Remember this?

I do.

In fact we had just gotten our very first Video Cassette Recorder (a high tech front loading Betamax) the day before the Live Aid concert in 1985.

Take a listen (and a look) and come back...

What I hear, what I see, and what I remember - is that despite the energy, this piece of music was a lament. A cry to action. No one is featured in their glam rock perfection. A lot of sweaty tee shirts. You can see that they mean what they are singing.

Ok ?

Now take a look at this recent version:



Sorry Glee Cast (and more likely FOX television)

Are you frackin' kidding?

Now look, I really like Glee. I find it generally entertaining. I mostly like the characters. A good 50 % of the time I like the music (enough that I have scooped a good dozen for my iPod).

But this is SO far off the mark. Happy, Happy. The meaning is totally buried under all that star power.
And these are supposed to be HOMELESS? Are you bloody well kidding? Awful middle America, middle class, white bread, clean and well turned out. Don't look a thing like the Homeless I've seen in Toronto.
Hell, I just grew up 'short' (and still live short) - and *I* don't look that fat and happy!

Remember this song is supposed to be a rally cry for Africans starving to death in a famine?
One that still continues after now some 25 years?

Bah! Humbug!