"Welllll, tonight thank God it's them...instead of yooooouuuuu!!!

[Mac Phisto]

What makes this line so "legendary"?

I've seen the above adjective used constantly of late when refering to the line.

I was just a pup when the song came out, so I was wondering if that was the line that everyone kind of just knew...kinda like "LEONARD BERNSTEIN!" in REM's It's the End of the World... only on a much larger scale.

Was it the B-Man's booming voice that clicked? And what exactly does it mean? And who wrote it? And what was Dan Akyroyd doing in the "We Are The World" video? Fuck! Help MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

Well, it's a very strong indictment of the elitist perspective that we are somehow better than the third world, and at the same time it is very honest. It's always better to be "them" instead of "us." But that doesn't mean that we can't help them. I think it is a pivotal line.

 

[Mac Phisto]

Good call...makes a great deal of sense.



But what about Dan Akyroyd in "We are the World"?

 

[starsgoblue]

Well, it's a very strong indictment of the elitist perspective that we are somehow better than the third world, and at the same time it is very honest. It's always better to be "them" instead of "us." But that doesn't mean that we can't help them. I think it is a pivotal line.

I couldn't say it any better than this.

 

[LostAtMoon]

I think of that line as being a call for people to think about others.

[We all have experienced the egocentric feeling "thank God it didn't happen to me"]

Bono's performance has made it a powerful call.

 

[Jamila]

Bob Geldof and Bono talked about the significance of Band Aid and "Do They Know..." in a BBC documentary which was recently shown in the UK.

Here is the link for some of the clips from that documentary that sheds further light on Band Aid and on Bono's famous line:

http://forum.interference.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=100693&pagenumber=1

Clip 2 is the most informative, clip 4 is the most moving - all of them are GREAT!

BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD....

 

[BluRmGrl]

That line always stood out to me because it seemed (and in retrospect appears to be accurate) that Bono was SOOO much more passionate about what they were trying to accomplish.

Interesting to find out he resisted singing that at first.... I'm glad Bob Geldof pressed the issue. I look forward to hearing that song every Christmas - it still gives me goosebumps to this day.

 

[sue4u2]

Well, just think about it.
Aren't you glad tonignt it is actually them instead of you?
Be honest..
That was the point...

Edited to say: There, but for the Grace of God, go I.

 

[BluRmGrl]

Well, just think about it.
Aren't you glad tonignt it is actually them instead of you?
Be honest..
That was the point...

Edited to say: There, but for the Grace of God, go I.

Exactly!

 

[starsgoblue]

Well, just think about it.
Aren't you glad tonignt it is actually them instead of you?
Be honest..
That was the point...

Edited to say: There, but for the Grace of God, go I.

Thank you Sue...for being totally and brutally honest. It is true...as I crawl in my warm bed at night with a roof over my head and a full stomach--would I honestly be willing to trade it to be sleeping in the streets and eating garbage somewhere?

At the same time though, our positions and our voices CAN serve a purpose. We can be the voice for those who have no voice. Don't let your privlege be someone else's curse...use your voice and use it loudly.

It is bittersweet that Bono is doing this line again, people. It is powerful because when Bono first sang this people were in awe of the emotion in his voice. It is sad though, because after all of these years Bono is still crying out against the same injustice....

It is the people that are crazy enough to think they can change the world who actually do it. Don't forget that. Don't think that you don't have the ability to make an impact.

 

[Jamila]

I agree -

and salute those here who are committed enough to be the change that they want to see in the world.

Isn't that what the "Good Book" tells us to do?

 

[susanp6]

Right on Sue4u2: Bono portrayed so much genuine, feeling and emotion in that one, but very important line, i always feel so grateful to have a roof and food also i hope a ton of money is made from sales of the live aid dvd