I am Gen-X and was in high school when that song came out. And I loved it. But when I hear the line, “well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you” I get grand mal cringe.
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I think the line is spot on. Every time I hear that line I remember however bad I have it there are those much worse off than I am, and I should be thankful for the gifts I have.
That’s fair. Not a perspective I’d considered. And melodically, I love the song. It represents a moment in time (the 80s were great). But lyrically, it’s objectively awful.
They wrote it in about 40 minutes one Sunday morning whilst waiting for all the artists to arrive on the one day they could all guarantee to get there in time to record it for the Christmas market.
What would you have done differently, Ivor Novello?
I remember someone saying once that when you put something in a song, you’re painting it on a wall in ten foot high red capital letters. Bono must get extremely tired of discussing that two seconds of music.
100%. I enjoy song analysis conversations, but dissecting lyrics gets a bit silly. It's a SONG. Almost every writer, when asked "why did you put that in there?", responds with "well, it rhymed first off." haha
Every time the latest thinkpiece on it gets to 'how could they make sweeping generalisations about all of Africa' I just want to scream that - The famine was in a country with a five-syllable name! It's not the easiest thing to make scan when you're writing back of a fag packet lyrics.
Yes you’re both wrong. It’s reminding the listener that they are extremely privileged not to be a starving child in a famine zone! In so doing jolting them to take action.
It is absolutely a sarcastic line and I can’t see reading it any other way. Thank God for what you have. Share it with those who have less. It’s a thought-provoking, great lyric.
Or… stop bellyaching about how rough your life is, how you didn’t find that shiny new thing under the tree, and think about how bad other people have it.
While you were hoping for the latest gadget, they were hoping for a meal.
Here is what they meant: All you spoiled first world fucks, with your first world problems should be thankful for what you have, and try and understand that there are those in the world who are suffering while you fucking stuff your faces with Christmas cake… makes sense…?
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You've completely missed the point.
What would you have done differently, Ivor Novello?
Eeth ee ope ee ah.
It ain't no dis tope ee ah.
I've got like a Motorhead thing going on in my head. haha
While you were hoping for the latest gadget, they were hoping for a meal.
I don’t find it cringeworthy.
That doesn’t mean I was attacking you or your interpretation.