Many of you will remember the original event. It generated huge interest among young people as the royalty of 80s pop culture sang out their lines from under heavily lacquered mullets. But will Band Aid 20 capture young people's imagination again?
The answer is, unfortunately, yes. I say "unfortunately" because this phenomenon will delib- erately misinform another generation of young people. The lyrics of the song present the complex and diverse continent of Africa in a particularly negative and misleading manner.
The image of sub-Saharan Africa as depicted by Band Aid is wholly negative.
The Africa of Band Aid is one where "the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears" and where "the Christmas bells that ring there are the clanging chimes of doom". The lyrics separate people rather than unite them as can be heard through lines such as"but say a prayer, pray for the other ones" and "tonight thank God it's them instead of you".
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