Inevitably, everything becomes outdated and obsolete. Fashion goes out of style. Emerging trends and challenges replace older trends and challenges. Even holiday celebrations transform learning new information about their origins. For example, the once popular holiday song, ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ has been a controversial topic around the holidays for a few years and some are surprised that it’s still playing on the radio and in stores.
Do They Know it’s Christmas was Written for a Good Cause
When the song was written, Ethiopia was facing a severe famine- a famine that lasted for three years. Interestingly, that famine had a major impact on news reporting and journalism, as well as on people’s hearts worldwide. It sparked such compassion and concern that Bob Geldof and Midge Ure co-wrote “Do They Know it’s Christmas“. The song was written in 1984. Meanwhile the famine lasted from 1983-1985. During that time hundreds of thousands of people died of starvation. As a result, more than 200,000 children became orphans.
The tragedy caused numerous people to donate. Or make other contributions to help the people of Ethiopia recover from such a heartbreaking loss. Bob Geldof wrote the song in hopes of raising £70,000 for Ethiopia. Amazingly, at the end of the holiday season, roughly 2.5 million copies had been sold, bringing in a total of £8 million in aid. Although, at the time, it did wonders to bring attention to the hardships that many families and children were facing, the lyrics are, at the very least, offensive. However, some have flat-out deemed the lyrics of ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ as “ignorant” and “racist”. In 2019, Indrajit Samarajiva, a popular blogger, took to his format to call out the lyrics of “Do They Know it’s Christmas”, disproving some of the lyrics and pointing out the undertones of racism in others.
Summing up the Lyrics
The song appears to start out with an uplifting message and has some lyrics that can easily be understood as well-intended. “It’s Christmas time. There’s no need to be afraid. At Christmas time
We let in light, and we banish shade. And in our world of plenty. We can spread a smile of joy. Throw your arms around the world, at Christmas time. But say a prayer. Pray for the other ones.” However, the song quickly takes a bizarre and dark turn. “At Christmas time it’s hard. But when you’re having fun. There’s a world outside your window. And it’s a world of dread and fear. Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears.” The next few verses of ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas” take an even worse route, encroaching on both insensitive and misguided.
Noting the Unpleasantness of Do They Know it’s Christmas
The rest of the lyrics have left people incredibly uncomfortable with one commenting, “‘Never really appreciated what a nasty, selfish and ‘unchristian’ lyric lies within ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’.” Alternatively, there are plenty of people who’ve never even heard the song. For reference, the lyrics continue, generalizing the whole continent with numerous, and incorrect, stereotypes including that Africa seemingly has no water anywhere.
“It’s not just that these lyrics haven’t aged well. They were never good at all. They take an ignorant and colonial attitude, more about making white people feel good than helping anyone.” Indrajit Samarajiva explained of ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’. Pointing out that the name of the song itself is not only bad but “wrong”, he also shared, “Food does in fact grow on the continent, they do have water, and North Africa, as part of the Roman Empire, was celebrating Christmas centuries before England.”
Others online seem to share similar sentiments. One said, “Please listen to the lyrics carefully and then complain to your radio station/supermarket [due to] explicit racism and lack of Christmas spirit.”
Another said, “Out of all the Christmas songs to remain on the radio, how is it that ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ hasn’t been taken out of circulation.”
A Life-Changing Tragedy for Thousands
The Famine that took place in Ethiopia in the 1980s was not only heartbreaking but changed the world forever. One example of this is Micheal Buerk Korem, who covered the severity of the famine from the perspective of a reporter rather than a celebrity. He uncovered some tragic truths but also played a major role in bringing worldwide hardships to light for the public. In fact, contributions like his, and oddly, the song ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ brought awareness and aid to a problem affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
Combatting the Issue
Reportedly, the cause of the famine was a culmination of recurring drought, failed harvests, and food scarcity. Coupled with border conflict, preventing aid, and government policies, many people were relocated while others died of starvation. Unfortunately, starvation still exists in parts of the world, including impoverished and rural parts of America. However, famines happen less often today because there are measures put in place by governments to provide aid or stimulate new crop growth.
Many argue that the nostalgia of tradition and joyous times of the past is worth ignoring their racist, sexist, or insensitive under tones. In contrast, many have called for the banning of such things, ‘Do They Know it’s Christmas’ included, as they send a message that can easily be perceived as one of the many negative traits mentioned above. Christmas traditions, much like everything in life, can become outdated. On the bright side, it does allow families and society to create new and memorable traditions that may even be less culturally insensitive.