Rock stars record Ethiopia famine benefit song in London 40 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 25 1984)


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(Sunday, November 25, 1984, recording was scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. GMT; during the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia) — Thirty-six top musicians, mostly British and Irish, gathered today at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London, to record Band-Aid‘s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” to benefit Ethiopia’s 1983–1985 famine.


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Written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, “Do They Know It’s Christmas” raised £8 million for Ethiopia within a year, far exceeding Geldof’s hopes.


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A B-side, titled “Feed the World”, was also produced by Trevor Horn in his own studio, using the same instrumental track as the A-side and featuring messages from artists who had been at the recording, and also from those who had been unable to attend, including David Bowie, ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, the members of Big Country and Holly Johnson from Frankie Goes to Hollywood.


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