can help some of them. That’s what we will continue to do.”

Geldof’s collaborator, Midge Ure, also defends the tune from a songwriting perspective, admitting that although Maybe There will be snow in some parts of Africa. The phrase “There will be no snow in Ethiopia this Christmas” had too many syllables. “And it’s a pop song. We have lines because they rhyme, not because they make sense,” Ure says. “There are a lot of keyboard warriors out there, and in the time it takes them to write a scathing remark, some kid has died. They talk while we actually do something. All these stars showed up that Sunday morning with a hangover, but they were there for a reason. Although it’s possible that they were just scared of Bob.”

Geldof insists that Band Aid has made a tangible difference through its charity work, but admits that with so much going on in the world, it is difficult for people to feel like they can truly affect change. But by supporting Band Aid, “you get freedom of action,” he says: “And I can guarantee that your personal actions here will result in a baby sleeping warmer and being fed that night. This is one issue where you have power. You can turn the world upside down a little – and I know: “Here’s fucking Geldof hitting.” But the instrument of this control, no matter how banal it may sound, is this thing – this normal melody.” (“A good tune” may sound mocking when given faint praise, but at least it’s hard to argue with that.)