and of course we thought buying a ruddy a single would sort everything out!

 . . . . . . it raised millions of course for the starving the in Africa and has done in various incarnation since helped fight the dreadful outbreak of Ebola . . . . I imagine and hope it continues to raise funds and be used for humanitarian purposes

On this day in music history: November 25, 1984 - The single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid is recorded. Written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, the one off benefit single for famine relief in Africa is a huge worldwide hit. Boomtown Rats leader Bob Geldof sees a BBC news report on the plight of famine stricken people in the African nation of Ethiopia. Deeply moved by what he has seen, Geldof enlists the help of Midge Ure of Ultravox, along with over thirty British and US pop stars including Paul Young, Boy George, George Michael, Sting, Bono, Duran Duran, Bananarama, members of Kool & The Gang and Jody Watley to help produce a record with all of the earnings being donated to famine relief. Recorded at producer Trevor Horn’s SARM West Studios in Notting Hill, London, the track is recorded in one twenty four hour long marathon recording session. Phil Collins is also asked by Geldof play on the track, overdubbing his live drum track on to the song in a single take. Other artists like David Bowie, Paul McCartney and Holly Johnson who are unable to participate in the actual recording session, record spoken messages for the “Feed The World” version on the B-side of the record. The single is released in the UK on November 29, 1984 (US release date is on December 3, 1984), with Mercury Records in the UK and Columbia Records in the US donating pressing and distribution of the single for free. Famed pop artist Sir Peter Blake (“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”) designs the singles’ iconic sleeve artwork. It quickly sets a record as the best selling single in history in UK record history, selling over 3.7 million copies in only two weeks. By 1989, its worldwide sales will reach over 11.8 million copies sold, holding the sales record until 1997 when it is surpassed by Elton John’s “Candle In The Wind 1997”. “Christmas” spends five weeks at number one on the UK singles chart beginning on December 15, 1984, and peaking at number thirteen on the Billboard Top 200 on December 29, 1984, earning millions for Ethiopian famine relief. A thirty minute long documentary on the making of the landmark single titled “Do They Know It’s Christmas? - The Story Of The Official Band Aid Video” is released on home video by Polygram Music Video in the UK and Vestron Video in the US (VHS, Beta, and eight inch laserdisc). The song is re-recorded in 1989 (as Band Aid II), 2004 (as Band Aid 20), and a for a third time in 2014 (Band Aid 30) with the latest recording raising funds for the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.