Do they know it's Christmas?

Magnet #296 - Duran Duran (yes. again)

Christmas 1984 is when Band Aid released the single and the video for Do they know it's Christmas?, a song written in the back of a cab by Bob Geldolf. I swear, I must have stalked MTV day and night waiting for each airing of this video. Ya know, back in the day when they actually played wall-to-wall videos.

This charity effort was the first out of the gate, one of the first large gatherings of musical talent ever...and was then quickly followed by Michael Jackson/USA for Africa's We Are the World. Both were aimed at helping Africa, with as much star power as they could possibly gather. Both videos read like Who's Who in 80s music, and were actually incredible to watch. (I mean the scheduling alone must have been a bear.)

But Do they know it's Christmas? is still my favorite holiday song to this day. I lived to see my John Taylor having so much fun with the other boys during the recording. How cute is he at the 2:46 mark! Squee!

Not surprisingly, holiday music is my favorite all-time music. I spent the entire day yesterday ripping all my holiday CDs to an external drive, so that I could load them up to iPods and my cell. And, 65 CDs and roughly a thousand songs later, I'm happy to report - all music listening devices are ready to roll.

As usual, I tend to stick with the happy bubblegummy music, because they make me happy. But, because I have several compilation sets, I end up with tons of dupes of the Rat Pack, or Johnny Mathis, or Ella or Bing. I deleted any tracks that were by the same artist, but it still means that I have up to 20 versions each of Silent Night, Winter Wonderland, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Sleigh Ride, The Christmas Song and the best one of all, Joy to the World.

I think I could listen to Christmas music all year round. My silly favorite holiday CDs, just for kicks...feel free to mock.

1. School's Out Christmas
2. Platinum Christmas
3. Christmas with the Rat Pack
4. Disney Channel Holiday
5. Radio Disney Jingle Jams
6. Maybe this Christmas
7. Cheetah-licious Christmas
8. NOW That's What I Call Christmas
9. Home for Christmas

eta:
I wish Duran Duran would put out a Christmas album.

But I also kinda wish that Bob Geldof had worked out some sort of deal where if the artists participate in it (whichever version, though none are as good as the original), that those artists could put that track on their own albums and donate a percentage to Band Aid.

But I'd rather have a "Have a Merry Duran Duran Christmas" more.