As one fan said, “Freddie, Bowie, Elton, Bono, McCartney, George Michael, Sting, Daltrey and Geldof on one stage… Unbelievable.” Forty years later, Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” is still the greatest charity collab ever. It’s bittersweet watching in 2025, knowing that we’ve since lost many of the icons on that stage that day in 1985, like Freddie, Bowie, and George, but the message they gave to the world that day lives on. And what an electric energy was in the air at Wembley Stadium that day.
David Bowie opens the first verse, because of course he does. The songwriter Bob Geldof then sings lead, followed by George Michael – whom Bowie has to push to the front of the crowded stage. We then get lead vocals from Sting and Bono, who famously sings his controversial line at 1:48. The Music Man readers may note that many fans mention the presence of Freddie Mercury but lament the fact he didn’t get a lead vocal. He makes his presence heard at 2:40, though, when he leans over to sing into Geldof’s mic.
The historic nature of the performance was not lost on fans, who added comments such as “Legendary performances by so many musical icons and to see them all on one stage is mind blowing” and “It’s not an exaggeration to say that we will never see such a large collection of talent all on one stage together ever again.” Viewers were also impressed to hear that Mercury’s distinct voice and vibrato cut through the mix even when he was singing into a single mic with a host of other singers.
The original Band Aid studio recording of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” still stands the test of time. The studio version differs significantly in the vocal lineup from the live version. Highlights of the record-breaking single include the opening verses by Boy George and George Michael, as well as the vocal duo of Sting and Bono – what a combo!
“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” was written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and released on December 7, 1984. The charity single, released under the name Band Aid, raised money to give relief to the famine in Ethiopia at the time. The supergroup single debuted at number one and sold a million units in a week, becoming the fastest-selling single in UK history at the time. Bono’s line “Well, tonight thank God it’s them instead of you” drew significant controversy. Geldof, who wrote the line, had to convince Bono to sing it, despite the fact that the latter “really loathed” the line. Geldof fought for the line’s inclusion, later describing it as “coded anger, like Michael Buerk’s report”. The report he refers to is BBC journalist Michael Buerk’s famous 1984 coverage that shocked the world and brought attention and significant public donations for the Ethiopian famine.