Hey kids, look! A charity record that isn’t terrible!
My god, the haircuts! Won't someone do something about the haircuts!
The other problem, of course, is the ridiculous circling of egos that you get on records like this, with each star performer trying to out-do the other. Witness this rather embarrassing argument between the Darkness and Bono on the re-recording of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ two years ago. I’m a big U2 fan, much to my own puzzlement sometimes, but that really leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
The music is often terrible, too; a blanded-out, hastily-produced piece of anonymous pop dreck is usually your lot when a charity single is crafted. Here’s a recent example; We Are the World, an already dull track, stripped of all soul and grace by the inevitable sickening celebrity-fest for Haiti.
Of course, I’m not suggesting for a second that the cause involved is anything other than wholly worthy. As if you didn’t need reminding of how terrible the whole situation is, here’s a very moving article from Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne, who has family connections to Haiti.
So we should all give money, and help out in any way we can.
That caveat aside, here’s that actual rarity- a charity record that manages to be fantastic! Shane Magowan, Nick Cave, Bobby Gillespie Chrissy Hynde and others do a storming version of ‘I put a Spell on You’ which is both visceral and moving. It’s great, really primal stuff. Oh, and that’s Jonny Depp playing guitar at the end. He’s pretty good.
The whole thing is in aid of Concern, a Charity who are currently active in Haiti. You should listen to this song. And then go give them some money.
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