Watch This Group of Singing Firefighters' Cover of Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas'
In 1984, a charity supergroup of music artists known as Band Aid recorded “Do They Know It’s Christmas” for the first time.
The song’s lyrics speak of a “world outside” the one in which we live. While we might be bundled and cozy, sipping hot cocoa by the fire or Christmas tree, there are others who may have days or weeks between meals.
“It was a song written for a specific purpose: to touch people’s heartstrings and to loosen the purse strings,” Midge Ure, one of the song’s writers, told Rolling Stone in 2014.
In other words, it was a song meant to encourage charity and giving. According to The Washington Post, the 1984 recording “was created to raise money for a then-unfolding famine in Ethiopia.”
The single was again recorded for its 30th anniversary in 2014. The updated version included hit artists like One Direction and Sam Smith.
Even after 30 years, it topped the charts and pre-orders alone reportedly raised $1.6 million that year. It was also a bestseller on iTunes.
Now the tune has been recorded once again, but you won’t see Billboard’s chart-topping artists behind the scenes on this one.
Instead, a group of firefighters — The Fire Tones — has come together to not only raise money for Band Aid’s Charity Trust, but to help The Fire Fighter’s Charity as well.
As of this date, the YouTube music video has been viewed nearly 60K times. It appears this video and its cause have become bigger than its organizer, Chris Birdsell-Jones, ever expected.
“We could never have expected that what started as a small, local idea, would turn into something every national brigade and fire service would show its support to,” he said according to The Fire Fighter’s Charity Website.
Watch as The Fire Tones recreate the iconic music video with so many perfect details. This may just be the best version of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” yet!
“I’m just absolutely amazed by the reception we’re getting,” Birdsell-Jones said. A post on Twitter revealed songwriter Midge Ure even sent The Fire Tones his personal congrats.
“I have nothing but the highest respect for these guys…” Ure said. “…for going way above and beyond the call of duty in making this record.”
The song is available for download now from Amazon Music, iTunes and Spotify. Proceeds from song sales will be split between The Fire Fighter’s Charity and The Band Aid Charity Trust.
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