View from the Cheap Seats is kind of an extension of the newsroom. Whenever our three regular reporters, Calvin Daniels, Thom Barker and Randy Brenzen are in the building together, it is frequently a site of heated debate. This week: Is criticism of Band Aid 30's "Do They Know It's Christmas" warranted?
Justified means?
Controversy over Band Aid 30's new version of 1984's "Do They Know It's Christmas" may well come down to the question of whether the end justifies the means.
Sir Bob Geldof and co-writer Midge Ure must have known recreating the song, even with modified lyrics, would also recreate the criticism.
The bottom line of most of the backlash against the song is that it is patronizing.
Nevertheless, they went ahead with it and pulled some real heavyweights along for the ride, including Bono.
Personally, I find the lyrics more lame than offensive. The original was an awareness and fundraiser for the 1984 famine in Ethiopia. Ethiopians are primarily Christian, so, yeah, they knew it was Christmas. It might have been a really crappy Christmas with no food, but they knew.
This time around it is raising awareness and money for the Ebola outbreak in west Africa, specifically, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Guinea and Sierra Leone are primarily Muslim, so the question is, do they really care that it's Christmas?
He probably should have just written a new, better song.
But all of this discussion misses the point that the audience for this song is not Africans. It is targeting primarily Christian Europeans and North Americans. One could argue that contributing to the perpetuation of African stereoptypes of a poor, starving and disease-ridden continent could be counterproductive in the long term, but from a marketing standpoint, it's brilliant.
It is, in fact, the Christmas season. At this time of year, Christians are feeling pretty charitable. Vamping on the idea of the less fortunate suffering while we are enjoying love, peace and plenty works. It is the proverbial tug on the old heartstrings.
As of last week, Band Aid 30 had sold over 350,000 copies of the single and had risen to number one on the pop charts.
That is a lot of cash to help stop the spread of a disease that has already claimed thousands of lives.
-Thom Barker
Meh
So as we are bull-penning ideas for our weekly viewpoint of things, the controversy surrounding the latest remake of the song 'Do They Know It's Christmas' was suggested.
I'll admit I was more 'Did I Know There Was a Controversy', but I figured I could research the situation.
And honestly I did sit down and launch a Google search on the latest rendition.
Then I realized it is something I am so not interested in.
Back in 1984 the song hit at a time people were starving in parts of Africa, and whether the song was exactly politically correct, and whether it ever made a dime which made it to help the situation are likely less important than the awareness the collective effort helped create.
Today Ebola is an issue in Africa, and I am sure the latest remake had the same reasons for being made.
But trotting out a remake was not likely the best approach.
Maybe someone among the list of talented musicians involved could have managed to pen something new to catch attention, and raise awareness.
Instead the remake is stirring controversy which detracts from the cause.
Still, overall this is a nothing blip which should hold our attention for less time than it took me to write this viewpoint.
-Calvin Daniels
