Band Aid vs USA For Africa

Which is better? It depends if you want Brit cool or American glitz. Although nobody could ever call Marilyn cool. Or Status Quo.

I love Band Aid as much as the next girl. I had the poster on my wall and thought the whole thing was amazing. On the other hand, USA For Africa had Michael Jackson.

I feel a pro and con list coming on...

Band Aid pros:

• The sheer pastiness of them all and how they had obviously rolled out of bed and rocked up. You'd never get that now.
• George Michael
• Fab Macca Thumbs Aloft
• Duran Duran and special mention to Simon Le Bon's hair.
• Bono's line. I can forgive Bono a lot for the way he sings that line.
• Every single person's hair.
• Jon Moss and his maracas.
• Paula Yates and her baby. Makes me feel sad and old.
• The innocence of it - so English and lovely.

Band Aid cons:

• Why the hell was Paul Young allowed to open it? He was never any good. Then he gets more lines. WHY?
• The sheer state of Boy George. Rough.
• Bananarama. USA For Africa give us Bette Midler and we get sodding Bananarama.

USA for Africa pros:

• It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones. Sorry Midge Ure but you didn't stand a chance.
• The cast list. This is a song that opens with Lionel and Stevie Wonder and then goes to Paul Simon. Not Paul Young.
• Then Kenny Rogers! KENNY ROGERS!
• Tina Turner actually pushes James Ingram out of the way to sing her line. Love it. Tina Turner by the way - not Bananarama.
• Billy Joel.
• Michael Jackson's wardrobe. He looks like a pop star for goodness sake. He's wearing a white sparkly glove.
• Dionne Warwick. Yes. Indeed.
• Bruce Springsteen. He bellows it out as only Brucie can.
• Kenny Loggins. I'm all about the Kennys.
• The way Cyndi Lauper sings her line - proper laugh out loud.
• I hate Bob Dylan but nobody can deny he is a legend.
• Ray Charles. Ray Charles.
• The only song where you get a duet between Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen. And it works.

USA For Africa cons:

• OK, we get the superstars but there are some duds too. Huey Lewis? Al Jarreau? Fair enough they were stars at the time but Bette Midler doesn't get a solo line and they do?
• No Madonna.
• The lyrics are far too preachy and religious for me.
• It's a bit over indulgent and goes on for too long.

Weighing it up, I have to say I prefer We Are The World. It's simply a better song with bigger stars and proper show business razz. If I could only take one with me to a desert island, I'd pick that one. Having said that, I do still love Do They Know It's Christmas because I have such fond memories of it and reading Smash Hits avidly.

We really did know how to do this sort of thing in the 80s.