Band Aid’s Legacy: Four Decades of Debate and Criticism

Four decades after its initial recording, prominent British and Irish pop musicians, both contemporary and from previous eras, are revisiting the question of whether people in Ethiopia are aware of Christmas. In 1984, following the broadcast of harrowing BBC images depicting the famine in northern Ethiopia, musicians Bob Geldof and Midge Ure gathered several of the period’s most renowned artists to create a charitable song. The launch of the Band Aid single, along with the Live Aid concert held eight months subsequent, marked pivotal events in celebrity-driven philanthropy, establishing a model adopted by numerous subsequent initiatives. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” is set to return on Monday, featuring a new mix incorporating the four versions of the song released throughout the years. However, objections to the track have intensified over time, particularly concerning its stereotypical portrayal of an entire continent, characterizing it as a location “where nothing ever grows; no rain nor rivers flow,” and the depiction of aid recipients as gaunt, powerless individuals. Dawit Giorgis, who served as the Ethiopian official tasked with disseminating information about his country’s situation in 1984, stated, “‘To say: ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ is funny, it is insulting.'” Decades later, his disbelief is evident in his tone as he recalls his and his colleagues’ reaction to the song. He informed the BBC, “‘It was so untrue and so distorted. Ethiopia was a Christian country before England… we knew Christmas before your ancestors.'” Nevertheless, Mr. Dawit is certain that the charitable efforts prompted by the BBC film, created by British journalist Michael Buerk and Kenyan cameraman Mohamed Amin, were instrumental in saving lives. In his capacity as the head of Ethiopia’s Relief and Rehabilitation Commission, he successfully facilitated the clandestine entry of the TV crew into the nation. This was accomplished despite the then-governing administration, which was commemorating a decade of Marxist governance and engaged in a civil war, wishing to suppress news of the famine. Speaking from Namibia, where he is currently employed, he remarked, “‘The way the British people responded so generously strengthened my faith in humanity.'” He commended the “young and passionate people” involved with Band Aid, characterizing them as “amazing.” His critical assessment of the song, alongside his acknowledgment of its effectiveness, encapsulates the ongoing discussion for many who may believe that saving lives warrants any necessary measures. Geldof, in his characteristic manner, vigorously defended the song when addressing a recent article in The Conversation that discussed the “problematic Christmas hit.” He was quoted as stating, “‘It’s a pop song [expletive]… The same argument has been made many times over the years and elicits the same wearisome response.'” He added, “‘This little pop song has kept hundreds of thousands if not millions of people alive.'” He further acknowledged that Ethiopians observe Christmas but noted that in 1984, “ceremonies were abandoned.” Joe Cannon, the chief financial officer of the Band Aid Trust, informed the BBC via email that over the last seven months, the charity has distributed more than £3m ($3.8m), assisting up to 350,000 individuals through various initiatives in Ethiopia, Sudan, Somaliland, and Chad. He further stated that Band Aid’s prompt intervention as a “first responder” motivates additional donations in areas with insufficient funding, particularly in northern Ethiopia, which is currently recovering from another civil conflict. However, these efforts have not been sufficient to quell the ongoing concerns. This past week, Ed Sheeran expressed his dissatisfaction with the use of his vocals from the 2014 recording—created to generate funds for the West African Ebola crisis—explaining that his “understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed.” His perspective was influenced by British-Ghanaian rapper Fuse ODG, who had declined participation a decade prior. This week, he told the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast, “‘The world has changed but Band Aid hasn’t.'” Referring to the lyrics of the 2014 version, he commented, “‘It’s saying there’s no peace and joy in Africa this Christmas. It’s still saying there’s death in every tear.'” He continued, “‘I go to Ghana every Christmas… every December so we know there’s peace and joy in Africa this Christmas, we know there isn’t death in every tear.'” While Fuse ODG acknowledges the existence of issues requiring resolution, he asserted that “Band Aid takes one issue from one country and paints the whole continent with it.” He stated that the depiction of Africans in this and similar fundraising campaigns had personally impacted him. The singer recounted that during his upbringing in the UK, “it was not cool to be African… [because of] the way that I looked, people were making fun of me.” This assertion is supported by research conducted by British-Nigerian King’s College lecturer Edward Ademolu, which examines the effects of charity fundraising initiatives. He personally recalled the short films produced in Africa by Comic Relief, which drew inspiration from Band Aid, and how his “African peers at [a British] primary school would passionately deny their African roots, calling all Africans – with great certainty – smelly, unintelligent and equated them to wild animals.” Visuals of severely emaciated Africans became a prevalent tool in fundraising endeavors. The artwork for the initial Band Aid single, conceived by pop artist Sir Peter Blake, juxtaposes vibrant Christmas imagery with two emaciated Ethiopian children, rendered in black and white, each consuming what appears to be a life-sustaining biscuit. For a section of the Live Aid concert poster the subsequent year, Sir Peter incorporated a photograph depicting the back of an unidentified, unclothed, skeletal child. This particular image was re-utilized in the artwork for the 2004 release and has made another appearance this year. Numerous professionals within the aid sector, along with academics specializing in the field, express shock and astonishment that the song and its associated visuals continue to resurface. Bond, an umbrella organization collaborating with over 300 charities such as Christian Aid, Save the Children, and Oxfam, has voiced strong criticism regarding the launch of the new mix. In a statement, Lena Bheeroo, Bond’s head of anti-racism and equity, asserted, “‘Initiatives like Band Aid 40 perpetuate outdated narratives, reinforce racism and colonial attitudes that strip people of their dignity and agency.'” Geldof had previously rejected the notion that Band Aid’s efforts were based on “colonial tropes.” Fundraising methods employed by charities have significantly evolved in recent years. Patrick Gathara, a Kenyan satirist and writer known for critiquing Western perceptions of Africa, acknowledges a shift in approach, though he remains critical. He informed the BBC, “‘There has been a push within humanitarian agencies to start seeing people in a crisis first as human beings and not as victims, and I think that’s a big, big change.'” He continued, “‘In the days of Live Aid, all you really had were these images of starvation and suffering… the idea that these are people were incapable of doing anything for themselves and that was always a misconception.'” The repercussions of the Black Lives Matter protests further accelerated the ongoing transformation. Ten years ago, Radi-Aid, a Norwegian organization, committed itself to humorously drawing attention to how Africa and its people were depicted in fundraising initiatives. As an illustration, it orchestrated a satirical campaign encouraging Africans to dispatch radiators to Norwegians, who were purportedly enduring cold conditions. In 2017, Sheeran himself received one of their “Rusty Radiator” awards for a film produced for Comic Relief in Liberia, where he proposed covering the cost of hotel accommodation for some homeless Liberian children. The award organizers commented that “the video should be less about Ed shouldering the burden alone but rather appealing to the wider world to step in.” David Girling, an academic at the University of East Anglia who previously authored a report for Radi-Aid, contends that the organization’s efforts are among the factors contributing to these changes. He observed that an increasing number of charities are implementing ethical guidelines for their campaigns. He informed the BBC, “‘People have woken up to the damage that can be caused.'” Professor Girling’s research, conducted in Kibera, a slum district within Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, indicated that campaigns that involve and focus on the beneficiaries of charitable aid tend to be more effective than conventional top-down approaches. Numerous charities continue to face pressure to enlist celebrities to boost awareness and solicit funds. The professor noted that certain media outlets are reluctant to cover fundraising stories without celebrity involvement. However, research by his colleague Martin Scott indicates that prominent celebrities can frequently divert attention from a campaign’s core message. While the celebrity may gain, the charity and public comprehension of the issue it addresses often suffer. Music journalist Christine Ochefu informed the BBC that if a project akin to Band Aid were to be initiated today, it would need to feature African artists. She contended, “‘The landscape for African artists and African music has changed so much that if there was a new release it would need to come from Afrobeats artists or amapiano artists or Afro-pop artists.'” She added, “‘I don’t think people could get away without thinking about the sentiment and imagery associated with the project and it couldn’t continue the saviour narrative that Band Aid had.'” As Dr. Ademolu, a King’s College academic, posited: “‘Perhaps it’s time to abandon the broken record and start anew – a fresh tune