TORONTO — Bob Geldof is diving into the archives to create a new version of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for its 40th anniversary this year.
The Irish musician told The Canadian Press he's involved in a hoped-for supercut of the charity single that would blend vocals of pop stars from separate recordings of the song made over the decades.
"Maybe put Harry Styles beside a young Bono," he mused in a recent phone call from France.
"Just sonically, you mess up these generations all in one take."
The original 1984 "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was written by Geldof and Midge Ure and featured a who's who of British music stars of the era, including Paul Young, Sting and the late George Michael, collectively known as Band Aid. Record sales raised funds to fight the famine in Ethiopia.
Other versions of the song were recorded in later years, including ones in 2004 and 2014 that featured vocals from Chris Martin of Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and the late Sinéad O'Connor.
Geldof said he approached Trevor Horn to produce the new megamix. The Englishman was intended to handle the 1984 original, but couldn't due to scheduling conflicts. He oversaw an extended remix of the track for a reissue the following year.
This time around, he was top of mind for Geldof.
"I said, 'Could you make one single? The longest single ever, maybe?" he remembered.
It began a process that's been underway for some time. How it all shakes out remains to be seen.
There are some hurdles aside from just blending the generations of singers. For instance, the 2014 version featured new lyrics written to reflect the Ebola crisis, an addition that complicated matters during the recording sessions for singers deeply familiar with the original.
"I remember Sam Smith was closing (their) eyes, singing the lyrics, and I said, 'Dude, they're not the words anymore,'" Geldof said.
"(Smith) said, 'Sorry, I've had to sing this every year in school since the day I went to school.'"
Other changes for the 2024 edition will likely include a fresh backing track to accompany the singers. Geldof said these tweaks have given Horn some anxiety over how it comes together. Geldof said he told him: "You've got time, you'll get over it."
"If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't. But it's fascinating unto itself, from our perspective," said Geldof.
With the 40th anniversary of Band Aid on the horizon, Geldof is busy with many projects to mark the monumental charity events that defined an era.
His name is attached to "Just For One Day," a stage musical about the birth of Live Aid, the epic 1985 fundraiser concert he helped organize in the wake of "Do They Know It's Christmas."
The show rolls into Toronto for its North American premiere in January.
There's also a four-part Live Aid documentary in the works about how they pulled off the whole thing. The rock concert led several acts — including Led Zeppelin and Crosby, Stills and Nash — to put aside their grudges to reunite in the name of charity.
Geldof hopes the series goes beyond what happened on the concert stages in London and Philadelphia, and explores how pop musicians pushed for significant political change. He also thinks there's room to look at the ways new technology helped connect viewers with the concerts.
In 2004, a series of benefit concerts known as Live 8 harnessed the internet and other new communication tools to organize an even bigger event.
"It sort of bridges the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century," he said of his events.
"I want that to be the story — with all the greatest live performances."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2024.
David Friend, The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version listed Paul McCartney as a vocalist on "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
