Band Aid 30 organiser Bob Geldof has hit back at critics who have branded the 2014 reworking of the charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ patronising and somewhat offensive, telling them to “f*** off”.
The former Boomtown Rats frontman has responded to several criticisms of the recent track, which has been created in order to send aid to Ebola victims in Africa, with even the single’s own star Emeli Sande lambasting the lyrics of the song, saying that she felt they needed changing and that her own input was ignored.
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William Pooley, a nurse and Ebola survivor who contracted the disease whilst working in Sierra Leone, criticised the “cultural ignorance” of the record, saying: “It’s Africa, not another planet. That sort of cultural ignorance is a bit cringeworthy. There’s a lyric about ‘death in every tear’. It’s a bit much.”
Now Geldof has responded to Pooley’s comments via the Telegraph, saying: “Please. It’s a pop song. Relax.”
He continued: “It’s a pop song, it’s not a doctoral thesis. They can f*** off.
“They’re more than welcome to be offended by me. I couldn’t give a toss. Seriously, I’m the wrong guy. The reality behind the pop song – Christmassy, corny, whatever you think about it – the reality behind it is stark.
“If it’s a pop song that can help ease the pain, the agony, if they can die with a little more dignity then, yeah, I’m there. It’s pretty simple.”
While the record is certainly helping in regards to charitable donations made to those suffering from the outbreak in West Africa, the lyrics and the overall condescension displayed by Geldof who, when questionned about the tax evasion methods employed by the participants of Band Aid 30, particularly Bono, in an interview with Sky News, replied: “Bollocks”.
Lily Allen also claimed that she was invited to take part in the recording session, but refused because she didn’t want to be a part of the “success club”.
“I prefer to do my charitable bit by donating actual money and not being lumped in with a bunch of people like that”, Allen said.“It’s like the ‘success club’ and I’m not really in that club. I don’t think I’m above it all – I’m way below it. But there’s something a bit smug about it.”
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