Thanks you Jeff Harris On this day in music history: November 25, 1984 - The single Do They Know Its Christmas? by Band Aid is recorded. Written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, the one off benefit single for famine relief in Africa will be huge worldwide hit. Boomtown Rats leader Bob Geldof will see a BBC news report on the plight of famine stricken people in the African nation of Ethiopia. Deeply moved by what he has seen, he will enlist the help of Midge Ure of Ultravox (along with over 30 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 Horns SARM West Studios in Notting Hill, London, the track will be recorded in one 24 hour long marathon recording session. The single will be 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 Peter Blake (Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band) will design the singles iconic sleeve artwork. It will quickly set 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 Johns Candle In The Wind 1997. Christmas will spend 5 weeks at #1 on the UK singles chart, and peaking at #13 on the Billboard Top 200, earning millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Do They Know Its Christmas? is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
Posted on: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 01:17:59 +0000
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