Do you remember the song by Bandaid...

[Cindy B]

It was November 25, thought I had typed 1984, not 1985....


The extended day remix I have has Midge Ure (I think ) stated this record was recorded on November 25, 19xx... I have to find my extended remix and play it when I get home...

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

the mother of all cause songs? hardly. Harry Chapin's cause was world hunger long before it was "popular".

and I guess no one here ever heard "We Shall Overcome." or "Blowing In the Wind." or dozens of others by Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Peter Paul and Mary...


here are some places to donate:

http://www.licares.org/Favorite_Links.htm

http://www.harrychapinfoodbank.org/

http://www.cityharvest.org/

http://www.worldhungeryear.org/

 

[Cindy B]

When did Harry Chapin do a hunger song? Don't recall it.. it was before my time..

I was saying in the 80's, this was it.. think of all the things that happened after in in the 80's.. Farm Aid, Live Aid, We are the World, etc....



I remember something about the concert for Bangladesh..is that the same thing? (Granted I was very very young)

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

no, the concert for Bangladesh was George Harrison. right after the Beatles broke up.


as for Harry Chapin -- he didn't do a song -- he devoted his life to the cause. http://www.harrysfriends.com/hcf/

Harry Chapin was one of America's best-loved troubadours. His tireless efforts on behalf of the hungry and the homeless were widely recognized and he is sorely missed. Because of his extraordinary contributions, he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom. Public advocate and educator, fund-raiser, musician, writer, filmmaker, Harry believed in believing. He knew that truly one man or woman can make a difference.

at least 1/3 of his concerts every year were benefits for hunger.

http://harrychapinmusic.com/chapin_site2/home/chapinhp_frm.html http://freespace.virgin.net/peter.steward/harrybio.htm During the 70s, Chapin kept up a hectic touring schedule that averaged 200 concerts a year all over the United States and in many other nations. Besides his regular commercial shows, he constantly crammed in benefit appearances for the many causes and charities he believed in. In the mid 1970s, for instance, he organized a series of Concerts for Africa to help victims of the drought in sub-Sahara regions. In the summer of 1974, he gave three shows for that cause in the Astrodome in Houston, Los Angeles Forum, and Madison Square Garden that helped raise over $6 million in relief funds. In fact, of his 200 annual concerts, typically half were benefits.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

and here's harry's song about hunger:


Artist: Harry Chapin
Song: The Shortest Story


I am born today, the sun burns its promise in my eyes;
Mama strikes me and I draw a breath and cry.
Above me a cloud softly tumbles through the sky;
I am glad to be alive.

It is my seventh day, I taste the hunger and I cry;
my brother and sister cling to Mama's side.
She squeezes her breast, but it has nothing to provide;
someone weeps, I fall asleep.

It is twenty days today, Mama does not hold me anymore;
I open my mouth but I am too weak to cry.
Above me a bird slowly crawls across the sky;
why is there nothing now to do but die?

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

Bangla Desh

George Harrison 1972
----------------------------------------


My friend came to me, with sadness in his eyes
He told me that he wanted help
Before his country dies

Although I couldn't feel the pain, I knew I had to try
Now I'm asking all of you
To help us save some lives

Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh
Where so many people are dying fast
And it sure looks like a mess
I've never seen such distress
Now won't you lend your hand and understand
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh

Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh
Such a great disaster - I don't understand
But it sure looks like a mess
I've never known such distress
Now please don't turn away, I want to hear you say
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh
Relieve Bangla Desh

Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh
Now it may seem so far from where we all are
It's something we can't neglect
It's something I can't neglect
Now won't you give some bread to get the starving fed
We've got to relieve Bangla Desh
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh
We've got to relieve Bangla Desh
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

and BTW, Sir Bob went to Harry's people to get help organizing his relief effort.

 

[browneyes]

It's a great song to have released on your birthday, Cindy.

I still can't believe my SO has never heard it. He's heard it now though.

 

[Tartan Tigger]

I love this song It's played all the time on radio stations and in shops etc.. here in the uK at this time of year.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I have to ask again -- you love the song, but did you get its message?

 

[DocRafiki]

Yes, I think anyone alive at the time realized it was for hunger relief... or anyone who hears it for the first time. It's pretty evident. It's not like the meaning is hidden in metaphors.

I hardly think that the cause for hunger relief for Ethiopians is the same cause as for people in NYC... completely different situations.

 

[Cindy B]

I just replayed the dance remix in the car... (I have it on cd). There is a narrative by David Bowie saying that there were 11 million people starving on this continnet, and doesn't it stop to make you think.


Same with Midge Ure, he speaks about feeding the people in Africa as well.

I honeslty think we are the world is the watered down one!


If you remember the video, they even showed statistics as well. This video made me realize things were outside my realm as a young teen.. yes, it was recorded on 1984.. I was 14.

I joined Amnesty International, Greenpeace, and other world hunger organizations from this. I still am charity focused now, many years later. I give so much to charity all year round, its so much a part of my life. (The IRS wonders about us since we give so much!)


It was never a cool song with a great beat you could dance to for me.. It was a cause song, one that made me think and realize I am not the only one here.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

that's NOT what I meant, DocRafiki. anyone who speaks English understood the words. did you understand what was being asked of you?

and you are mistaken about "hunger in NYC" being different from hunger in Africa. to someone who goes hungry, it doesn't matter why. Harry Chapin's relief agencies deal with hunger on the local level-- Long Island Cares, for example -- and on the global level -- WHY's international program --world hunger year

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

WHY International

 

[DocRafiki]

There are plenty of people who would donate to Ethiopian agencies who wouldn't donate to domestic ones, and vice versa, because of the completely unrelated reasons for why the people are hungry. No one in America is going hungry because of drought or because their country is at war (not that I understand what was happening in Ethiopia; I was ~9 yrs old). Conversely, many people here believe in taking care of Americans before anyone else. I can see how the two causes aren't interchangeable.

 

[Mermaid02]

I think everyone understands the message of the song.... and the way the message was delivered was/is beautiful. What I particularly find moving is the collaboration of so many of the rich and famous who donated their time and talent... it was the first time in MY life such a collaborative effort had taken place.

My dd is doing a school project on the famine in Africa and she's going to use the song (I have the 45 somewhere) as part of her presentation.