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Band Aid 30 Stars Release New Single For Ebola Funds

Band Aid 30 Stars Release New Single For Ebola Funds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPcfxxV_hIs

It’s a familiar song with a not-so-familiar line-up.

U2 frontman Bono returned for the new Band Aid track 30 years after Bob Geldof made the original, “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” but most of cast is unrecognizable from past Band Aid fundraisers, BBC reports.

The 2014 line-up includes social media celebrities with millions of online followers — but no professional singing experience — and top music stars of 2014.

In a Reuters video, boy band One Direction and U2 lead singer Bono arrived to record a new version of the Band Aid charity song to raise money to fight Ebola in West Africa.

Geldhof urged viewers not just to listen to the track — planned for release today — but to “Buy as many of this track as you possibly can — buy, that’s the key issue,” he said. “We will stop the virus.”

“I wish we didn’t have to do this,” Bono said. “There will come a time when we won’t and that will be great.”

The song was recorded Saturday at the Sarm studios in west London, the same place where stars such as Duran Duran, Sting, Wham! and Status Quo recorded the original, BBC.com reports.

In 1984, that single raised £8m ($12.5 million US) for famine relief. This time, the lyrics have been rewritten.  The original version sold 3.7 million copies. In 2004, Band Aid 20 was recorded by Coldplay, Dizzee Rascal, Ms Dynamite, Will Young and Robbie Williams.

The new version replaced the line, “Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears,” with this: “Where a kiss of love can kill you and there’s death in every tear,” according to BBC.com.

Bono’s famous line, “Well tonight thank God it’s them instead of you” has been changed to, “Well tonight we’re reaching out and touching you.”

The plan was for the song to be available for download at 8 a.m. today. A CD version costing £4 ($6.26 US) is due out in three weeks.

The track will be available on Spotify and in January.

These are the lyrics of Band Aid 30, according to BBC.com.

It’s Christmas time, and there’s no need to be
afraid

At Christmas time, we let in light and banish shade

And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of
joy

Throw your arms around the world

At Christmas time

But say a prayer, pray for the other ones

At Christmas time, it’s hard but while you’re having
fun

There’s a world outside your window, and it’s a
world of dread and fear

Where a kiss of love can kill you, and there’s death
in every tear

And the Christmas bells that ring there are the
clanging chimes of doom

Well tonight we’re reaching out and touching you

No peace and joy this Christmas in West Africa

The only hope they’ll have is being alive

Where to comfort is to fear

Where to touch is to be scared

How can they know it’s Christmas time at all

Here’s to you

Raise a glass to everyone

And here’s to them

And all their years to come

Let them know it’s Christmas time after all

Feed the world, let them know it’s Christmas time
again

Feel the world, let them know it’s Christmas time
again

Heal the world, let them know it’s Christmas time
again

You can see the full line-up of Band Aid 30 at BBC.