You know, every now and then I can get over that overwhelming silence. I then have to hear some music, if necessary sing along to the noise that determines everything for me. At such a moment I want to dance, swing, and sing along to sounds that move me to the depth of my soul.
Sometimes I like to go back to songs that I haven’t listened to in years, because they are outdated, however still relevant. Because they immediately bring back memories from my youth.
I must have been 17 years old when on December 7, 1984 (almost 40 years ago) “Do they know it’s Christmas?” was released to the general public. It was number 1 for 5 weeks. It raised at least 8 million pounds in 1 year for Ethiopia at the time. And it was inspired by a BBC documentary about the great famine in Ethiopia in particular at that time.
I found it extremely interesting at the time because even the rich and wealthiest people of this world – if only for a short while – showed their indignation about so much poverty and famine elsewhere on this planet. And that they at least made an effort – how brave – to improve the situation if only just a little bit. That gave this citizen courage at least. For the longer while.
Of course the US could not stay behind and they also came up with “We are the World”.
And I can still vividly remember the gigantic concert “Live Aid” that took place the following year on Saturday, July 13, 1985. That was really the “Woodstock” of my youth. I tried to be there, but unfortunately that was no longer possible. It didn’t matter, I was glued to the live recordings on TV all day that Saturday. And recorded major parts on VHS videotape that unfortunately can no longer be (re)viewed today.
Can you remember that song and concert as vividly as I do, today?
