Do They Know It's A New "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
In the mid-'80s, you couldn't throw a stick without hitting an all-star charity single.
There was, of course, "We Are The World," the Lionel Richie/Michael Jackson penned anthemic ballad by an American conglomerate called U.S.A. For Africa. There was "Tears Are Not Enough," a Canadian entry courtesy of proven Canadian writers like David Foster, Jim Vallance, and Bryan Adams, and sung by luminaries like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and Geddy Lee.
But the song that kicked the entire, years-long trend off? "Do They Know It's Christmas," a British effort conceived and driven by Bob Geldof, a then-midlevel artist best known for "I Don't Like Mondays," a 1979 U.K. number one single. "Do They Know It's Christmas" featured the cream of 1984's U.K.-based hitmakers—Sting, Phil Collins, George Michael, and Duran Duran were among those present. (Trivia: the one American entity invited? Kool and the Gang.)
The song has since become a part of our collective musical psyche, appearing every twelve months in the annual onslaught of holiday ephemera. And of course, there have, over the years, been covers and parodies. But none have gathered as many bold-faced names as the one produced by Comedy Death-Ray, a Los Angeles-based comedy show that appears weekly at the West Coast outpost of the Upright Citizens Brigade.
Their version spotlights troupe members and their famous friends. Highlights? Paul F. Tompkins taking the crucial opening line, helmed in the original by Paul Young. Also awesome: Rob Huebel singing the Boy George line, Patton Oswalt as George Michael, and Aimee Mann, taking the lines originally sung by the star-laden Sting/Bono/Simon LeBon trio. Aimee Mann is an actual, legitimate musician! No wonder Tompkins can be seen behind her, snapping an iPhone photo.
It's funny, but it's supposed to be. Watch below, and, below that, compare with the original. If you like it, why not purchase Comedy Death-Ray's 2010 Calendar—you'll receive a CD of their "Do They Know It's Christmas" along with it. Feed the world!
