
Fucked Up, whose Google Image Search reveals scads of nasty porn, are apparently full of Yuletide cheer. The Canadian punk outfit aim to use $20,000 awarded to them for winning the 2009 Polaris Music Prize to re-record the charity single “Do They Know It's Christmas?”
It appears that Fucked Up will not be acting alone, either. Frontman Pink Eyes told reporters that the song will feature comedian David Cross, GZA, Bob Mould, and members of Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear, No Age, Yo La Tengo, and TV On The Radio. The band is still waiting to hear back from Jarvis Cocker, MIA, and Feist. “We wanted to get the biggest people we could get,” said Pink Eyes “If we could get a Jonas Brother on this, I would get a Jonas Brother."
“Do They Know It's Christmas?” was originally written in 1984, by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, with the intent to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia. The original recording featured Kool & The Gang, Sting, Phil Collins, Bananarama, and George Michael. It hit Number 1 on the UK Charts. The song was re-recorded in 2004 featuring Bono, Dido, and Chris Martin, and was the fastest-selling single of that year. It has also inspired equally charitable parodies, such as 2005's “Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?,” a song featuring members of Islands, Wolf Parade, the Arcade Fire, and Sonic Youth, whose proceeds went on to benefit UNICEF.
Fucked Up plan to donate the proceeds from “Do They Know It's Christmas?” to lesser known charities such as Justice For the Missing, and probably one whose mission is to make large shirtless men more welcome and accepted in general society. Matador Records has confirmed that they will release the single, but have not stated the exact date.