Band Aid 30 declares war on Ebola

17 พฤศจิกายน 2557

Bob Geldof has once again brought together big stars like One Direction, Bono and Chris Martin to be featured in a video, this time for the new Band Aid single to raise money for anti-Ebola charities.

Bob Geldof has once again brought together big stars like One Direction, Bono and Chris Martin to be featured in a video, this time for the new Band Aid single to raise money for anti-Ebola charities.

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Irish musician Bob Geldof arrives at a west London studio to record the new Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014. Bob Geldof, One Direction, Bono and some 30 other stars gathered in a studio in London on Saturday to record a 30th anniversary version of the Band Aid charity single to raise money to fight Ebola. AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE

Stars sing about Ebola 'chimes of doom' in Band Aid video premiere

LONDON, AFP – Stars like One Direction, Bono and Chris Martin featured in the video for the new Band Aid single to raise money for anti-Ebola charities that was shown for the first time on British television on Sunday.

Organiser Bob Geldof presented the song on the X-Factor talent show on channel ITV and said it was about "the most anti-human disease", which prevents physical contact because of fear of contagion.

The music video begins with graphic images of an Ebola victim's body being carried away, before switching to London's Sarm Studios where around 30 stars recorded the Christmas song on Saturday.

"There's death in every tear," sings Grammy award-winning diva Angelique Kidjo, followed by a lyric from Coldplay's Chris Martin: "The Christmas bells that ring there are clanging chimes of doom".

"Well tonight we're reaching out and touching you," Bono sings and Seal continues with: "Bring peace and joy this Christmas to west Africa!"

British singer Rita Ora (left) and U2 frontman Bono arrive at the recording session. AFP PHOTOS / ANDREW COWIE

The single is the 30th anniversary version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" recorded by Geldof and fellow singer Midge Ure in 1984 with other stars to raise money for famine victims in Ethiopia.

The song became one of the best-selling singles ever and led to the hugely popular Live Aid concerts in 1985, which had a record-breaking estimated global television audience of 1.9 billion people.

No live performance linked to the current Band Aid is planned but Geldof said he was hoping the song will rise quickly in the charts when it is officially released for download on Monday.

"We go to war. We're going to stop this thing. Buy this song," Geldof said on Sunday.

"This isn't about me, it's not about you, it's not about them, it's about us," he said.

"The reason they did this is that this thing could arrive here on a plane at any time."

The Ebola outbreak has claimed more than 5,000 lives since last December, according to the World Health Organization – almost all in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone – while the number of infected cases registered worldwide has soared to more than 14,000.

The Band Aid video is copyrighted material intended for sale through download, so it is not widely available on the internet yet. You can find an HD version on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUzHVIDCbMM) but I'm not sure how long. There is a low definition version on the Mirror website which I assume follows copyright regulations. (http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/band-aid-30-revealed-x-4638877)

Here are the lyrics to the 2014 version

Band Aid 30 lyrics

It's Christmas time, and there's no need to be afraid

At Christmas time, we let in light and banish shade

And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy

Throw your arms around the world

At Christmas time

But say a prayer, pray for the other ones

At Christmas time, it's hard but while you're having fun

There's a world outside your window, and it's a world of dread and fear

Where a kiss of love can kill you, and there's death in every tear

And the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom

Well tonight we're reaching out and touching you

No peace and joy this Christmas in West Africa

The only hope they'll have is being alive

Where to comfort is to fear

Where to touch is to be scared

How can they know it's Christmas time at all

Here's to you

Raise a glass to everyone

And here's to them

And all their years to come

Let them know it's Christmas time after all

Feed the world, let them know it's Christmas time again

Feel the world, let them know it's Christmas time again

Heal the world, let them know it's Christmas time again