27 Years Ago: Band Aid recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Twenty-seven years ago today, on 25th November 1984, 36 British and Irish musicians, inspired by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, went to SARM studios in Notting Hill, London to record "Do They Know It's Christmas?"



A few days earlier, Bob Geldif had watched Michael Buerk's news reports from drought and famine-stricken Ehiopia. He decided he wanted to do something and Band Aid was the result raising millions of pounds to bring food and water to those suffering in Africa.

Since then, there have been two more "Band Aids" who also released versions of the same song in new arrangements - in 1990, Band Aid II was very much a Stock, Aitken & Waterman collection of pop stars, and, in 2004, Band Aid 20 released a darker, more melancholy cover that both marked the 20th anniversary of the original but also helped raise funds for yet another African drought and famine.

The performers on the original 1984 version were (in record sleeve order):

Adam Clayton (U2)
Phil Collins (Genesis, and solo)
Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats)
Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet)
Chris Cross (Ultravox)
John Taylor (Duran Duran)
Paul Young
Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17)
Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
Jim Kerr (Simple Minds)
Simon Crowe (The Boomtown Rats)
Marilyn
Keren Woodward (Bananarama)
Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
Nik Kershaw
Jody Watley (Shalamar)
Bono (U2)
Paul Weller (The Style Council, and The Jam)
James "J.T." Taylor (Kool & The Gang)
Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
John Illsley (Dire Straits)
Terry Williams (Dire Straits)
George Michael (Wham!)
Midge Ure (Ultravox)
Martyn Ware (Heaven 17, and Human League)
John Keeble (Spandau Ballet)
Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
Curt Smith (Tears for Fears)
Roland Orzabal (Tears for Fears)
Sting (The Police)
Pete Briquette (The Boomtown Rats)
Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
Robert 'Kool' Bell (Kool & the Gang)
Andy Taylor (Duran Duran)
Jon Moss (Culture Club)
Rick Parfitt (Status Quo)
Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran)
Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats)
David Bowie - recorded his part and sent in via the post
Boy George (Culture Club)
Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) - recorded his part over the phone
Paul McCartney (The Beatles, and Wings) - recording sent in by post
Stuart Adamson (Big Country)
Bruce Watson (Big Country)
Tony Butler (Big Country)
Mark Brzezicki (Big Country)

The iconic sleeve was created by Peter Blake.

The following three videos tell the Band Aid Story with interviews and backstage filming of the recording.

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:


The song became the fastest-selling single of all-time selling over a million copies in its first week alone and entering the charts at No. 1 (It sold more copies than all the rest of the chart combined in that first week). It stayed at No. 1 for five weeks and sold more than 3 million copies. Only Elton John's 1997 re-working of Candle in the Wind, released to mark he death of Diana, Princess of Wales has sold more copies.

It, of course, inspired both USA for Africa (a similar venture to Band Aid organised in America) and Live Aid, billed as the "global jukebox", which took place in both Philidelphia and London, in July 1985 and also used to raise money and awareness of the Ethiopian famines.