Ah, the holiday season—a time for twinkling lights, cozy sweaters, and that incessant loop of Christmas music filling the airwaves. But wait! Every cheerful tinkle of a bell has a shadow lurking behind it named ‘cancel culture.’ Yes, what would December be without this modern phenomena carving its way through our beloved carols? This year, the catchy little tune on the chopping block is none other than ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

Here’s the scoop: as jades of green and red begin their seasonal prominence and radio stations dust off their holiday playlists, some perfectly reasonable folks are demanding this 1984 classic gets axed. Cherished by millions, this charity-fueled anthem was sung by the crème de la crème of the music industry—all for a noble cause, but apparently, something didn’t quite hit the right notes.

We all have our holiday go-to tracks— from Bing Crosby’s dreamy ‘White Christmas’ to that perennial military ballad, ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas.’ Admit it, some even sneak a jaunty little jig when Mariah Carey’s high notes kick in. While these tunes evoke nostalgia and warmth, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ is now under fire. “Why?” you might dramatically cry, splashing your eggnog in utter horror.

Let’s peek behind the curtain of melody and harmony. This track was the brainchild of Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, crafted with star-studded appearances from folks like Bono and George Michael, aimed at raising funds for the Ethiopian famine. A noble goal, yes. But, as time ticks on, one blog writer by the name of Indrajit Samarajiva raises a banner of concern over some not-so-celebratory aspects of the song.

In a blog that stirred more ripples than a snowfall on a still pond, Samarajiva paints the tune with broad strokes of ‘racism’ and ‘ignorance.’ Alas, the case against this festive favorite: “It’s not just that these lyrics haven’t aged well. They were never good at all.” Harsh? Perhaps, but let’s delve deeper.

“They take an ignorant and colonial attitude, more about making white people feel good than helping anyone,” notes Samarajiva. Ouch! Among the lyrics noted for their insensitivity are remarks like ‘And there won’t be snow in Africa this Christmas time’ and ‘Where nothing ever grows. No rain or rivers flow. Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?’

Beyond just a slight lyrical cringe, Samarajiva argues it over-generalizes a diverse continent and imposes a narrative of pity. She points out, “I mean, this is all wrong. It does snow in Africa, although not a lot. Food does in fact grow on the continent, they do have water, and North Africa, as part of the Roman Empire, was celebrating Christmas centuries before England.” Now there’s a claim that might make your Christmas socks quiver!

A call to action, or another episode in the saga of ‘what should or shouldn’t we play?’ seems to have divided opinions as neatly as family seating arrangements at the holiday feast. While critics rally around the cause of awareness, some purists clutch their records in dismay, denouncing the whole ordeal as yet another chapter of cancel culture overreach.

So, has that beloved Christmas song truly become a jolly old nightmare? Or is it a woke paradigm challenging outdated perspectives? As holiday tunes nestle into their seasonal airtime slots, the debate over ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ isn’t going anywhere fast. Neither is the evergreen chill of winter, it seems.