Whamageddon (Last) Christmas

[R_J_K75]

I want to at first...but by the end I want to commit violence...

You better be prepared if you run into Paul, he and John we're ambidextrous, so he could hit you with a right or a left. Let's not even get into Rick Allen from Def Leppard...

 

[Morrus]

Do They Know It's Christmas? isn't a Beatles song. It's that awful Band Aid "supergroup" song from the 80s. The one about how we should feel bad for the Africans while we party because they don't have any water other than their tears and won't get any snow at Christmas and the only present they'll get is "life", etc.

I mean, it was a charity single which raised millions for the Ethiopia famine in the mid-80s, followed up by Live Aid, a concert which was watched by 2 billion people and raised about £50M for that same famine, all done by the biggest music stars in the world using their platforms to raise awareness of the crisis. It feels a little churlish to be criticising it for that.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Got burned this morning by one of my own kids! We went out for breakfast and she connected her phone to the car stereo. Christmas playlist... first song... BLAM. "We have a piper down..."

 

[R_J_K75]

Here's another terrible one. I think rock musicians shouldn't write Christmas songs.

 

[pukunui]

I mean, it was a charity single which raised millions for the Ethiopia famine in the mid-80s, followed up by Live Aid, a concert which was watched by 2 billion people and raised about £50M for that same famine, all done by the biggest music stars in the world using their platforms to raise awareness of the crisis. It feels a little churlish to be criticising it for that.

I mean, Sir Bob has said that he is "responsible for two of the worst songs in history: 'Do They Know it's Christmas?' [and] 'We are the World'".

I don’t think it’s churlish to criticize the song’s awful lyrics just because it was used to raise a lot of money for charity. “It was for a good cause so you can’t criticize it.” Really?

Here's another terrible one. I think rock musicians shouldn't write Christmas songs.

Hey! I have a soft spot for Tom Petty's Christmas rambling.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I mean, Sir Bob has said that he is "responsible for two of the worst songs in history: 'Do They Know it's Christmas?' [and] 'We are the World'".

I don’t think it’s churlish to criticize the song’s awful lyrics just because it was used to raise a lot of money for charity. “It was for a good cause so you can’t criticize it.” Really?

I suppose you're right that isolated from their highly specific context, these aren't historically poignant lyrics. When you consider that they were written to highlight a very specific cause and by necessity had to resonate with the entire spectrum of human musical taste, they did a pretty fine job. Was it a bit cheesy and simplistic (particularly given the problems it was trying bring attention to)? Sure. But given what was effectively a jingle a handful of minutes in length, what that song and video accomplished was monumental.

I know you know these things, and I'm not picking on you or judging you! Just giving my opinion on why your comments, without background, might have hit a sour note.

Hey! I have a soft spot for Tom Petty's Christmas rambling.

@R_J_K75 I'm with @pukunui. Terrible is such a strong word. I'd call this song 'not awful' i.e. it would have zero chance of making my Christmas playlist.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Here's some proper Christmas music.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Got burned this morning by one of my own kids! We went out for breakfast and she connected her phone to the car stereo. Christmas playlist... first song... BLAM. "We have a piper down..."

It's a reflection of this board's age demographic that:

1. I called it a 'car stereo'
2. No one said 'car stereo????'

 

[pukunui]

Just giving my opinion on why your comments, without background, might have hit a sour note.

I’m far from being the first to criticize the lyrics of that song. So much so that, as I pointed out, even its creator describes it as being one of the worst songs ever. Not sure why I’m being singled out here for expressing a common opinion.

@R_J_K75 I'm with @pukunui. Terrible is such a strong word. I'd call this song 'not awful' i.e. it would have zero chance of making my Christmas playlist.

It’s on mine …

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

I’m far from being the first to criticize the lyrics of that song. So much so that, as I pointed out, even its creator describes it as being one of the worst songs ever. Not sure why I’m being singled out here for expressing a common opinion.

I wouldn't worry about it. When one person's objectivity steps on another's subjectivity, these things happen. It's fleeting, in the grand scheme of things.